Steve Houghton

AHA! Quintet "freespace"

All songs composed by Steve Allee (AlleeOop Music Publishing, ASCAP), except "Never Never Land," music by Jule Styne, lyrics Betty Comden, Adoph Green (Edwin H. Morris / MPL Music Publishing, Inc., ASCAP).

Steve Allee would like to thank Steve Houghton for his vision in bringing the AHA! Quintet together! He has an instinctive "sixth sense" in knowing what combination of musicians will have the perfect chemistry together. Voila! I'd like to also thank Steve, Bob, Clay & Jeremy for their extraordinary musicianship, helpful suggestions and wonderful sense of humor during the sessions. They set the bar very high!

Track list:

1. Three Hip Mice
2. Looking
3. Silver Cloud
4. Land of Another
5. Fourth Street
6. Creepy Crawly
7. Slim Jim
8. Freespace
9. Trio Rio
10. Never Never Land

For more information on the artists:
Steve Allee - piano www.steveallee.com
Steve Houghton - drums www.houghtonmusic.com
Jeremy Allen - bass www.jeremyallen.org
Clay Jenkins - trumpet www.clayjenkins.net
Bob Sheppard - tenor and soprano saxophone, flute www.bobsheppard.net

Steve Houghton endorses Yamaha drums, Zildjian cymbals, Vic Firth sticks, and Remo drum heads. Jeremy Allen uses D'Addario strings. Clay Jenkins plays an Edwards trumpet. Bob Sheppard endorses Rico Reeds.

Produced by Steve Houghton and Steve Allee

Holiday Celebration: A Jazzy Collection of Seasonal Favorites

Holiday Music performed by an array of Jacobs School of Music faculty and students. Enjoy performances by Sylvia McNair, Marietta Simpson, Brian Horne, Charles Webb, Janette Fishell and others. Ensembles featured include the Big Band, Latin Jazz Ensemble, Trombone Choir, Brass Choir, and a faculty Brass Nonet.

"A long-held dream of Steve Houghton, this recording reflects his belief in the emerging artists and the gifted colleagues in the Jacobs School of Music.
The skills of the audio engineers were evident in their nurturing of the students, many in the studio for the first time, and in their keen feedback to the faculty. It has been a true collaboration that traversed the breadth of our school, often bringing people together for the first time. Steve loves this repertoire, and it shows. The diversity of the musical selections is a testament to the abilities of the artists to capture the essential spirit of these works. The result is a musical offering that is evocative of this most special time of the year. It has been captured so as to remain present whenever you find the need to lift your spirit, or move your soul. May it bring peace and joy to all upon whom its strains fall."

Gwyn Richards - Dean of Jacobs School of Music.

Track list:

1. Carol of the Bells
2. Jingle Bells
3. El Noi De La Mare
4. Baby It's Cold Outside
5. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
6. We Three Kings
7. Greensleves
8. Up on the Housetop
9. Havanna Holly Jolly
10. Silver Bells
11. Sheppherd's Pipe Carol
12. While Sheep May Safely Graze
13. Once in Royal David's City
14. Skating
15. Silent Night

All Things Are New - Beaux J Poo Boo 427

Shelly Berg, Fred Hamilton, Lou Fischer, Steve Houghton
Beaux J Poo Boo is a newly formed Jazz Quartet featuring world class musicians: Shelly Berg, piano; Fred Hamilton, guitar; Lou Fischer, bass; and Steve Houghton, drums. The name Beaux J Poo Boo is taken from the great composition by Les McCann of the same name, which, to paraphrase the meaning: "is representative of a Montage of the many places the musicians have been in their life, shaping them into who they are today." This album, titled All Things Are New, incorporates a myriad of styles, in a contemporary jazz quartet improvisational environment. Enjoy the magic of the music!

Track list:

1. Ferris Wheel
2. Dancing With The Monk
3. Only Trust Your Heart
4. Beaux J Poo Boo
5. Hosanna
6. Overleaf
7. Go With Gedfrey
8. Scintilla (...to Sparkle)
9. M and M
10. Tooth (for Frank Mantooth)
11. On Again, Off Again
12. All Things are new

The Steve Houghton Quintet "Live at the Senator"

Steve Houghton drums, Pat La Barbera sax, Clay Jenkins trumpet, Harold Danko piano, Neil Swainson bass
The Quintet, recorded live at the Senator in Toronto, sizzles through Monk's Dream, Einbahn Strasse and a whole evening's worth of music.

Track list:

1. Einbahn Strasse
2. Damned if I know
3. Monk's Dream
4. Always With You
5. Zoltan
6. Old Folks
7. Chief Crazy Horse

The Manne We Love: Gershwin Revisited

Music arr. by John Williams
Steve Houghton Quintet and the UNT Two O'Clock Lab Band directed by Jim Riggs. We will be performing all of the music at the IAJE convention January 9 -12 in Long Beach. this will be the first live performance of the music since 1965 when the original album was released. We are also setting up an endowment at UNT to secure the Shelly Manne scholarship.

Track list:

1. By Strauss
2. Man's Gone Now
3. Mine
4. Our Love Is Here To Stay
5. Summertime
6. Real American Folk Song
7. Man I Love
8. Prelude
9. How Long Has...
10. Concerto in F
11. Soon
12. Love Walked In
13. I got Plenty O' Nuttin'
14. Lady Be Good

The Inspiration

"I met Shelly Manne's wife, Florence Manne, about three years ago. she contacted me because they had just put out a tribute book about Shelly and she wanted to distribute the books to university jazz departments. I helped Florence get it to the right places and we became good friends. One day I mentioned that Shelly's Gershwin album was one of my favorites and she took me out to the garage where she had all the original music and asked if I could do somehting with it. So I put together a kind of North Texas "All Star Alumni Quintet", and we decided to re-record the album with this group and the North Texas Two O'Clock Lab Band. The alumni were very excited to do it and came up with the idea of funding a scholarship in Shelly's name when the album came out. So it was actually a nice win-win situation for eberybody: we get to play the music; we get to pay tribute to Shelly through the scholarship fund; and we get to expose this current generation of jazz listeners to this music, which we think is very special. John Williams is, of course, very well-known as a film composer, starting with "Jaws", all the way up to his current project, "Harry Potter", but not many people know him as "Johnny Williams" when he was writing jazz charts. So this is John Williams, circa 1965, but everyone who's performed this music feels like it was written yesterday." - Steve Houghton

The New Recording

"All of the soloists were alumni of North Texas and had worked and/or studied with Jim Riggs, so it seemed obvious to do the recording with Jim Riggs and the Two O'clock Lab Band. We really wanted to pay homage to the wonderful sound they achieved on the original recording of John Williams' classic arrangements. I flew the soloists into Dallas and we rehearsed with the band for one afternoon and recorded it the following two days, May 16 and 17, 2001. It was new ground for the Two O'Clock in that we expanded the typical big band instrumentation, using tuba, French horns and bass clarinet, for instance. They are a wonderful band - very well-prepared - and they play with a lot of passion. The music was interesting for the soloists because it included big band, quintet or trio music. It was very exciting for everybody." - Steve Houghton

The Scholarship

The scholarship is a way to permanently honor the life and musicianship of Shelly Manne, both at the University of North Texas and around the country. Many of Shelly's music associates and friends have been contacted to contribute to this very worthwhile cause. All the players on this album are UNT graduates or students, and a portion of the royalties from this project will begin the endowment of the Shelly Manne Scholarship Fund, designated for a jazz percussion major.

The Musicians

Steve Houghton drums Click here for Steve's Bio

Dan Higgins Alto Sax As a Los Angeles based professional, Dan's varied talents on all woodwinds make him a sought-after musician in the record, film, and TV industry. Dan has worked with bands and jazz artists such as Phil Woods, Eddie Daniels, Gerry Mulligan, Louis Bellson, Stanley Clarke and George Duke. He can be heard on jazz albums with Bill Watrous, Rosemary Clooney and Gordon Goodwin, and is a featured soloist on the new Quincy Jones CD "Sammy and Quincy - Basie and Beyond" and the new Pat Williams soundtrack, "Blonde".

Clay Jenkins Trumpet Well-known in jazz circles as a performer, recording artist and teacher, Clay Jenkins has played with Stan Kenton, Buddy Rich, Count Basie, Harry James, Diana Krall and the Clayton/Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, among many others. He has just accepted a new appointment as Associate Professor of Jazz Trumpet at Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York.

Stefan Karlsson Piano Director of the Jazz Program at UNLV, Stefan Karlsson has recorded an/or performed with Jimmy Cobb, Eddie Gomez and Marvin Stamm.

Lou Fischer Bass Directory of the Jazz Program at Capital University in Columbus, Ohio, Lou Fischer has played with Bill Watrous, Woody herman and The Crusaders.

James Riggs Director, Two O'Clock Lab Band James Riggs is director of the Two O'Clock Lab Band and professor of saxophone at the University of North Texas, where he also coordinates the largest enrollment of saxophone students in the world. A consummate artist in both jazz and classical idioms, Riggs has performed and/or recorded with Ella Fitzgerald, Tony Bennett and Henry Mancini.

The Two O'Clock Lab Band In 1947, the official jazz degree program of then-North Texas State College was launched with one lab band.Today, the Two O'Clock is one of nine University of North Texas lab bands named for the hours at which they rehearse and filled by students from around the world who compete fiercely for seats. Under director James Riggs since 1978, the Two O'Clock maintains a tradition of garnering critical acclaim, festival awards and international recognition. Honors include those bestowed by DOWN BEAT in 1992, 1993, 1994 and 2001, when it named the Two O'Clock winner of its Annual Student Music Award in the Jazz Big Band category.

Signature Series: "Steve Houghton"

When he carved out time to record his debut jazz album as a leader, the Wisconsin-bred, Los Angeles-based drummer could hardly help but reveal myriad interests and influences. The result is a dazzling collaborative effort, rooted in a broadly based modern jazz sensibility and featuring several of Houghton's closest contemporaries. Featuring: Marc Johnson ~ bass, Tim Hagans ~ trumpet, Billy Childs ~ piano, Rob Lockart ~ saxophones, Tom Warrington ~ bass, Andy Martin ~ trombone, Larry Koonse ~ guitar, Emil Richards ~ vibes, Brian Kilgore ~ percussion

Track list:

1. Stop Start
2. One Hand
3. Sunday at the Hillcrest
4. Astarte
5. One for Helen
6. Orion
7. Dreams
8. Fuchsia Swing Song
9. Shall We?

Windsong

This CD is the culmination of a year's worth of recording. The material represents everything I like about percussion and music: utilizing a vast array of instruments in a wide variety of styles.Featuring: Emil Richards, J.C. Combs, Dan Higgins and The Wichita State University Chamber Ensemble

Track list:

1. Farmer's Trust
2. Accents Of Eccentricity
3. Toccata And Tango
4. Jitterbug Waltz
5. Green Dolphin Street
6. S'Matter

Wildflowers

Composed by Billy Childs, the Concerto for Solo Percussionist has become a frequent favorite in Houghton's repertoire. The work highlights his diverse artistry, which draws upon traditional, modern, and jazz styles. Written in the classic three movement form, the piece reflects a strong interest in rhythmic variety and melodic fragmentation. It uses the elements of texture and timbre to create variety as well as contrast throughout the course of the composition.

Track list:

1. Spiel, Op. 39: I. Overture
2. Spiel, Op. 39: II. Idyll
3. Spiel, Op. 39: III. Buffo
4. …and The Mountains Rising Nowhere: … And The Mountains Rising
5. Lincolnshire Posy: I. Lisbon
6. Lincolnshire Posy: II. Harkstow Grange
7. Lincolnshire Posy: III. Rufford Park Poacher
8. Lincolnshire Posy: IV. The Brisk Young Sailor
9. Lincolnshire Posy: V. Lord Melbourne
10. Lincolnshire Posy: VI. The Lost Lady Found
11. Dance of the New World
12. Percussion Concerto: I. Allegro
13. Percussion Concerto: II. Andante
14. Percussion Concerto: III. Presto
15. Cartoon

It Takes A Village

by Bob Badgley (bass), Stefan Karlsson (piano), Steve Houghton (percussion), University of Nevada Las Vegas Wind Orchestra

Back to Being One

The musicians picked for this CD highlight the quality of artists brought to Rodger through his role as an impresario. All five are busy, sought after musicians of the LA scene and come together in high spirits to perform the music they love most.

Track list:

1. Truer Blues
2. Nostalgia In Times Square
3. Back To Being One
4. Napier: Loverman
5. There is no Greater Love
6. Ferry-Nuff
7. Xtra Juicy

Remembrances

This fantastic recording pairs two of the stick scene's most exciting percussion performers, Dave Samuels and Steve Houghton. The titles and composers are: Concerto for Marimba (Jeff Beal) - Concerto for Percussion and Orchestra, Third Movement (Billy Childs) - Turnabout (Dave Samuels) - Variations for Solo Percussion and Two Pianos (Dave Hanson) - Remembrances (Dave Samuels).

Track list:

1. Industrial Revolution
2. New Room
3. Prime Mover
4. Doppler Effect
5. Concerto For Percussion And Orchestra
6. Turnabout
7. Variations For Solo Percussion And Two Pianos
8. Remembrances

Three as One

Steve Houghton (drums), Lou Fischer (bass) and Stefan Karlsson (piano) Incredible musicianship and synergy from three musical veterans create a "fused" jazz trio offering of original (and classically composed) enlightenment- an extremely enjoyable listen from the real deal. Enjoy.

Track list:

1. Flute Sonata E Flat Major-Mvt. 2. Siciliana
2. Smiling Eyes
3. Three As One
4. Christine, My Angel Apparent
5. Trikings
6. Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67
7. Prelude in E Minor Op. 28 No. 4
8. Decisions

Clay Jenkins "Matters of Time"

Trumpeter Clay Jenkins has gathered several friends together including Rich Perry on tenor saxophone, Harold Danko on piano, Bob Bowman on bass, and Steve Houghton on drums, along with Karrin Allyson on vocals.

Track list:

1. Two-Below
2. Rail Trails
3. Trinkle Tinkle
4. Matters of Time
5. Yesterdays
6. In Love In Vain
7. Chet's Maze
8. Kids Are Pretty People

Ray Brown's Great Big Band "Kayak"

Saxophones: Mary Fettig, Paul contos, Paul Tarantino, Bennett Friedman, Charlie McCarthy, Mike Young
Trumpets: Rich Bice, Steve Campos, Don Beck, Louis Fasman, Erik Jekobsen
Trombones: John Gove, Dave Gregoric, Dave Eshelman, Dave Martell, Derek James, Steve Barnhill
Rhythm: Steve Brown (Guitar), Eddie Mendenhall (Piano) John Shifflett(Bass), Steve Houghton (Drums)
Vocalist: Gail Dobson

Track list:

1. So In Love
2. Indian Summer
3. Kayak
4. I Fall in Love Too Easily
5. Blue Daniel
6. Del Sasser
7. Our Love is Here to Stay
8. I've Never Been in Love Before
9. Turn Out the Stars
10. Tricrotism
11. Moment's Notice
12. Song of No Regrets
13. Seven Steps to Heaven