Steve Heckman: Discography

 
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AS A LEADER:

Live at Yoshi's (World City Music, 2005)

Steve Heckman: Tenor and Soprano Saxophones, Composer.

Matt Clark, Piano; Karen Horner, Bass; Jemal Ramirez, drums.

[Includes: Soul Eyes (Waldron); Equinox (Coltrane); You're a Weaver of Dreams (Young - Elliot); Blame it on My Youth (Heyman - Levant); plus 4 Heckman originals: Ode to the Sunsinger; This is the Moment; Theosphere; Deomde].

"Live at Yoshi's showcases Heckman's amazing Coltrane chops in a very reverent tribute...the quartet uses a high-energy fluidity to create a mood similar to the classic music to which it pays a vibrant and loving tribute...This is a pleasure to listen to...Steve Heckman's inspiration should be a welcome experience for listeners."

All About Jazz

"Tenor saxophonist Steve Heckman makes no secret about the fact that his main musical inspiration is John Coltrane. His tone is reminiscent of Trane's... and he includes some of the same spirituality in his own originals. Heckman comes across not only as respectful of his idol, but is creative within the boundaries of the style... Heckman has impressive technique, the willingness to stretch himself, and brings back the spirit of Coltrane. Live at Yoshi's is recommended."

Scott Yanow, L.A. Jazz Scene

"Live at Yoshi's" catches the Heckman group in admirable form. The leader's fluid technique and tonal nuances may remind you of Jerry Bergonzi's brand of Coltrane derivations. Skill and practice are required to play this way...there is the mystical, spiritual vibrato, the urgency of his phrases, and the harmonic approach--pentatonic scales, superimposed chord substitutions and certain chromatic embellishments...A high-energy...heroic torrent...(that) suggests a total mind-body connection."

Owen Cordle, News Observer


"Heckman's playing on tenor and soprano is assertive, thoughtful, and devoid of cliches. He builds and develops each statement, taking time to build tension...The program is split right down the middle with the quartet tackling both challenging originals by Heckman..as well as vintage works like Mal Waldron's "Soul Eyes" and John Coltrane's "Equinox". Its equal parts edgy, outside dueling, and inside, concentrated exposition."

Ron Wynn, Nashville City Paper


"Steve's tenor and soprano sax skills are at the top of the stack. This excellent recording will make your ears just stand up and listen. A superb jazz CD!"

Improvijazzation Nation


“Heckman’s surging, shiny-toned tenor and keening soprano saxophones fashion a post-bop matrix that is spell-binding.”

San Francisco Weekly

With John in Mind (World City Music, 2003)

Steve Heckman: Tenor, Soprano and Baritone Saxophones, Composer.

Matt Clark, Piano; Lee Alexander, Bass; Diego Voglino, drums.

[Includes: RSVP; With John in Mind; Body and Soul; Sad Poetry; I am Not your Fantasy; Eye of the Beast; Everything Happens to Me; Rodney's Red Raincoat; Lost in a Champagne Fog].

Steve's debut release, dedicated to his primary musical influence, John Coltrane, features his multi-reed talents in a quartet setting, with rising stars Matt Clark (pianist with Marcus Shelby Trio), Lee Alexander, (bassist/song-writer on 8 Grammy award-winning vocalist Norah Jones' CD "Come Away With Me") & drummer Diego Voglino. Steve's CD was in the top 7 for almost 2 months, peaking to #1 on Jim Clark's National Public Radio "Jazz Nightly" show in January 2003.

"Virtuosic command of his horns and genuine feeling."

Jazz Times

"Exciting music, adventuresome and musically superb."

Cadence

"A fine debut release…reminds one of a Coltrane record."

JazzWest

"My favorite new release."

Michael Burman, Producer, Desert Island Jazz, KCSM

"A well-crafted and compelling artistic statement. This is a kick-ass saxophonist with finesse. His solo on Body and Soul is phenomenal, as is his bari playing on Everything Happens to Me. The tunes, the band, Heckman's sound on tenor, all are world-class. I am knocked out. This CD is killin', no holds barred. Steve Heckman and his supreme quartet has conjured up a jazz album that is as welcome as a cool breeze on a hot summer's night."

Tim Price, saxophonist/reviewer, Saxophone Journal

Steve's playing has been praised by saxophonists Stan Getz, Charles Lloyd & Pharoah Sanders.

 
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AS A CO-LEADER:

SFCJQ: The San Francisco Chamber Jazz Quartet (Music Wizards, 2005)

Gini Wilson: Piano, composer; Steve Heckman: Tenor & Soprano Saxophones, Flute, Clarinet, composer; Pat Klobas: Bass, composer; Ron Marabuto: drums; featuring special guests Jackie Ryan, (Vocals on tracks 1, 4, 5, 7) and Badr Karram: (Dumbek on track 9). [Includes: Un Amour Un Poco Tragico (Wilson); Morning Song of a Falcon; (Wilson); Maybe (Heckman); Separate Ways (Kim Nalley & Gini Wilson); Lucky Monkey (vocal) (Wilson); Suave Dequeza (Armandio Cabral); Someday Your Smile (Wilson); Promenade (Mussorgsky) /Mussorgsky in Marrakesh (Mussorgsky arr. Wilson); Let It Rain (Klobas); O Town Blues (Heckman); Lucky Monkey (instrumental) (Wilson)].

“Jazz is the keyword, to be sure. We reviewed Steve Heckman‘s sax, clarinet & flute on this outing and were highly impressed ... They congeal into one of the tightest jazz quartets we’ve heard in a while …"Lucky Monkey" just rocks & jumps! I'm especially fond of (Heckman’s) "O Town Blues", which blends Gini's sweet keyboards with a really full-throat sax sound, & kicks right along ... perfect music for the road! If you're looking for a jazz album that will take you along for a joyride - GET this one... it's MOST HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for jazz fans the world over.

Dick Metcalf, Improvijazzation Nation

“…pianist Gini Wilson founded this ensemble with reedman Steve Heckman in 2002. Effortlessly and beautifully blending the realms of jazz and classical . "Un Amor un Poco Tragico" eases effortlessly from a classical hypnosis to a playful swing vibe …Anchored by Wilson's deft playing and quick-shifting mood swings, SFCJQ continues… with the help of guest vocalist Jackie Ryan and a centerpiece from composer Amandio Cabral ("Suave Duqueza," very much a biography of Wilson both literally and musically). Heckman's playful, strutting "O Town Blues" is good old- fashioned bebop away from the classical tone completely... with a little ingenuity, seemingly disparate musical styles …create perfect harmony.“

Jonathan Widran, All Music Guide

"Maybe" … features Heckman's on tenor sax, which he plays most lyrically … "Mussorgsky in Marrakesh from "Pictures At An Exhibition"… where Badr Karram on dumbek and Heckman's soprano provide the sound of a Near Eastern marketplace ... Heckman picks up his tenor sax for a tribute to Oakland, California on "O Town Blues”. The result is a toe-tapping quartet performance."

Michael P. Gladstone, All About Jazz

Available through: www.chamberjazz.com or www.cdbaby.com

The Crossing Point: Chamberjazz: The Gini Wilson Quartet with Steve Heckman
(Music Wizards, 2002)

Gini Wilson ("the Duchess"): piano, composer; Steve Heckman: Tenor and Soprano Saxophones, Flute, composer; Paul Breslin/John Wiitala: Bass; Ron Marabuto: drums. [Includes: Mountain Path/Mountain Meadow (Wilson); Tango d 'Amour Perdu (Heckman); The Peacocks (Rowles); Satie in the Sahara (Wilson); Aung San Suu Kyi (Shorter); Adios Nonino (Piazzolla); Gary's Theme (McFarland); Smith's Song (Heckman & Wilson); The Fires of September (Wilson); Luminoso (Wilson); J.S. Monk (Bach/Monk)].

"Profoundly moving, this CD explores a deeply emotional musical landscape of surprising and haunting visions; from Satie and Monk to Bach and Piazzolla. Wilson and Heckman create a bewitching interchange, at the same time emotionally-charged and understated…Delectable!"

Kathleen Lawton, KCSM, San Mateo/San Francisco Bay Area

"Gini Wilson and Steve Heckman have come up with a very fine collection of original compositions on the new release of "chamberjazz" material on THE CROSSING POINT. Particularly noteworthy are Gini's "Luminoso" and Steve's lovely "Tango D'Amour Perdu"…A worthwhile and enjoyable project, which includes creative takes on Bach, Monk, Satie and Shorter. Tasty and eclectic."

Dick Conte, KCSM, San Mateo/San Francisco Bay Area

"Heckman is one heck of a composer. As the quartet [to a full house at the Plush Room for the CD release party] played his "Tango D'Amour Perdu" the Duchess warned: 'People who have never met tend to run away with each other before we're finished playing this tune."

San Francisco Examiner

Available through: www.chamberjazz.com or www.cdbaby.com

The Dick Conte Quartet: Slow Hot Wind 2001 (dcjazz, 2005)

Dick Conte: Piano, composer; Steve Heckman: Tenor & Soprano Saxophones, Flute & Alto Flute, composer; Steve Webber: Bass; Bill Moody: Drums.

A straight-ahead studio recording date featuring 8 standards, plus Steve’s original composition, “I Remember Zoot” (dedicated to Zoot Sims), as well as Dick Conte's composition “Spiral Staircase.” [Selections include: Sweet Georgia Bright (Lloyd); Crazy He Calls Me (Sigman/Russell); Broadway (DeSylva/Brown/Henderson); Slow Hot Wind (Mancini); Just Friends (Lewis/Klenner); Long Ago and Far Away (Kern/Gershwin); I Remember Zoot (Heckman); Yours is My Heart Alone (Lehar); Softly as in a Morning Sunrise (Romberg); Spiral Staircase (Conte)].

Available through: e-mail: dcjazz@vom.com

The Dick Conte Quartet: Live at the San Jose Jazz Festival 2001 (dcjazz, 2002)

Dick Conte: Piano, Composer: Steve Heckman: Tenor and Soprano Saxophone; Steve Webber: Bass; Bill Moody: drums.

Steve holds down the front line on Tenor and Soprano sax with renowned dj and pianist Dick Conte's Quartet, capturing the excitement of a live performance. With Jazz Author Bill Moody on drums, Steve Webber, bass.

A straight-ahead set featuring 6 standards and 2 originals. [includes: Some Other Blues (Coltrane); Summertime; You Don't Know What Love Is; All Blues (Davis); Yesterdays; The Breeze (Conte); What is This Thing Called Love; Double Gemini (Conte)].

"The group blends well, giving inventive improvisation … Heckman has a distinctive style, robust, earthy, always driving forward … Conte plays thoughtful, melodically-pleasing piano throughout, Webber can smoke a solo, and Moody never fails to pick up on what is going to happen next."

JazzNow

Available through: e-mail: dcjazz@vom.com
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AS A FEATURED SOLOIST:

Chuck Metcalf Quartet, Trio and Solo: Thinking of You (Lyrichromatic 041, 2004)

 

Steve Heckman: Tenor, Soprano, and Baritone Saxophone; David Udolf: Piano; Chuck Metcalf: Bass, composer; Ron Marabuto: drums.

Veteran bassist and composer Chuck Metcalf has performed with such notables as saxophonists Dexter Gordon, Frank Morgan and Jim Pepper; vocalists Anita O'day, Ernestine Anderson, and Kenny Rankin; pianist George Cables; and violinist Joe Venuti. In addition to being featured on vocalist Mark Murphy's landmark album, "Stolen Moments”, he has also been voted into the Seattle Jazz Hall of Fame.

Steve is featured to excellent advantage on this straight-ahead date featuring 4 standards and 9 originals by Chuck, including: Feet First (Metcalf); Budnips (Metcalf); What Our Love Means to Me (Metcalf); Blues for Amos (Sam Jones); Bu’s Dues (Metcalf); Byzantium (Metcalf); This is All I Ask (Gordon Jenkins); Refigured (Metcalf); Compassion (Metcalf); Samba Nana (Metcalf); I Got it Bad (Ellington) Thinking of You (Kalmar/Ruby); Mademoiselle Dubois (Metcalf).

Available through: www.chuckmetcalf.com

Frankye Kelly: The Night is Young (FK 9647, 1995)

Frankye Kelly: Vocals; Steve Heckman: Tenor and Soprano Saxophone; Dee Spencer: Piano; Heshima Mark Williams: Bass: Bob Braye: drums; Yancie Taylor: Vibes. Recorded live at Kimball's San Francisco.

[Includes: Our Day Will Come; Mood Indigo; The Night is Young; Tenderly; Lullaby of Birdland; I'm Glad There is You; No Moon At All; Speak Low; Love For Sale; If Trouble Was Money].

"Kelly is accompanied by very fine musicians who not only give strong support, but enhance the performance with expressive and knowledgeable solos. Not the least of these is the tough tenor playing by Steve Heckman. Heckman picks up his soprano to provide the trappings for Kelly's sumptuous rendition of 'Speak Low'."

Dave Nathan

"Her title tune...has a mid-Coltrane Quartet feel…heightened by a distinctive Steve Heckman soprano solo. Heckman is featured impressively on tenor on an extended "Tenderly" with a dark, muscular quality reminiscent of Britisher Tommy Smith."

Cadence

Available through: www.musicinthevines.com

Heikki Koskinen: Midnight Sun (Music Vision, 2002)

Heikki (Mike) Koskinen: Keyboards, Trumpet, Fleugelhorn, Composer: Steve Heckman: Tenor and Soprano Saxophones, Alto Flute; Michael Spiro: Percussion. Also includes: Hadley Caliman (tenor sax, flute), Neil Kirkwood (piano), Heshima Mark Williams (bass), Larry Hancock (drums).

Steve is featured on Tenor and Soprano Sax and Alto Flute on Finnish pianist/trumpeter/composer Heikki Koskinen's highly-creative project wedding traditional Finnish folk tunes with jazz and Latin rhythms.

[Includes: M's Birthday; Earth Spiritual/The Saints Don't Mind Dancing; Ol' Kaunis Kesailta (A Lovely Summer Evening); Lannen Lokari (Western Logger); Mother Africa; Taala Pohjantahden Alla (Under the Northern Star); Silloin Mina Itkin (Then I Cried); Daydreams; Hyttystanssi (Mosquito Dance); Fort Funston Beach; Merilaulu (Sea Song); Cry; Invocation; Waiting For the Wind; Alex's Lullaby; 4 AM].

Available through: www.cdbaby.com

Erik Von Buchau: Contrasts (2005)

Steve is featured on 4 of the 10 selections on this studio date by the unsung but supremely talented vibrophonist Erik von Buchau, a session that also includes Steve's favorite pianist, Matt Clark (featured on both of Steve's CDs as a leader, "With John in Mind", and "Live at Yoshi's"). Steve plays Tenor Saxophone on the selections: "Zyrdo"; "Good Morning Samba"; "Buena Vista" (All 3 by Erik), and Wayne Shorter's tune, “Fall.” This date also includes: Fred Randolph on bass, Erik Garland on drums, and Steve Fogel on percussion.

Available through: vibesman@earthlink.net

Gerald Beckett: Flute Vibes (Summit Records DCD439, 2005)

Steve is featured playing tenor on 2 selections on this tasty album of rarely heard jazz standards led by Hubert Laws-inspired flutist Gerald Beckett, including tunes by Richie Beirach, Hal Galper, Mal Waldron, Jim Hall, Walter Bishop, Don Sebesky and Wayne Shorter. Steve is featured on an extended solo on Shorter’s “The Soothsayer” taken at a brisk tempo indeed. Also featuring excellent work by SF Bay Area stalwarts Erik Von Buchau on vibes, David Udolf on piano, Aaron Germain on bass, Niels Myrner on drums, Graham Bruce on fleugelhorn, Max Perkoff on trombone, Damien Masterson on harmonica, Khalil Doak-Anthony and Dave Bell alternating on guitar, and Antonio Davidson-Gomez on percussion.

Available through: www.summitrecords.com

Jesse Foster: People, Places and Songs
(Lifeforcejazz LFR 1040, 2004)

Steve is featured on 2 selections on this album comprised of 10 originals by vocalist Foster. He plays Tenor Saxophone on the tune: "All Day, All Night, John Coltrane"; and Flute on the tune: “Jobim’s Way.”

Further information can be found at: www.Lifeforcejazz.com

Fran Foston: With a Song in My Heart (Hazel Eyes, 2000)

Fran Foston: Vocals; Art Khu: Piano; Derek Jones: Bass; Michael Aragon: drums; Steve Heckman: Tenor and Soprano Saxophone; Yolanda Nickell: Alto Saxophone; Chuck McKinnon: Fleugelhorn; John MacKay: Synthesizer; Fran Foston, Debbie Foston, Rhoyal DH Foston: Background Vocals.

[Includes: While We're Young; If Ever I Would Leave You; Hello Young Lovers; The Very Thought of You; My Love; Never Let Me Go; I Remember You; On the Street Where you Live; With a Song in My Heart; That Sunday, That Summer; Someone Else is Steppin' In; You Don't Know What Love Is; That Old Black Magic; Something Cool].

Steve is featured on the tunes: "My Love" (soprano sax) and "You Don't Know What Love is" (Tenor Sax).

You'll have to hunt for this one.

River Romance: Martha Blackard (Riverworks, 2003)

Steve is featured as soloist on the selection: "Meaning of the Blues" on this set by vocalist Martha Blackard. Featuring arrangements by Graham Bruce, and including some of the best talent in the Bay Area in big band, octet, sextet, septet, quintet, and trio settings.

Available through Riverworks: (707) 226-2663 or www.cdbaby.com

Where appropriate, the number of selections that Steve performs on has been indicated on some of the latter listed CDs; conversely, he performs on the entirety (or almost the entirety) of the selections on the other albums listed in this discography.

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