Steve Hunt (English Tour Program 1989)

Steve Hunt

Tour Of England 1989

Tour Program, 1989

Uncredited (likely Neville Marten)

"I'm working with great musicians and proud to be a part of it".

Steven Hunt was born on the 28th August 1958 in Oklahoma. During his formative years he learned music from various members of his family, including his mother, brother and father who was an eminent saxophonist.

At eighteen he went to the Berklee School of Music in Boston Massachusetts, to study keyboards formally, graduating in 1979, the same year as his marriage to Gina.

Having played in a succession of local bands with top musicians from the Boston area, including Japanese trumpeter Tiger Okoshi and guitarist Randy Roos, Steven left Boston in 1984 for six months to tour with Billy Cobham. Shortly after that he became the musical director for a touring show called The Jazz Explosion, which involved artists such as Phyllis Hyman, Randy Lewis and Stanley Clarke.

At the end of this he spent three years playing in Stanley Clarke's band and played keyboards on two tracks from his 1988 album 'If Only This Bass Could Talk'. A 1987 European tour with Stanley brought him into contact with Allan Holdsworth, whose own band was performing the same dates. Allan asked Steven if he was available to record and tour with him, which he describes as "a dream come true". I've been listening to Allan Holdsworth for years and I couldn't believe it was happening to me.

The collaboration resulted in Steven playing on two tracks from 'Secrets' - Joshua, which he wrote and Maid Marion which he co-wrote with Allan. "I wrote the melody and Allan said it reminded him of old English folk music, and so hence the Robin Hood connection."

Steven flew to Los Angeles on 23rd October for a rehearsal with Allan and Jimmy Johnson on the 24th prior to the first dates of the tour on the 29th. "Every tour with Allan is the same", he says." But it all seems to come together in time because I'm working with great musicians and proud to be a part of it".

Straight after this tour he's going into a recording studio with long-time collaborator Louis Robertson. They've been working together since 1982, but this will be the first time they've released a record together. On top of this, Steven has his own instrumental band in Boston called The Rhythm Dogs, with Bruce Bartlett and Marty Richards amongst others.

At home, and away from music, Steven and Gina have three children - Joshua aged eight, Andy who's six and Lacey who at four is the youngest.

All three seem to follow in their father's footsteps, and Joshua has already begun taking piano lessons, frequently preferring his dad's synthesisers and drum machines to more conventional eight-year olds' toys. Joshua is also on the verge of taking up the drums and professes a desire to be a scientist. Lacey meanwhile is taking dance lessons, something Steven actively encourages because he feels it's important for his children to be involved in the arts. Away from life on the road, Steven admits he's a househusband, due to Gina's full-time employment...