The Steve Huffsteter Big Band – Gathered Around
Trumpeter, flugelhorn player, and composer/arranger/bandleader Steve Huffsteter brings his amazing big band to AIX Records.
Bill Perkins, reeds
Lee Thornburg, trumpet
Jack Redmond, trombone
Jamie Findley, guitar
Mark Massey, piano
Kevin Axt, bass
Dave Tull, drums
Dave Tull, a friend from our days at CSU Northridge and contributor to the Paul Smith DVD project, turned me on to Steve Huffsteter and his Big Band. And what a band it is! Thoughtful and innovative charts combined with outstanding musicianship and solos make this a new leap for AIX Records. I’ve been asked to apply our recording methodology to a band of this scope and am very glad that we finally were able to pull it off. Wes Dooley of Audio Engineering Associates provided 6 beautiful RCA type ribbon mics for this occaision and it makes all the difference on the saxes and especially the brass. Once again we employed lots of stereo pairs on the ensemble placed in a circle on the stage…you’ll be amazed at the musical involvement and dynamic range.
Steve Huffsteter was born in Michigan and grew up in Arizona. He started playing trumpet at 8 and started playing professionally while still in high school. He attended Arizona State at Tempe and worked in the Phoenix area until he moved to Los Angeles in 1959.
Starting in 1960 with Stan Kenton, Huffsteter has worked with most of the name big bands on the West Coast, including Sy Zentner, Les Brown, Ray Charles, Louie Bellson, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Billy Berry, Benny Carter, Bill Watrous, Bill Holman, Shorty Rogers, Clare Fisher, Bob Florence, Gordon Brisker, Matt Cattingub and Tom Talbert. In addition, Steve has worked and recorded with many smaller bands such as Shorty Rogers, Supersax, Willie Bobo, Pete Cristlieb, Paulino Da Costa, Moacir Santos, Jim Morris’ Brass Plus, Poncho Sanchez, the Dave Pell Octet, and since 1994, the Cecilia Coleman Quintet, with whom he has recorded two CDs. Steve Huffsteter has backed many singers such as Tony Bennett, Nat “King” Cole, Mel Torme, Ella Fitzgerald, Jack Jones, Diane Schurr, Natalie Cole, Julie Kelly, Mike Campbell, Debbie Reynolds, Toni Tenille, Vicci Carr, Dean Martin and others. Steve has recorded more than 80 albums and CDs, including his own “Circles” with Pete Cristlieb, Roger Kellaway, Monte Budwig and Joey Baron.
AIX Records’ premium DVD-Audio/Video have two sides. The first side in an interactive DVD-Video disc and the other side is a DVD-Audio disc [which requires a DVD-Audio capable machine to play it back].
The sound of this recording brings these incredible instrumentalists into your listening space. The HD-Audio surround mixes immerse you in the musical interplay with full range frequency response and dynamics. Check out how great big band jazz can sound!
Audio Examples
- Moacir –
- Night Walk –
- Waltz and Battery –
- Fools Silver –
- Circles –
- Autumn Returns –
- 3 and a 1/2 –
