Steve August, Jazz Pianist, composer and arranger and author resides from beautiful Northern Michigan and has performed in the area for over 20 years in clubs, resorts and in concerts. He performs often in a solo as well as a group setting. He has performed with many of his own Jazz trios and Jazz quartets and as a sideman in various settings. He recently achieved a Master of Music degree in Jazz studies from Western Michigan University on piano. He performs often on Mackinac Island, Michigan in the summer months forJazz gigs, Weddings and Receptions in this highly romantic setting depicted in the movie “Somewhere in Time.” Currently Steve is performing in the Las Vegas, Nevada area venues and casinos, as well as recording his 8th CD. In Las Vegas Steve has performed on piano at the Wynn, The Bellaggio, Mandalay Bay, The Flamingo Resort, and Caesar’s Palace, and Lake Las Vegas playing solo piano and in a group context. In addition to performing Steve is a very active teacher and educator. His studio schedule is full with many aspiring pianists, bassists and those seeking greater musical understanding of the inner workings of music making. Steve started the annual SUMMER JAZZ weekly workshop for Jazz Education. This workshop is open to all levels and all instruments in during the summer months. Watch for details on this workshop.
Steve August originally started his musical career early in his teens playing electric bass in Rock Bands with high school buddies. He played electric bass in power trios influenced by the Cream and Jimi Hendrix and the like as well as the popular music of that era. This led to performing in Jazz trios after discovering Jazz by listening to Oscar Peterson’s “Tristeza”. He started to study the piano to enhance his bass playing and knowledge of music and quickly fell in the love with the instrument. He attended Berklee College of Music in Boston studying both electric bass and piano early in his career. That led to various working situations on the road with many groups. Soon after that, through an association with the late great Jazz Pianist Eddie Russ, Steve attended Grand Valley State University studying Jazz Piano with him and Classical Piano there too. After graduation from GVSC he played in numerous bands both as a soloist and as a sideman either on piano or electric bass. Later he received a Master of Music degree studying with Steve Zegree at Western Michigan University.
Steve has a very rich eclectic piano style drawing on the deep traditions of Classical music and reaching into the Blues, Ragtime, Boogie Woogie and many Jazz Piano styles. In addition to a demanding performance schedule Steve has a very full teaching studio with many aspiring pianists and other students studying both Classical and Jazz Piano with him. In June of 2002 he started SUMMER JAZZ which is a weeklong Jazz workshop teaching improvisation styles and techniques open to students of all levels. This workshop is offered in the summer months annually. Steve also currently lectures frequently on the topic of Jazz at various Colleges and institutions offering cultural enrichment activities.
Check out Steve August at http://www.augustjazz.com/augustjazz