Steve Rucker

Steve Rucker has had extensive performing and teaching experience over the last twenty years. Originally from North Carolina, Mr. Rucker attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, and holds an Undergraduate Degree in Studio Music and Jazz and a Masters Degree in Jazz Performance from the University of Miami School of Music. He has twice been voted “Best Jazz Performer” and “Most Versatile Artist” in South Florida polls. For the past nineteen years, Mr. Rucker has been the Director of the drumset program at the University of Miami, where he has created many unique and creative programs. His course on drumset styles and improvisation is one of the most unique programs in the country. He coaches Funk/Fusion Ensemble, and in previous years has created Tower of Power Ensemble and Weather Report Ensemble. His students include Van Romaine (Steve Morse, Kansas, New York session player), Jonathan Joseph (Joe Zawinul, Pat Metheny, David Sanborn, Randy Brecker), Pete Abbott (Average White Band), Mike Sturgis (Aha, Asia, 21 Guns), Lee Levin (Julio Iglesias, session player and producer), Jeff Quay (The Blue Man Group) and Olbin Burgos (Jon Secada, Gloria Estefan, David Lee Roth)
In the early 1980’s, Mr. Rucker was a member of the Ross-Levine band, a ground-breaking jazz-fusion band. In addition to numerous appearances with them, he recorded “That Summer Something” and “Humidity”. While a member of Randy Bernsen’s Ocean Sound Band in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s, he recorded tracks on “Paradise Citizens” and “Calling Me Back Home”, and performed many concerts internationally, including a billing with Miles Davis. In 1990, he recorded “Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me” with Gloria Estefan. For the past several years, he has performed nationwide with Ben Vereen, and has appeared with Mr. Vereen with the Atlanta Symphony and the Dallas Symphony. Mr. Rucker has been a member of the Bee Gees band for five years, and has appeared with them on the Tonight Show, Oprah Winfrey, The Today Show, VH 1 Specials, David Letterman, Rosie O'Donnell, at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction, and at a Command Performance for the Queen of England. In 1997, he appeared at a Bee Gees concert at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas which was shown on pay-per-view television, HBO, and was mastered as a live album. Mr. Rucker has also performed or recorded with Jaco Pastorius, Joe Sample, Paquito D'Rivera, David Liebman, Steve Khan, Pimpinella, and the Woody Herman Big Band. He is also knowledgeable in the field of recording and production, having produced two records for Active Ingredient, “Building Houses” and “Extra Strength”.
As an author, Mr. Rucker has written "The Advancing Jazz-Pop-Rock Drummer".