Steve Rucker | |
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 Steve Rucker in 2015 |
Stephen Rucker (born 2 March 1954) is an American musician and drummer who served as a drummer with many artists. His biggest and well known act was theBee Gees. With the Bee Gees band, he appeared onThe Tonight Show,Late Night with David Letterman,Oprah Winfrey,The Rosie O'Donnell Show, theRock and Roll Hall of Fame induction and aRoyal Variety Performance. Rucker appears on the Bee Gees'One Night Only recording and DVD.[1] He is currently the Drumset Studies director of theUniversity of Miami'sFrost School of Music.
Originally fromCharlotte, North Carolina, Rucker attendedBerklee College of Music inBoston, and holds an Undergraduate Degree in Studio Music and Jazz and a master's degree in Jazz Performance from the University of Miami Frost School of Music.[2]
From September 1974 until May 1975, Rucker toured with the Charlotte-based band Sugarcreek. During this period he became the musical arranger for the seven-piece horn band, and wrote and recorded their first single, "Runnin' Out of Time".[3]
Rucker moved toMiami, Florida in 1976. Soon after, he was voted "Best Jazz Performer" and "Most Versatile Artist" in South Florida polls.[citation needed] In the early 1980s, Rucker was a member of the Ross-Levine band, ajazz fusion group. In addition to numerous appearances with them, he recorded "That Summer Something"[4] and "Humidity".
While a member ofRandy Bernsen's Ocean Sound Band in the late 1980s and early 1990s, he recorded tracks on "Paradise Citizens"[4] and "Calling Me Back Home", and performed in many concerts internationally, including a billing with Miles Davis. In 1992, he recorded "Blues Hat Dances 'Round Midnight"[4] with Randy Bernsen and Onorino Tiburzi in Italy.
In 1990, he recorded "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me" with Gloria Estefan.[4] For many years, he performed nationwide withBen Vereen,[3] and appeared with Vereen with theAtlanta Symphony and theDallas Symphony.[1]
Rucker founded andproduced thejazz ensemble Active Ingredient, a group of musicians from theUniversity of Miami. The band debuted on Bainbridge Records in 1988 with "Building Houses," followed by "Extra Strength" in 1990.[5]
In 1997, Rucker appeared on a Bee Gees concert at theMGM Grand Las Vegas which was shown on pay-per-view television, HBO, and was released as a live album selling over 5 million copies.[1] This led to a world tour of "One Night Only" concerts. The tour included playing to 56,000 people at London's Wembley Stadium on 5 September 1998 and concluded in the newly built Olympic Stadium in Sydney, Australia in March 1999.
Rucker also performed or recorded withMichael Jackson,Paquito D'Rivera,Barry Gibb,Jaco Pastorius,Cliff Richard,Joe Sample,Johnny Cash,Ben Vereen,Bo Diddley,Freda Payne, theWoody Herman Big Band, theTommy Dorsey Big Band (withWarren Covington),Sam Moore andBob James.[1][3]
Since 1979, Rucker has been the Director of Drumset Studies at the University of Miami. He directs the Funk/Fusion Ensemble, which has won over twentyDownBeat Student Awards.[citation needed] In previous years has created ensembles performing the music ofTower of Power andWeather Report.[1] RUCKER also directs the RUCK Ensemble, an originalhip hop/funk group.[citation needed]
In 2008, Rucker created an avant garde duo with guitarist Tom Lippincott.
In 2010, Rucker recorded an album with composer Ron Miller, entitledPeacock Park the Music of Ron Miller.[6]
Rucker completed an album in 2013 entitledConversions with singer/pianist Hal Roland, in a live jazz quartet configuration.[7]
In 2015, in collaboration with former student Jonathan Joseph, Rucker wrote and publishedExercises in African-American Funk, which contains a set of exercises for developing a fusion of African and American funk drumming elements.[8]
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