"I fell in love with all the sounds I heard as a child, so I pursued them" says Drummer/Pianist/Composer STEPHEN GORDON of Charlotte, N.C. - "Rather it was Gospel music at church, Funk and Motown with my Dad, Rock and Metal with my friends, Swing or European Classical literature with my peers and colleagues - I did it all." From the age of 4 years old, it became apparent that young Stephen would emerge into the world bringing forth sound, art, visual perspectives and living melodies to all that he pursued. Through the piano, taking lessons from the age of 5 with many teachers of different perspectives at the guidance of his parents and family, Stephen began playing the trumpet at age 12, which ventured into all brass, woodwinds, and eventually the drums and percussion. "They wanted to expand the Mass Choir at church, so my Dad and I became the rhythm section - That will always be my favorite rhythm section: Me and my Dad." From traditional and contemporary Gospel music, Stephen began sitting in and eventually gigging around Charlotte as a drummer and a keyboardist. "It was the Swing that I heard that I wanted to pursue. When I saw Terence Blanchard Sextet live at 15 years old, I said - Yeah, that's what I want to do; Swing." This path would lead Stephen to graduate high school from Northwest School of The Arts in Charlotte, N.C. and pursue touring and traveling internationally/nationally. "I got so many opportunities to travel with the choir, that when it came to gigging and touring with bands and my friends, I didn't see a difference; I was still going after that sound." These opportunities would lead to Stephen traveling and living in many different places and playing with some of the musicians and educators pushing the forefront of this music and keeping the traditions alive - The late great pianist Ellis Marsalis, Jr., drummer Mike Clark, organist Joey DeFrancesco, trombonist Wayne Henderson, trombonist Fred Wesley, pianist Cyrus Chestnut, alto saxophonist Donald Harrison, Jr., percussionist Bill Summers, drummer/vibraphonist Jason Marsalis, alto saxophonist Wessell Anderson, vocalist Kurt Elling, pianist Aaron Goldberg, trumpeter Bobby Shew, trombonist Steve Turre, trumpeter Raymond Williams aka "Dr. Rackle", bassist Roland Guerin, Poet Abidune Olyewole (The Last Poets), trombonist Tyrone Jefferson - to name a few. Stephen has performed in venues such as Tchaichovsky Hall in Moscow, Russia, The National Concert Hall in Taipei City, Taiwan, Opéra Bastille in Paris, France, The Kursk Philharmonia in Kursk, Russia, Lincoln Center in New York, New York, Ronnie Scott's in London, England, C Venues in Edinburgh, Scotland, The Village Vanguard, The Blue Note and The Jazz Standard in New York, New York, Blues Alley in DC, Babylon in Istanbul, Turkey, The North Sea Jazz Festival in Amsterdam, and many other great venues across the world. Stephen resides in Charlotte, N.C., you may catch him all over the world on any given day, swinging and grooving. For all info, check out www.stephengordonmusic.com, as well as YouTube, Facebook and Instagram!
I am very happy and honored to announce that I am now an official endorser and have joined the family at MURAT DIRIL CYMBALS!!! Thank you to Murat Diril himself for welcoming me on board, and I am very much looking forward to using these beautiful tools from now on to increase the beauty of my sound and move to heights like never before!!! www.muratdiril.com
