Steve Cioppa

About me:

I'm a Percussionist / Drummer who has been playing for over 20 years. My playing experience covers a variety of styles including Rock, R&B, Pop, Jazz, Adult Contemporary, Latin and Hip-Hop and venues from coffeehouses to large outdoor stadiums and major casinos. Some of the venues include: Toad’s Place in New Haven, CT, Fat Daddy’s in Watertown, CT, The Oakdale Theater in Wallingford, CT, Foxwoods Casino in Ledyard, CT, Le Bar Bat in Manhattan and The Bitter End, Greenwich Village. I'm equally comfortable on stage or in a studio setting. I've had the good fortune to open up for a broad spectrum of groups including: Tower of Power, Elliot Yamen, The Last Goodnight, The Marshall Tucker Band, Teddy Geiger, Billy Joel Tribute Band "Big Shot" and The Radiators. I've also worked with musicians from Blood, Sweat & Tears, The Buddy Rich Big Band and the Arturo Sandoval group. I have gained a reputation as a solid, team player with a great ear who is an asset to any project in which I am involved. For me, the song comes first. Whether playing basic, repetitive percussive textures or executing improvised solo spotlights, I am always conscious of my role. For me, it's all about the groove. I am available for hire on drums or percussion and am now set up for remote recording, supplying raw or mixed drum tracks from my home studio. I was the percussionist for CUBISTIC JACK, a very successful and highly regarded Funk / R&B band from Connecticut for 6 years before the group disbanded.

From their bio:
"Since beginning musical pursuits at an early age, Steve has spent a good part of his life developing the skills required to effectively communicate his ideas to the drums. He is motivated by his constant drive to learn more about percussion and music, and his genuine love for performing. Steve is an accomplished musician with live and session playing experiences which cross the boundaries of Jazz, Latin, Rock and R&B. On percussion, Steve blends traditional Afro-Cuban and hip-hop influences to create a unique style that brings an added audio and visual dimension to every live show. His eagerness to excel and push his limits have led him to study with traditional and modern percussion masters including Jose Madera (Tito Puente's Musical Director), Giovanni Hidalgo, Richie Gajate-Garcia and John Santos".

Currently I am performing or recording with several groups including:

Party Rock Cover Band Highfield
Singer / Songwriter Steve Gregory (www.stevegregorymusic.com)
Acoustic Duo Sweetbird (www.sweetbirdmusic.com)
Steve Gregory Cover Band (Steve Gregory Cover Band)


..Bands or Artists previously recorded or performed with include:..

R&B, Soul, Christian Singer / Songwriter Traci Root www.traciroot.com
Rock / Pop Group Audio Vamp
Cubistic Jack (Cubistic Jack)
The Vinny & Ray Latin Orchestra (www.ardelrecords.com)
Christian Singer Rita Marie Valle (www.vmrmusic.com)
Indie / Pop / Soul Singer Ruth Ann (RuthAnnmusic)
Singer / Songwriter Jackie Martino (Edenwaymusic)
Lori Fogler (Lori Fogler)