Steve Rochinski
Encyclopedia
Stephen Rochinski is a self-taught bebop
jazz
guitarist
and teacher.
He has worked and performed with Tal Farlow
, Attila Zoller
, Jimmy Raney
, Pete and Conte Candoli, Tim Hagans
, Joe Lovano
, Greg Hopkins
, Gary Foster
, Pat Harbison, Jeff Sherman, Hal Melia, Chip Stephens, Hank Marr
, Brad Goode, Joe Hunt, Scott Lee
, Chuck Redd
, Richard Evans
, Bob Freedman, Tony Tillman, as well as numerous studio, concert, club date and international clinic appearances.
As one of the scions of the legacy of Tal Farlow, Steve has received numerous grants and awards including a 1993 Jazz Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts
for private study with Farlow. In 1984, upon leaving the road life as the music director, guitarist, and arranger for The Tony Tillman Show, he eventually became Professor at his alma mater, the world-renowned Berklee College of Music
(Magna Cum Laude) where, in addition to curriculum development and consulting, he teaches all levels of harmony. Steve is the author of Harmony 4, the last in a series of the Core harmony curriculum text books. He also teaches arranging, ear training, ensembles, and improvisation labs. Steve is also the author of the award winning "The Jazz Style of Tal Farlow: The Elements of Bebop Guitar" and "The Motivic Basis for Jazz Guitar Improvisation" (Hal Leonard Corp.) Both Rochinski and his book contributed to the reintroduction of Tal Farlow to the jazz guitar community, where Farlow remained a major figure until his death in July 1998.
When Rochinski returned to Boston and Berklee in 1984, Tim Hagans and he met and formed a short-lived, but important electric quintet called "Digital Hands". It was during this time that Hagans,in collaboration and a shared artistic vision with Rochinski, planted the early seeds for what was to become one of Hagans' most controversial and groundbreaking projects, his "Animation-Imagination" album recorded for Blue Note Records
in 1999.
One of the highlights of Steve's performance career was his selection as one of a handful of guitarists to perform at the 1996 JVC Jazz Festival 75th birthday tribute concert for Tal Farlow at Merkin Hall in New York City
. Steve teamed up with Atilla Zoller and Andre Ryabov to perform Zoller's "Homage to O.P." (Blues Grotesque). Other guitarists who appeared at this historic concert event were Johnny Smith
, Howard Alden
, Herb Ellis
, John Abercrombie
, Gene Bertoncini
, and Sal Salvador
among others.
In 1995, Steve released his debut CD “Until Further Notice…” in collaboration with Grammy-winning producer Richard Evans. (LineOut Music/Northcountry Dist.) He currently records for Jardis Records, Germany’s leading jazz guitar label. His releases also include “A Bird In The Hand” (JRCD9922), “Otherwise” (JRCD20033), and "Jazz Guitar Highlights Vol.1" (JRCD20141) (www.jardis.de). Steve’s books and recordings continue to generate international sales and his music has been featured on prominent jazz radio programs throughout the world.
At Berklee, Steve instructs an international student body in all aspects of contemporary jazz and popular harmonic practice, including Reharmonization Techniques, Advanced Harmonic Concepts, and Advanced Modal Harmony, which are considered the heart of Berklee's legendary harmony curriculum. In November 2001, Steve’s life and career was featured in the 7th Anniversary issue of the magazine for jazz guitar fans, "Just Jazz Guitar" (No.29;November 2001)). Steve is due to be profiled in the 5th edition of "The Jazz Guitar: Its Evolution, Players, And Personalities Since 1900 by Maurice Summerfield (Ashley Mark Publishing)) In 2005, Steve's bio was chosen for inclusion in Who’s Who In America (Marquis Publishing)). He remains active as a performer, composer, and clinician.
Bebop
Bebop differed drastically from the straightforward compositions of the swing era, and was instead characterized by fast tempos, asymmetrical phrasing, intricate melodies, and rhythm sections that expanded on their role as tempo-keepers...
jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
and teacher.
He has worked and performed with Tal Farlow
Tal Farlow
Talmage Holt Farlow was an American jazz guitarist. Nicknamed the "Octopus", Farlow's extremely large hands spread over the fretboard as if they were tentacles. He is considered one of the all-time great jazz guitarists. Michael G...
, Attila Zoller
Attila Zoller
Attila Cornelius Zoller was a Hungarian born Jazz guitarist. He won Deutscher Filmpreis for Beste Filmmusik in Germany for the film Das Brot der frühen Jahre in 1962.-Biography:...
, Jimmy Raney
Jimmy Raney
Jimmy Raney was an American jazz guitarist born in Louisville, Kentucky most notable for his work from 1951–1952 and 1962–1963 with Stan Getz and for his work from 1953–1954 with the Red Norvo trio, replacing Tal Farlow. In 1954 and 1955 he won the Down Beat critics poll for guitar...
, Pete and Conte Candoli, Tim Hagans
Tim Hagans
Tim Hagans is a jazz trumpeter and composer.He has been nominated for Grammys for Best Instrumental Composition for "Box of Cannoli" from The Avatar Session ; and Best Contemporary Jazz CD for Animation*Imagination and Re-Animation .He grew up in Dayton, Ohio...
, Joe Lovano
Joe Lovano
Joseph Salvatore "Joe" Lovano is a post bop jazz saxophonist, alto clarinetist, flautist, and drummer. Since the late 1980s, Lovano has been one of the world's premiere tenor saxophone players, earning a Grammy award and several nods on Down Beat magazine's critics' and readers' polls...
, Greg Hopkins
Greg Hopkins
Greg Hopkins is a former Arena Football League wide receiver/linebacker with the Albany Firebirds and the Los Angeles Avengers.-High school career:Greg Hopkins was born in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, United States...
, Gary Foster
Gary Foster (musician)
Gary Foster is an American instrumentalist who plays saxophones, clarinets, and flutes ; he is considered a "crossover" artist who performs in jazz, pop, and classical genres. As a jazz artist he has recorded under his own name for Concord Records and several other labels...
, Pat Harbison, Jeff Sherman, Hal Melia, Chip Stephens, Hank Marr
Hank Marr
Hank Marr was a soul jazz and hard bop Hammond B3 organist and pianist born in Columbus, Ohio, probably best known for his many albums recorded under his own name for the Double-time record label....
, Brad Goode, Joe Hunt, Scott Lee
Scott Lee
Scott Lee is a Canadian sprint canoer who competed in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He was disqualified in the heats of the C-2 1000 m event at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City. Four years later in Munich, Lee was eliminated in the semifinals of the C-2 1000 m event.-References:*...
, Chuck Redd
Chuck Redd
Chuck Redd is an American drummer and vibraphonist. Chuck joined the Charlie Byrd Trio in 1980 at the age of 21. The same year, he joined the Great Guitars Chuck has done twelve European tours and five tours of Japan, with the Barney Kessel Trio, Ken Peplowski, Terry Gibbs and Conte...
, Richard Evans
Richard Evans
-Literary figures:*Richard J. Evans , English historian on the subject of Germany before and during World War II*Richard Paul Evans , American author of books with Christian themes; best known for 1995's The Christmas Box...
, Bob Freedman, Tony Tillman, as well as numerous studio, concert, club date and international clinic appearances.
As one of the scions of the legacy of Tal Farlow, Steve has received numerous grants and awards including a 1993 Jazz Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts
National Endowment for the Arts
The National Endowment for the Arts is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created by an act of the U.S. Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government. Its current...
for private study with Farlow. In 1984, upon leaving the road life as the music director, guitarist, and arranger for The Tony Tillman Show, he eventually became Professor at his alma mater, the world-renowned Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music, located in Boston, Massachusetts, is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known primarily as a school for jazz, rock and popular music, it also offers college-level courses in a wide range of contemporary and historic styles, including hip...
(Magna Cum Laude) where, in addition to curriculum development and consulting, he teaches all levels of harmony. Steve is the author of Harmony 4, the last in a series of the Core harmony curriculum text books. He also teaches arranging, ear training, ensembles, and improvisation labs. Steve is also the author of the award winning "The Jazz Style of Tal Farlow: The Elements of Bebop Guitar" and "The Motivic Basis for Jazz Guitar Improvisation" (Hal Leonard Corp.) Both Rochinski and his book contributed to the reintroduction of Tal Farlow to the jazz guitar community, where Farlow remained a major figure until his death in July 1998.
When Rochinski returned to Boston and Berklee in 1984, Tim Hagans and he met and formed a short-lived, but important electric quintet called "Digital Hands". It was during this time that Hagans,in collaboration and a shared artistic vision with Rochinski, planted the early seeds for what was to become one of Hagans' most controversial and groundbreaking projects, his "Animation-Imagination" album recorded for Blue Note Records
Blue Note Records
Blue Note Records is a jazz record label, established in 1939 by Alfred Lion and Max Margulis. Francis Wolff became involved shortly afterwards. It derives its name from the characteristic "blue notes" of jazz and the blues. At the end of the 1950s, and in the early 1960s, Blue Note headquarters...
in 1999.
One of the highlights of Steve's performance career was his selection as one of a handful of guitarists to perform at the 1996 JVC Jazz Festival 75th birthday tribute concert for Tal Farlow at Merkin Hall in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Steve teamed up with Atilla Zoller and Andre Ryabov to perform Zoller's "Homage to O.P." (Blues Grotesque). Other guitarists who appeared at this historic concert event were Johnny Smith
Johnny Smith
Johnny Smith is an American cool jazz and mainstream jazz guitarist.-Early years:...
, Howard Alden
Howard Alden
Howard Alden is an American jazz guitarist born in Newport Beach, California. He has recorded a long series of albums for Concord Records. His performances were dubbed over Sean Penn as 'Emmet Ray' in the 1999 Woody Allen film Sweet and Lowdown...
, Herb Ellis
Herb Ellis
Mitchell Herbert "Herb" Ellis was an American jazz guitarist. Perhaps best known for his 1950s membership in the trio of pianist Oscar Peterson, Ellis was also a staple of west-coast studio recording sessions, and was described by critic Scott Yanow as "an excellent bop-based guitarist with a...
, John Abercrombie
John Abercrombie (guitarist)
John Abercrombie is an American jazz guitarist, whose work often explores jazz fusion and post bop. Abercrombie has played with Billy Cobham, Jack DeJohnette, Michael Brecker and Randy Brecker...
, Gene Bertoncini
Gene Bertoncini
-Biography:Bertoncini was born in New York City, where he was raised in a musical family. His father played guitar and harmonica. Bertoncini began playing guitar at age seven and by age sixteen was appearing on television. He graduated from high school and attended the University of Notre Dame,...
, and Sal Salvador
Sal Salvador
Sal Salvador was a bebop jazz guitarist and a prominent music educator.He was born in Monson, Massachusetts and began his professional career in New York City. He eventually moved to Stamford, Connecticut. He taught guitar at the University of Bridgeport in Bridgeport, Connecticut as well as at...
among others.
In 1995, Steve released his debut CD “Until Further Notice…” in collaboration with Grammy-winning producer Richard Evans. (LineOut Music/Northcountry Dist.) He currently records for Jardis Records, Germany’s leading jazz guitar label. His releases also include “A Bird In The Hand” (JRCD9922), “Otherwise” (JRCD20033), and "Jazz Guitar Highlights Vol.1" (JRCD20141) (www.jardis.de). Steve’s books and recordings continue to generate international sales and his music has been featured on prominent jazz radio programs throughout the world.
At Berklee, Steve instructs an international student body in all aspects of contemporary jazz and popular harmonic practice, including Reharmonization Techniques, Advanced Harmonic Concepts, and Advanced Modal Harmony, which are considered the heart of Berklee's legendary harmony curriculum. In November 2001, Steve’s life and career was featured in the 7th Anniversary issue of the magazine for jazz guitar fans, "Just Jazz Guitar" (No.29;November 2001)). Steve is due to be profiled in the 5th edition of "The Jazz Guitar: Its Evolution, Players, And Personalities Since 1900 by Maurice Summerfield (Ashley Mark Publishing)) In 2005, Steve's bio was chosen for inclusion in Who’s Who In America (Marquis Publishing)). He remains active as a performer, composer, and clinician.