Steve Rodby
| Steve Rodby | |
|---|---|
|
Steve Rodby and Pat Metheny. Photo by Pino d'Amico | |
| Background information | |
| Born |
December 9, 1954 Joliet, Illinois, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, producer |
| Instruments | Bass |
| Years active | 1975–present |
| Labels | Geffen, Warner Bros., Nonesuch, Naim, Basho |
| Associated acts | Pat Metheny Group, Impossible Gentlemen |
| Website |
www |
Steve Rodby (born December 9, 1954 in Joliet, Illinois) is an American jazz bassist and producer known for his time with the Pat Metheny Group.
Rodby was born in Joliet, Illinois, into a musical family. His father was a music teacher who bought him an acoustic bass, electric bass, and amp when he was 12. He heard classical music from a young age and was educated in classical until high school when he learned jazz.[1] During high school summers, he went to jazz camps, where he met Pat Metheny, Lyle Mays, and Danny Gottlieb, three of the four members of The Pat Metheny Group.[2]
Rodby played acoustic bass until he graduated from Northwestern University in 1977, when he taught himself how to play electric.[2] He performed in the house band at the Jazz Showcase in Chicago, with local and visiting musicians such as Milt Jackson, Joe Henderson, and Art Farmer. He joined the Pat Metheny Group in 1981, starting on electric bass before spending most of his time on acoustic.[1] He spent the next thirty years at Metheny's side, touring, recording, and producing, in Group projects and in Metheny's other projects. With Metheny he earned multiple Grammy awards and nominations, and admiration from critics, magazines, and reader polls.[3]
Rodby collaborated with Fred Simon and Paul McCandless on two albums: Since Forever and Remember the River. In 2011 he collaborated with Paul Wertico, a former drummer for the Metheny Group, and with Israeli musicians Danny Markovitch and Dani Rabin on the group's album Breaking the Cycle.
Partial discography
With Ross Traut
- Great Lawn (Columbia, 1987)
- The Duo Life (Columbia, 1991)
As sideman
- Toninho Horta, Moonstone (Verve/Forecast, 1989) - bassist
- Oregon, Oregon in Moscow (Intuition, 2000); producer
- Fred Simon Remember the River by (Naim, 2004) – bassist
- Pat Metheny Group, The Way Up (Nonesuch, 2006) – bassist, co-producer
- Michael Brecker, Pilgrimage (Heads Up, 2007) – co-producer
- Charlie Haden, Rambling Boy (Universal, 2008) – co-producer
- Fred Simon, Since Forever (Naim, 2009)
- Esperanza Spalding, Radio Music Society (Heads Up, 2012) – mix preparation
- Ryan Cohan, The River (Motéma Music, 2013) – producer
- Eliane Elias, I Thought About You (Concord Jazz, 2013) – co-producer
- The Impossible Gentlemen, Internationally Recognized Aliens (Basho, 2013)[1][4]
Grammy Awards
With the Pat Metheny Group:
- Best Jazz Fusion Performance, Vocal or Instrumental – Offramp
- Best Jazz Fusion Performance, Vocal or Instrumental – Travels
- Best Jazz Fusion Performance, Vocal or Instrumental – First Circle
- Best Jazz Fusion Performance, Vocal or Instrumental – Still Life (Talking)
- Best Jazz Fusion Performance – Letter From Home
- Best Contemporary Jazz Performance Instrumental – The Road to You
- Best Contemporary Jazz Performance Instrumental – We Live Here
- Best Contemporary Jazz Performance – Imaginary Day
- Best Rock Instrumental Performance – "The Roots of Coincidence"
- Best Contemporary Jazz Album – Speaking of Now
- Best Contemporary Jazz Album – The Way Up[3]
References
- 1 2 3 Goldsby, John (14 January 2015). "The Magic of Steve Rodby". Bass Player. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
- 1 2 Kennedy, Gary (2002). Kernfeld, Barry, ed. The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz. 3 (2nd ed.). New York: Grove's Dictionaries Inc. p. 436. ISBN 1-56159-284-6.
- 1 2 "Pat Metheny : Awards". www.patmetheny.com. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
- ↑ "Pat Metheny | Album Discography | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 13 August 2016.