Steve Marcus

Steve Marcus (September 18, 1939^[1] – September 25, 2005)^[2] was an American jazz saxophonist.

Biography

Marcus was born in The Bronx, New York, United States.^[1] He studied at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, between 1959 and 1961.^[1] He gained experience playing in the bands of Stan Kenton, Herbie Mann and Larry Coryell from 1963 to 1973.^[1] His first album as a leader included an arrangement of the Beatles' song, "Tomorrow Never Knows". He worked with jazz drummer Buddy Rich for the last twelve years of Rich's life.^[1] After Rich died, Marcus led the band and renamed it Buddy's Buddies.^[2]

His song "Half a Heart" (1968) has a riff very similar to the famous saxophone riff of "Baker Street" by Gerry Rafferty (recorded in 1977, released in 1978).

Marcus died in September 2005 in New Hope, Pennsylvania.^[2]

Discography

As leader/co-leader

• Tomorrow Never Knows (Vortex, 1968)
• Count's Rock Band (Vortex, 1969)
• The Lord's Prayer (Vortex, 1969)
• Green Line with Miroslav Vitous, Sonny Sharrock, Daniel Humair (Nivico, 1970)
• Something with Jiro Inagaki & Soul Media (Nippon Columbia, 1971) – recorded in 1970
• Sometime Other Than Now (Flying Dutchman, 1976)
• Steve Marcus & 2o1 (Red Baron, 1992)
• Smile (Red Baron, 1993)
• Count's Jam Band Reunion (Tone Center, 2001) – recorded in 2000
• Steve Marcus Project (Mighty Quinn Productions, 2007)

As sideman

With Gary Burton

• Tennessee Firebird (RCA, 1967) – recorded 1966

With Larry Coryell

• Barefoot Boy (Flying Dutchman, 1971)
• Offering (Vanguard, 1972)
• The Real Great Escape (Vanguard, 1973)

With Jazz Composer's Orchestra

• The Jazz Composers Orchestra (JCOA, 1968)[2LP]

With Stan Kenton

• Stan Kenton / Jean Turner (Capitol, 1963)
• Artistry in Bossa Nova (Capitol, 1963)

With Herbie Mann

• Live at the Whisky a Go Go (Atlantic, 1969)

With Bob Thiele Collective

• Lion Hearted (Red Baron, 1993)

With Young Rascals

• Once Upon a Dream (Atlantic, 1968) – recorded 1967

References

1. Colin Larkin, ed. (1992). The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 1615. ISBN 0-85112-939-0.
2. Fordham, John (23 October 2005). "Obituary: Steve Marcus". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 January 2019.