Herb Ellis rehearsing with the U.S. Navy Commodores (circa 1979)
Steve has performed
with jazz giants, such as:
on guitar:
Howard Alden
Gene Bertoncini
Charlie Byrd
Herb Ellis
Tal Farlow
Mundell Lowe
Joe Negri
John Pisano
Bucky Pizzarelli
John Pizzarelli
Emily Remler
Vinnie Raniolo
Frank Vignola
on piano:
Bill Charlap
John Eaton
Larry Eanet
Eddie Higgins
Marian McPartland
John Sheridan
Tadataka Unno
on bass:
Keter Betts
Joe Byrd
Milt Hinton
Hassan Shakur
on drums:
Louie Bellson
Paul Humphrey
Dennis Mackrell
on horns:
Harry Allen
Adrian Cunningham
Lou Donaldson
Frank Foster
Scott Hamilton
Jon-Erik Kelso
Ken Peplowski
Tommy Newsome
Marvin Stamm
Stanley Turrentine
And accompanied
legendary vocalists:
Ernie Andrews
Rosemary Clooney
Ethel Ennis
Etta Jones
Carmen Lundy
Della Reese
Diane Shuur
Margaret Whiting
Joe Williams
Biography
Steve has appeared in concert twice with the "Great Guitars". Once, back in the 1980's with Herb Ellis and Charlie Byrd, (filling in for Barney Kessel), and recently with Bucky Pizzarelli and Frank Vignola.
Abshire was a member of various Navy Bands for 24 years, from 1973 to 1997. Steve landed the position of guitarist/featured soloist with the Commodores, the U.S. Navy's premiere jazz ensemble, for 18 of those years until He retired in 1997. Steve has performed in Europe twice at the famed "Jazz In Marciac" jazz festival in Marciac, France.
Abshire joined the faculty at the Levine School of Music in Washington, D.C. for five years and presently teaches guitar privately. As a clinician, Steve has given Master Classes in guitar and rhythm section techniques at the Armed Forces School of Music, James Madison University, Elon University, and various other local colleges and high schools.
Steve can be found on numerous recordings, including six of his own. In 1987, his first, "Big Brass Bed Blues" received a 4 1/2-star rating from Downbeat Magazine, which called him "...fluent, assured, directly communicative...definitely one to watch".
His latest project, "Between Friends", is collaboration with long time friend and master guitarist Steve Herberman. It is a collection of musical conversations between two good friends. Released on the "Mainstay Music" label.
Steve has also shared the stage with some of the finest Wash. D.C./ Baltimore area musicians, such as:
Guitarists - Danny Gatton, Mike Gellar, Steve Herberman, Jan Knutson, Tom Lawrence,
Vince Lewis, Vinnie Raniolo, Geoff Reecer, Donato Soviero, Bart Stringham,
Rick Whitehead, Paul Wingo
Pianists - Harry Appleman, Jarry Ascione, Wade Beach, Deanna Bogart,
Bob Boguslaw, Amy Bormet, Bob Butta, Jay Cooley, Bob Diener,
Ron Elliston, Ellsworth Gibson, Chris Grasso, Bill Harris, Joe Holt,
Fred Hughes, Alex Jenkins, Allyn Johnson, David Kane, Dan Lamaestra,
Dick Morgan, Mike Noonan, Robert Redd, Stef Scaggari, Tim Whalen,
Wayne Wilentz
Bassists - Tom Baldwin, Herman Bernie, Bob Bowen, Michael Bowie, Tommy Cecil,
Victor Dvoskin, James Fowler, Scott Giambusso, Eric Harper, Lou Hinds,
David Jernigan, James King, Paul Langosch, Randy Mattson, Max Murray,
Steve Novosel,John Pineda, John Previti, Hamilton Price, Peter Revell,
Eric Scott, Amy Shook, Dallas Smith, Cheney Thomas, Dave Wundrow
Organist - Charles Covington
Vibraphonists - Charles Bubeck, John Cocuzzi, Lenny Cuze', Mike Noonan, Chuck Redd
Drummers - Nasar Abadey, Mike Aubin, Leonard Cuddy, Phil Cunniff, Ryan Diehl,
Jerry Jones, Ken Kimery, Bertell Knox, Harold Mann, Tony Martucci,
Chuck Redd, Mike Shepherd, Dominic Smith, Mike Smith, Percy Smith,
Brooks Tegler, Steve Walker
Percussionist - Sam Turner
Horns - Larry Boozer, Paul Carr, Ron Diehl, John Doughton, Dick Glass,
John Jensen, Ron Kearns, Marshall Keys, Marty Nau, Scott Silbert,
Bruce Swaim, Robert Vedder
Vocalists - Deanna Bogart, Felicia Carter, Sharon Clark, Sara Jones, Sue Mathews,
Tacha Coleman Parr, Dick Smith, Ronnie Wells