Steve Houghton

Artist Profile:

Steve Houghton

Internationally renowned jazz drummer, percussionist, clinician, author, and educator, Steve Houghton initially received acclaim at age twenty as the drummer with Woody Herman’s Young Thundering Herd. Since then he has shared stage and studio with luminaries Clay Jenkins, Toots Thielemans, Christian McBride, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Freddie Hubbard, Lyle Mays, Billy Childs, Pat LaBarbara, Arturo Sandoval, Joe Henderson, Karrin Allyson and Maureen McGovern, with whom, he tours today.

As band leader Houghton’s discography includes: The Manne We Love: Gershwin Revisited (TNC), a recent release of John Williams’ charts for big band and quintet, initially recorded by Shelly Manne on Capitol in 1965, the Steve Houghton Quintet Live @ the Senator (Jazz Compass), Windsong (SHPERC Records), Remembrances (Warner Bros.), and Steve Houghton Signature (Mesa-Bluemoon). In total Houghton attributes more than one hundred recordings to his credit as a participating artist. As a classical percussionist, Houghton has performed with the Boston, and Philadelphia Pops orchestras, as well as the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. He frequently appears as a soloist with numerous orchestras and wind ensembles throughout the world.

As author, Houghton’s publications boast more than twenty composite educational tools including Essential Styles- books 1 & 2 (Alfred ), The Ultimate Drumset Chart Reading Anthology (Alfred), Play and Teach Percussion (GIA), and The Drumset Soloist (Warner Bros.). In addition, Houghton was recently featured in an article published in the Modern Drummer (2003) entitled “The Thundering Drummers of Woody Herman.”

Houghton is currently associate professor of percussion at Indiana University-Bloomington, and is on faculty at the Henry Mancini Institute. In addition to his academic duties, he presents yearly clinics and masterclasses to students around the world. Chair of The Resource Team of the International Association of Jazz Education, and board member of the Percussive Arts Society, Houghton endorses Pearl drums, Adams percussion, Zildjian cymbals, sticks, and mallets, and Remo World Percussion products and drumheads