Drummer, pianist, educator and internationally-recognized jazz composer Steve Grover died yesterday at 60.
Steve lived and built his life in Maine's jazz community. Over a 45-year career "Young Grovah" played thousands of gigs, and he taught at University of Maine Augusta, Bates College, Bowdoin College and the Maine Jazz Camp. In the process Steve directly and positively affected the lives and music of literally hundreds of Maine players.
In 1994 Steve was awarded the Thelonious Monk Institute Composition Prize for his landmark "Blackbird Suite" based on poems by Wallace Stevens. It's going to be a long time before we have another Monk Prize winner up here in Maine.
I worked with Steve on and off over the past 23 years -- never his top-call bassist but glad to get that call every time. We played everything from auditoriums to house parties and worked together in The Orion Ensemble collective for several years during the late 90s. Steve inspired complete musical trust. Sometimes on bossas I would watch his hands and just play some note whenever he hit a tom. If Steve was playing, it was the right time to play.
His obituary is here.
Play today, OK? Don't wait.
Steve lived and built his life in Maine's jazz community. Over a 45-year career "Young Grovah" played thousands of gigs, and he taught at University of Maine Augusta, Bates College, Bowdoin College and the Maine Jazz Camp. In the process Steve directly and positively affected the lives and music of literally hundreds of Maine players.
In 1994 Steve was awarded the Thelonious Monk Institute Composition Prize for his landmark "Blackbird Suite" based on poems by Wallace Stevens. It's going to be a long time before we have another Monk Prize winner up here in Maine.
I worked with Steve on and off over the past 23 years -- never his top-call bassist but glad to get that call every time. We played everything from auditoriums to house parties and worked together in The Orion Ensemble collective for several years during the late 90s. Steve inspired complete musical trust. Sometimes on bossas I would watch his hands and just play some note whenever he hit a tom. If Steve was playing, it was the right time to play.
His obituary is here.
Play today, OK? Don't wait.
