Upcoming Dates

Previous events

Endorsements

Steve is an Innovative Percussion Artist.

Steve Barnes...

 

 

is a highly acclaimed drummer and educator, whose signature sound and musicality have made him a valuable asset in settings ranging from big bands to orchestras to television soundtrack recordings.

He has performed with jazz greats including:

Eric Alexander, Gene Bertoncini, Don Braden, Dave Carpenter, Freddie Cole, Richie Cole, Hank Crawford, Steve Davis, Bill Evans, John Fedchock, Bruce Forman, Bobby Floyd, Hal Galper, John Goldsby, Dan Haerle, Eddie Harris, Antonio Hart, David Hazeltine, Conrad Herwig, Red Holloway, Groove Holmes, Stefan Karlsson, Andy Laverne, Jay Leonhart, Dave Liebman, Mundell Lowe, Hank Marr, Claire Martin, James Moody, Frank Morgan, Rich Perry, Houston Person, Jimmy Raney, Rufus Reid, Lynn Seaton, Bobby Shew, Marvin Stamm, Sonny Stitt, Dave Stryker, Bill Watrous, Scott Wendholt, and the Bill Holman, Bob Florence, Tommy Dorsey, and Keely Smith Big Bands.

During a decade in Los Angeles, Steve's professional experiences included not only live gigging and touring, but also television recording (including on-camera playing) for the ABC Family show “The Secret Life of the American Teenager" and “The Middle”.  Since relocating to Dallas in 2011, Steve has enjoyed making music with some of the Metroplex’s finest musicians plus guesting with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra pops concert series with Jeff Tyzik conducting.

Steve has over 50 years of teaching experience, including teaching jazz drumset at the University of Cincinnati's College Conservatory of Music and serving on the faculty of the Jamey Aebersold Summer Jazz Workshop since 2001.  He was selected by the L.A. Jazz Society to act as drumset mentor for the Bill Green Mentor Scholarship program from 2004 to 2011.  Steve was also selected as the drumset mentor from 2014 to 2016 for the Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra-Jazz Division, but recently resigned to have more family time with his daughter Emily, and wife, Jennifer, who is the director of Vocal Jazz at the University of North Texas.

May of 2023 has brought another new chapter. After 59 years of teaching and coaching drumming in various regions of the country at various levels,Steve decided to retire from his present teaching duties at the College of Music at the University of North Texas to devote more time to family, gigging, fun new practicing, tackling the neighborhood hills on his Surly Preamble and Trek Verve 2 Bike, and of course, more time with his pal,

Pepper the CAT !!!!!!!