Recorded at the legendary Fantasy Recording studios in Berkeley, California. Steve's playing has been praised by saxophonists as diverse as Stan Getz ("Beautiful!"), Charles Lloyd ("A beautiful talent") and Pharoah Sanders ("This cat can play!").
Steve has invited renowned and highly versatile New York guitarist Howard Alden to join him in this swinging and beautifully lyrical recording, with superb support from pianist Matt Clark, a mainstay in the San Francisco Bay Area scene, multi-award winner bassist Marcus Shelby, and internationally known drummer Akira Tana.
Born to Be Blue is a collection of profound beauty, subtlety and swing, in which there is an ever-present lyricism and almost telepathic communication between the players. The CD features several tunes from the Great American Song Book including "Alone Together", "How Deep Is The Ocean", and the title tune ""Born to Be Blue". There is a warmth and honesty to this music, as well as a timeless, enduring quality. Don't be surprised if many of their lyrical lines remain in your head after listening.
