Steve Rudolph was born in Evansville, Indiana in 1949, and spent his formative years in Warrick County, Southern Indiana, graduating from Boonville high School. His musical training began as a trumpet student, receiving first place for trumpet performance at the Indiana State Solo & Ensemble contest five years in a row, '63 - '67. At Butler University, ‘67-’70, he studied with Delbert Dale, John Colbert, and Jackson Wiley.  The rich jazz tradition in Indianapolis (Montgomery Brothers, Floyd Smith, Ann Chamberlain, Jimmy Coe, Claude Sifferlin, Steve Allee, Carroll DeCamp, John Von Ohlen, Pookie Johnson) fed his interest and at age 22 (1971), he changed his main instrumental focus from the trumpet to the piano.  In '77 he was hired by Buddy Morrow to perform with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra where he backed up Helen O'Connell and the Mills Brothers. Steve left the Dorsey tour after one year and moved to Harrisburg, PA to lead a trio six nights a week at the Holiday Inn Town's Dauphin Lounge.  Guest artists Johnny Coles, Jr. Cook, Ira Sullivan, Al Grey, Bob Mintzer, Joe Lovano, Eric Kloss, Sal Nistico, John Von Ohlen, Terry Silverlight, Roger Rosenberg and others appeared with Steve's trio.  By the time the job at the Holiday ended in '80, Steve's reputation in Central PA had grown and he was very much in demand.  He stayed in Harrisburg, performing regularly and serving as an advocate for his art form, organizing a jazz society (the Central PA Friends of Jazz), hosting jazz radio programs, teaching, and booking jazz artists in area clubs and concert venues.

He is a Yamaha Performing Artist and a member of the Pennsylvania Performing Arts on Tour roster.  Steve is a past President and a founder (1980) of the Central PA Friends of Jazz, one of the most successful nonprofit jazz organizations in the country.  CPFJ, in its twenty fifth year, hosts eight concerts and the Central PA Commerce Bank Jazz Festival annually, along with youth bands, scholarships, 1000+ paying members, monthly newsletter and musician referral service. He served as Executive Director from '89 - '92, and was on the Board of Directors and Music Committee from '80 - '98 & 2000 - '01. Since arriving in Harrisburg in 1978, Steve has been largely responsible for the growth and development of the thriving jazz scene in Central Pennsylvania.  

PERFORMER/COMPOSER   

1967 - 70         Student at Butler University - trumpet performances with Wind Ensemble, Orchestra, Marching Band, Jazz Ensemble and Symphonic Band

1971                received commission for arrangements and compositions from Butler University’s Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Bands, John Colbert, conductor.

1970 - 72        Performed with fusion band "Please"     

1972               Began focusing on piano as main instrument   

1972 - 77        Gigs around Indianapolis area

1977                Began year long tour with Buddy Morrow and the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra - including concerts with Helen O'Connell and the Mills Brothers

1978                June 28 - Began six night a week at the Holiday InnTown's Dauphin Lounge gig in Harrisburg PA (til 1980) that featured guests Joe Lovano, Eric Kloss, Bob Mintzer, Johnny Coles, David Young, Al Grey, John Von Ohlen, Billy Mintz, Bob Mover, Jr. Cook and countless others.

1979                Hosted first Jazz Festival in Harrisburg w/ guests Monty Alexander, Jackie and Roy, Herb Ellis, Al Kiger, Eric Kloss, David Young, John Von Ohlen, Royce Campbell

                         Holiday gig ends New Year's Eve 

1980                Founded the Central PA Friends of Jazz

1980 - 89        Performed at clubs and concerts in Central PA

1981                Began Saturday  jam sessions at the Lucky Seven Tavern (10 year gig) 

1985                Led the first jazz concert in Germany’s Oldenburg Opera House while on first European tour - Performed in Milan, Italy w/ Basie  veterans Al Grey and Buddy Tate - performed in Munich w/ Joerg Widmoser

1986                German tour w/ Joerg Widmoser

1987                Booked and performed at Curtains Theater in Philadelphia

1988                Tour Germany w/ Joerg Widmoser, Harald Ruschenbaum & Thomas Stabenow - record "Live in Munich" on Upsolute Records - European concert broadcast live on German National Radio

1988                Booked first jazz concert series at Penn's Landing, Philadelphia

1989                Pianist and the American representative in the Freiburg Germany Opera House’s "Freiburg Meets the Soviet Union" jazz concert in '89 w/ The Ganelan Trio, Thomas Heidepriem, & others.

                         Tour w/ flutist Leslie Burrs in Southern Mississippi and Alabama

                         Performed on NPR’s “Jazz Radio Festival” in ‘89 w/ Cal Collins & J.J. Wiggins. 

1990               Begins tenure (fifteen years in Nov. '05) at the Hilton Harrisburg and Towers (six nights a week) as resident jazz pianist where guest performers have included Jeanie Bryson, Cal Collins, Jim Snidero, Paul Bollenbach, Tim Warfield, Bob Dorough, Lynn Seaton, Bob Kindred, Vinny Valentino, Johnny Coles, Bill Goodwin, Steve Gilmore, Joe Hunt, Steve Turre and many others.    (Check Hilton schedule).

1991               Featured soloist w/ the Meridian Jr. College (MI) Jazz Ensemble at Carnegie Hall's Jazz Cavalcade 

1992               Produced three performances for the famed Market Square Concerts chamber music series in '92, featuring the music of pianist Bill Evans, Rudolph's own compositions, and a retrospective concert of his time in Harrisburg.

1993           Tour Germany w/ Thomas Stabenow and Aldo Cavilia, also arranger/conductor for American vocalist/dancer Love Newkirk’s sold-out solo show at the Neues Theatre in Hamburg

                    Performed at the East Coast Jazz Fest and West Chester Jazz Festival,

                    Second appearance as soloist with the Harrisburg Symphony

                    Concert at Music at Gretna & at Washington D.C.'s "Blues Alley" with Grammy winning vocalist Mark Murphy

                    Soloist with conductor Walt Straighton’s “Symphonic Jazz Quartet” and  the Champaign-Urbana Symphony  (Illinois)

                        pianist with Carmen Bradford and John Wilson Big Band at Seven Springs Jazz Festival

                    presented clinics in the Coudersport, PA area schools for the PA Council on the Arts with Andy Middleton, Peter Herbert, Alan Jones, Bob Dorough and Janet Lawson

                    4 weeks at Blackbeard's Castle in St. Thomas, U.S.V.I.

1994            performed at the Chad’s Ford Winery Jazz Festival, West Chester Jazz Festival, Annapolis Jazz Fest, Rehoboth Beach Delaware Jazz Festival , Jazz Erie, and Music at Gretna

                    guest performer on NET-TV’s “All About Music” w/ Chuck Redd & Tom Cecil

                    Commission for new work  from Market Square Concerts

                    Record at Pittsburgh’s Manchester Craftsmen's Guild w/Roger Humphries, Steve Varner & Dwayne Dolphin    

                    Four week long engagement at Blackbeard's Castle in St. Thomas, U.S.V.I.

1995            Recipient of a  Pennsylvania Council on the Arts Jazz Fellowship 

                    Performed at Westchester University Jazz Festival,  Williamsport Jazz Festival, Seven Springs Jazz Festival, Chad’s Ford Winery Jazz Festival, Rehoboth Beach Delaware Jazz Festival, Jazz Times Convention, NY City

                    Performances:  w/ Champaign/Urbana Symphony as pianist with conductor Walt Straiton’s “Symphonic Jazz Quartet”;  Concert at Penn State University w/ Tim Hagens, Bill Goodwin & Paul Langosch;  tour  w/ Louie Bellson & Brazilian vocalist Kenia;   w/ Freddie Hubbard at Berks Jazz Festival, Reading PA;  workshops with jazz vocalist Janet Lawson for the PA Council on the Arts in northern PA ; performance with the Harrisburg Symphony

                    Release CD "Everything I Love" on R&L Records

1996            Married Andrea Minick

                    accompanist for Jerry Van Dyke and Milton Berle at Hershey Park

1997           received a commission from the PA Council on the Arts commemorating their retiring Board President, Dr. Oscar Remick

                    Performance with the Harrisburg Symphony

1998           

                    Pianist for the SS Norway’s Big Band Cruise in the Caribbean with both Sy Zentner and the Charlie Spivak Orchestra

          Voted "Best Musician in Central PA" in Harrisburg Magazine poll

          Featured as an "Emerging Artist" at the Jazz Times Convention in Manhattan with his trio (Matt Wilson & Michael Formanek)

          Work for strings and piano, "Andrea", was premiered by the Williamsport Symphony 

1999       

                    Voted "Best Musician in Central PA" in Harrisburg Magazine poll

                    Appearance at the Manchester Craftsmen's Guild in Pittsburgh as pianist with Clark Terry, Paquito D'Rivera, Louie Bellson and Rufus Reid for a four day Jazz & Magic performance

                   In April he performed the Ellington piano concerto "A New World's a Comin'" with Miami's New World Symphony and again with the Messiah College Orchestra in Nov. 

                    Won first place in the Jazziz Magazine's Piano Competition at the Seven Springs Jazz Festival in September

                    As guest pianist with the Phil Woods Little Big Band, he accompanied the David Parson's Dance Co. in New Orleans (fall '99) and a Midwest Tour (March '00)

2000          

                    Record w/ John D'earth, Matt Wilson and Paul Langosch

                    Performed with the Harry James Orchestra on the Queen Elizabeth II's floating Big Band Cruise form NY to England in June

                    Voted "Best Musician in Central PA" in Harrisburg Magazine poll

                    Record w/ Cal Collins, Tom Whaley and Paul Langsoch - released in 2001 - "That Was Good!" R&L Records

                    Performed at the Seven Springs Jazz Festival

2001            

                    Recipient of a  Pennsylvania Council on the Arts Jazz Fellowship 

                     Voted "Best Musician in Central PA" in Harrisburg Magazine poll

                     Record w/ Tom Strohman, Steve Varner & Bill Goodwin - released as the Tom Strohman - Steve Rudolph Quartet, "In Our Prime", R&L Records

                    Performances: the Berks Jazz Festival (with Marty Nau); Dickinson College; Manchester Craftsmen's Guild, Pittsburgh w/  Roger Humphries; Hershey Park w/ Hershey Park Symphony;  Scranton Cultural Arts Center w/ Marko Marcinko;  American Music Theater in Lancaster PA w/ the Lawrence Welk All-Stars;  Concert in York PA w/ Brazilian vocalist Kenia and drummer Matt Wilson;  pianist for the Violin Summit - Claude Williams, John Blake and Joerg Widmoser at the Whitaker Center, Harrisburg and Tony Williams Festival in Philadelphia PA;  Penn State, York Campus concert w/ Kenia;  Williamsport (PA) Jazz Festival w/ J.D. Walter, Bill Goodwin and Tony Marino;  at the Kennedy Center's Christmas Party, Washington DC;  

2002

                    Recipient of the 2002 Harrisburg Arts Award 

                    Awarded "Best Musician in Central PA" from Harrisburg magazine reader's poll (fifth year in a row)

                    Performances:   Scranton Cultural Arts Center;  Market Square Concerts, Hbg.;  Virginia Arts Conference, Richmond VA;  at the Kennedy Center's Millennium stage, Washington DC w/ vocalist Jamie Broumas;  front band for Jane Monheit concert at the Whitaker Center, Hbg.;  Penn State, York Concert; Ft. Hunter Museum Concert; Little Buffalo Festival of the Arts (Perry Co. Arts Council);  w/ Hendrik Meurkens at Twins (D.C. jazz club);  w/ Holly Hoffman & Ali Ryerson at Blues Alley (D.C.);  Williamsport Jazz Festival; New York City performance at the Pen & Brush Club; concert for Jazz Erie w/ Dwayne Dolphin Roger Humphries and Fred Wesley;  Holiday Jazz Trio performance at Lewisburg PA's Campus Theatre;  perform with members of DIVA in Lebanon PA; record w/ Joe Hunt & Steve Meashey

                    Directed the summer Youth Jazz Ensemble at Hershey Park

                    Recorded with Joe Hunt & Steve Meashey

2003

                    Performances:  Trio concert at the Natural History Museum, Smithsonian Inst., D.C. w/ Victor Dvoskin & Joe Hunt;    Pianist  for four concerts w/ Terry Gibbs & Buddy DeFranco at the Manchester Craftsmens' Guild - Pittsburgh PA;      Clinician/performer at Loyalsock, PA Jazz Festival;     Clinician/performer at Williamsport H.S. Jazz Day;     Russian Tour w/ Victor Dvoskin and Bill Goodwin;     Clinics and concerts in Indiana High Schools w/ Mike Tomaro;      Clinics and concerts at the Cumberland Valley School of Music, Chambersburg PA w/ J.D. Walter, Hassan J.J. Wiggins, Clyde Lucas, Denis DiBlasio, Joe Hunt & Jim Miller;     Concerts at the American MusicFest (Harrisburg) with Christian Howes, Grisha Alexiev, Steve Meashey, Tim Warfield, Chris Bacas, Edwin Byard, Tom Strohman, J.D. Walter, Tony Miceli, John Swana, Tony Marino & Marko Marcinko;   Concerts w/ Art DePew and the Harry James Orchestra

                      Recorded with flutist Ali Ryerson & bassist Steve Varner

                      Recorded with J. D. Walter, Marko Marcinko & Steve Varner

                      Recorded with Joe Negri at the Manchester Craftsmen's Guild - featuring Dwayne Dolphin, Terry Gibbs, Buddy DeFranco, & Jerry Gibbs

                       Directed the summer Youth Jazz Ensemble at Hershey Park

2004

                    Performances:  Tour in Florida w/ Ilona Knopfler;  concert at Moravian College w/ the Absolut Trio;  performance for Market Square Concerts;  Steve Rudolph Quartet at Blues Alley (Tim Warfield, Michael Formanek & Marko Marcinko);  Berks Festival performance with Ken Gehret;  performance with the Modernaires;  concert for the Erie Jazz Society;  clinics at Memorial Park School in Ft. Wayne IN w/ Ali Ryerson, performances at the Crawford Grill in Pittsburgh; pianist with the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra; Steve Rudolph Quartet concert at Philadelphia Art Museum; 

                        Named a Yamaha Artist

                        Released Ryerson & Rudolph Soul Quest CD   PACT101

                        Released Dedicated To You CD - Steve Rudolph Trio featuring J.D. Walter     PACT1010

                        Pianist & Arranger on Amy Banks CD "When the Sun Comes Out"

                        Released NINE - Dred "Perky" Scott & the /Steve Rudolph Trio PACT1011  

                         pianist on Joe Negri's Uptown Elegance CD  released on MCG Jazz  

2005

Performances:   

gig continues at the Hilton Harrisburg (15 years in Nov.), Ryerson & Rudolph @ Market Square Concerts, Hbg PA;   Berks Jazz Festival with Amy Banks & Ken Gehret;  with Ali Ryerson Quartet at the East Coast Jazz Fest.;  clinics at Memorial Park School in Ft. Wayne IN w/ Ali Ryerson;  Barcelona Club in Columbus OH & Nighttown in Cleveland w/ Ali Ryerson;  live on WCPN Public Radio, Cleveland OH;   Steve Rudolph Trio feat. J. D. Walter at the Gerald Veasley Jazz Base, Reading PA.,  clinic w/ Ali Ryerson at Ohio State Univ.,  guest with the Dave Stahl Big Band;   Trio concert @ Strand /Capitol Studio Series, York PA;   Ilona Knopfler & Steve Rudolph Trio at the Gerald Veasley Jazz Base, Reading PA;  Ilona Knopfler & Steve Rudolph Trio at Blues Alley, Washington DC;  Ilona Knopfler & Steve Rudolph Trio at Italian Lake Concerts, Harrisburg;   First annual Scranton Jazz Festival w/ Ilona Knopfler & J.D. Walter;  American MusicFest;   pianist w/ Harry James Orchestra;   showcase @ the Pennsylvania Presenters Conference, West Chester PA w/ J.D. Walter;   Tom Strohman's faculty recital, Lebanon Valley College;    Fisher's of York w/ Tim Warfield Quartet;    Ilona Knopfler tour (Pittsburgh, Ann Arbor, New York City);  Tabard Inn w/ Victor Dvoskin Washington DC;   Central Pa Friends of Jazz (front band for Freddie Cole);   Restaurant Sidney, East Berlin PA;    Harrisburg Science High workshop w/ Tim Warfield, Joe Hunt, Steve Meashey;  fund raising performance w/ John Blake, Tim Warfield, Amy Banks for the African American Cultural Center

record w/ Steve Meashey & Joe Hunt "live" 

record w/ Paul Langosch & Joe Hunt

Live recording sessions at The Encore, NYC w/ Nate Birkey Quartet;  Marko Marcinko, Tony Marino, Bill Moring

2006

gig continues at the Hilton Harrisburg;  Performances for Harrisburg Mayor Stephen Reed Inaugural;   Concert with the Gene Krupa Orchestra (Mike Berkowitz);  showcase at the APAP Conference, NYC w/ Ilona Knopfler;   Friar's Club in NYC w/ Ilona Knopfler (Francois Moutin & Marko Marcinko)

FOR COMPLETE DISCOGRAPHY: 

RADIO/TV HOST - COLUMNIST:    

                 Steve was host of jazz radio programs for stations WMSP ('79 - '81), & WHGB ('88 - '90)

                With bassist Paul Langosch, Steve co-produced with Paul Langosch the nation’s first jazz TV infomercial, “Music Unlimited”, serving as host and pianist. 

                He wrote the monthly “JazzTalk” column in the capitol region’s arts newspaper, "CityBeat" from ’91 - ‘97, and he is frequently a guest on area radio & television programs.

EDUCATOR: 

                Steve served as Jazz History professor and Director of the Elizabethtown College Jazz Band from '87 - '91.  

                Currently in demand as an educator & clinician, he has completed several "Artist in Residence" projects for the PA Council on the Arts and taught theory and improvisation at Suzuki clinics and conferences. 

CONSULTANT:  

    Steve has served as music consultant for: 

                Central PA Friends of Jazz 1980-2002;  

                “Curtains” Theatre, Philadelphia 1987;  

                Penn's Landing’s First Jazz Series , Philadelphia - 1988;  

                Market Square Concerts - Chamber Music, Harrisburg PA  1988-present;  

                PA Council on the Arts;  

                Allied Arts Fund, Harrisburg ‘86-’91;  

                Jazz Erie (PA) 1994;  

                Hilton Harrisburg & Towers, Harrisburg PA  1990 - present;  

                Rehoboth Beach Jazz Festival, Delaware ‘93,’94, & ’95; 

                Tuesday Club's Parev Restaurant, Harrisburg PA 2001 - 2004; 

                Cafe Fresco, Harrisburg PA  2004.