Steps Ahead "Magnetic" (1986) -Jazz Fusion / Smooth Jazz-

Label : Elektra / Asylum Records

 Side One

01 - Trains (Mike Mainieri)
02 - Beirut (Victor Bailey, Michael Brecker, Peter Erskine, Chuck Loeb & Mike Mainieri)
03 - Cajun (Michael Brecker)
04 - In A Sentimental Mood (Duke Ellington)

Side Two

01 - Magnetic Love (Mike Mainieri & Scott Martin)
02 - Sumo (Michael Brecker)
03 - All The Tea In China (Peter Erskine)
04 - Something I Said (Peter Erskine)
05 - Reprise (Magnetic Love) (Mike Mainieri & Scott Martin)


All Songs Produced by Steps Ahead except "Magnetic Love" produced by George Duke, Mike Mainieri & Scott Martin
Production & Technical Co-ordination : Dennis Alichwer
Mastered at Sterling Sound by Greg Calbi

Steps Ahead : Mike Mainieri, Michael Brecker, Chuck Loeb, Victor Bailey, Peter Erskine 


Side One

01 - Trains

Victor Bailey : Bass

Michael Brecker : Steiner EWI & Tenor Saxophone

Hiram Bullock : Guitar

Peter Erskine : Acoustic & Electric Drums, Percussion

Robby Kilgore : Synthesizer Programming

Kenny Kirkland : Synthesizers

Chuck Loeb : Acoustic & Electric Guitars & Synthesizer

Mike Mainieri : Synthi-vibes & Keyboards
Neil Dorfsman, Rick Kerr : Recording Engineers
Malcolm Pollack : Recording & Mix Engineer
Rick Begin, Ken Steiger, Jamie Chaleff : Assistant Engineers
Recorded at Bear Track Studios, Suffern, NY & Electric Lady Studios, NY
Mixed at Power Station, NY

02 - Beirut

Victor Bailey : Bass

Michael Brecker : Steiner EWI & Oberheim Xpander

Peter Erskine : Acoustic & Electric Drums, Percussion
Robby Kilgore : Synthesizer Programming

Chuck Loeb : Guitar & Guitar Synthesizer

Mike Mainieri : Synthi-vibes & Keyboards
James Farber : Recording & Mix Engineer
Scott Ansell : Assistant Engineer
Recorded & Mixed at Skyline Studios, NY

03 - Cajun 

Victor Bailey : Bass

Michael Brecker : Steiner EWI, Oberheim Xpander & Tenor Saxophone

Peter Erskine : Drums

Robby Kilgore : Synthesizer Programming

Chuck Loeb : Guitar & Guitar Synthesizer

Mike Mainieri : Synthi-vibes

Peter Schwimmer : Banjo

James Farber : Recording & Mix Engineer
Scott Ansell : Assistant Engineer
Recorded & Mixed at Skyline Studios, NY

04 - In a Sentimental Mood

Phil Ashley : Synthesizer Programming

Michael Brecker : Steiner EWI & Oberheim Xpander
Mike Mainieri : Keyboards
Joe Barbaria : Recording Engineer

Michel Sauvage : Mix Engineer

Bridget Daly : Assistant Engineer
Recorded & Mixed at Electric Lady Studios, NY

Side Two

01 - Magnetic Love

Phil Ashley : Synthesizers & Sequencing
Jimmy Bralower : Drum Programming
Michael Brecker : Tenor Saxophone
Paul Jackson Jr. : Guitar
Mike Mainieri, Scott Martin : Synthesizers
Andy Topeka : Synclavier Sampling
Dianne Reeves : Lead vocals
Diva Gray, Janis Pendarvis & Jocelyn Brown : Background vocals
Malcolm Pollack, Jay Rifkin, Joe Barbaria : Recording Engineers
Michael Brauer : Mixing Engineer
Bridget Daly, Jamie Chaleff, Robin Lane : Assistant Engineers
Recorded at Electric Lady Studios, N.Y.
Mixed at The Village Recorder, West

02 - Sumo 

Victor Bailey : Bass

Jimmy Bralower : Drum Programming

Michael Brecker : Steiner EWI & Tenor Saxophone

Peter Erskine : Drums & Percussion

Robby Kilgore : Synthesizer Programming & Piano

Chuck Loeb : Guitar & Guitar Synthesizer

Mike Mainieri : Synthi-vibes
Neil Dorfsman : Recording Engineer
Tom Lord-Alge : Mixing Engineer
Rick Begin, Tim Purvis, Kevin Killian : Assistant Engineers
Recorded at Bear Track Studios, Suffern, NY & Electric Lady Studios, NY
Mixed at Unique Recording, NY

03 - All The Tea In China

Victor Bailey : Bass

Michael Brecker : Steiner EWI, Oberheim Xpander & Tenor Saxophone

Peter Erskine : Synthesizers & Percussion

Mitch Forman : Synthesizers
Robby Kilgore : Oberheim Xpander Programming

Chuck Loeb : Guitar & Guitar Synthesizer

Mike Mainieri : Vibes
Andrew Heermans : Recording Engineer
Tom Lord-Alge : Mixing Engineer
Tim Purvis : Assistant Engineer
Recorded at Planet Sound, NY
Mixed at Unique Recording, NY

04 - Something I Said

Mike Mainieri : Synthi-vibes

Victor Bailey : Bass
Warren Bernhardt : Acoustic Piano & Synthesizers

Michael Brecker : Tenor Saxophone

Peter Erskine : Drums & Synthesizers
Chuck Loeb : Guitar
Mike Mainieri : Synthi-vibes
James Farber : Recording Engineer
Malcolm Pollack : Mixing Engineer
Scott Ansell, Ken Steiger : Assistant Engineers
Recorded at Skyline Studios, NY
Mixed at Electric Lady Studios, NY

05 - Reprise (Magnetic Love) 

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Steps Ahead "Modern Times" (1984) -Smooth Jazz / Jazz Fusion-

 Label : Elektra Musician

 Side A

01 - Safari (Michael Brecker)
02 - OOPS (Mike Mainieri)
03 - Self Portrait (Mike Mainieri)
04 - Modern Times (Warren Bernhardt)

Side B

01 - Radio-Active (Mike Mainieri)
02 - Now You Know (Peter Erskine)
03 - Old Town (Mike Mainieri)


Warren Bernhardt : Keyboards

Michael Brecker : Tenor & Soprano Saxophone

Peter Erskine : Drums

Eddie Gomez : Bass

Mike Mainieri : Vibes, Marimba & Synthe-Vibe

With Guest Musicians :
Chuck Loeb : Guitar on "Now You Know"
Craig Peyton : Oberheim System Sequence Programming
Tony Levin : Stick on "Old Town"

Craig Peyton : Synthesizers, DMX Drums, Pro 1 Bass on "Radio-Active"

"Safari" Mixed at Right Track Studios, N.Y.

"Self Portrait" Mixed at RPM Studios, N.Y.

Mastered by Greg Calbi at Sterling Sound 

Additional Synthesizer on "Safari" by Michael Brecker

Additional Synthesizer on "Old Town", "Self Portrait" & "Oops" by Mike Mainieri

Recorded & Mixed by James Farber 
Recorded at Skyline Studios 
Mixed at Skyline Studios & Power Station, New York City, January/Feburary 1984 

Assistant Engineers : Arthur Payson, Scott Ansell, Dave Greenberg, Jeff Hendrickson, Moira Marquis, Mike Krowiak, Garry Rindfuss 

Produced by Steps Ahead

Production Coordination : Christine Martin

Steps Ahead "Yin - Yang" (1992) -Jazz Fusion-

Label : NYC Records

 

01 - Sidewalk Maneuvers (Mike Mainieri)

02 - Praise (Mike Mainieri)

03 - Nite Owl (Mike Mainieri)

04 - Taxi (Bendik Hofseth)

05 - Tamarin Lion (R. Sklar & Bendik Hofseth)

06 - Gory Details (R Nicolazzo & Mike Mainieri)

07 - Agitate The Gravel (Spencer Cozens, Miles Bould & Mike Mainieri)

08 - Okapi (Bendik)

09 - Orion (R Nicolazzo & Mike Mainieri)

10 - Steppish (Mike Mainieri)

11 - Sara's Touch (Mike Mainieri)

Ensemble :

Mike Mainieri : Midi Vibraharp, Synclavier, Percussion

Bendik : Saxophones

Rachel Z. : Acoustic Piano, Synths

Jeff Andrews : Electric & Acoustic Bass

Steve Smith : Drums

Guest Appearances :

Jimi Tunnell : Electric Guitar on "Praise", "Sidewalk Maneuvers", "Taxi"

Steve Khan : Electric Guitar on "Nite Owl", "Gory Details", "Sidewalk Maneuvers", "Steppish", "Okapi"

Wayne Krantz : Electric & Acoustic Guitar on "Tamarin Lion", "Okapi"

Chuck Loeb : Rhythm Guitar on "Nite Owl"

Victor Bailey : Electric Bass on "Nite Owl"

Rick Margitza : Tenor Sax on "Steppish", "Sidewalk Maneuvers"

George Whitty : Synthesizer on "Sidewalk Maneuvers"

Dean Brown : Electric Guitar on "Praise"

Bruce Martin : Additional Percussion, Additional Synthesizer Programming, Assoc. Producer on "Praise", "Nite Owl", "Sidewalk Maneuvers"

British Guests (Appearing on "Agitate The Gravel") :

Spencer Cozens : Keyboards, Bass Synthesizer

Miles Bould : Percussion, Sequencing

Alan Thomson : Bass

Nick Robbins : Engineer

"Agitate The Gravel" Mixed & Co-Produced by Spencer Cozens, Miles Bould & Mike Wetsergaard for Peoplespeak Productions

Recorded at The Elephant Recording Studio, Wapping, London

Mixed at F2 Studios, London

Assistant Engineer (F2 Studios) : Bernie Hurst

Produced by Mike Mainieri

Recorded & Mixed by Todd A. Gerard

Additional Engineering : Max Risenhoover / "Praise", "Sidewalk Maneuvers"

Assistant Engineer : Michael Mainieri III

Technical Assistance : Daniel Karns

Mastered at Sound Studio N, Cologne by Christoph Diekmann

Production Coordination : Joshua Cantor

Steps "Paradox" (1982) -Smooth Jazz / Jazz Fusion-

Label : Better Days Records / Nippon Columbia Co, Inc.

 Side 1

01 - N L 4 (Don Grolnick)
02 - The Aleph (Mike Mainieri)
03 - Patch Of Blue (Mike Mainieri)

Side 2

01 - Four Chords (Don Grolnick)
02 - Take a Walk (Michael Brecker)
03 - Nichka (Eddie Gomez)


Produced by Steps for Nippon Columbia 
Executive Producer : Christine Martin 
Live at Seventh Avenue South
Recorded & Mixed by Neil Dorfsman, September 1981 
Recorded by Le Mobile, Montreal 
Assistants : Guy Charbonneau & Clifford Bonnell 
Mixed at Power Station Studios, New York City 
Assistant : Jeff Hendrickson

Steps :
Mike Mainieri : Vibes
Michael Brecker : Tenor Saxophone
Don Grolnick : Acoustic Piano
Eddie Gomez : Acoustic Bass
Peter Erskine : Drums

Steps Ahead "Live In Tokyo 1986" (1986) -Jazz Fusion / Smooth Jazz-

Label : NYC Records

01 - Beirut (Victor Bailey, Michael Brecker, Peter Erskine, Chuck Loeb & Mike Mainieri)
02 - OOPS (Mike Mainieri)
03 - Self Portrait (Mike Mainieri)
04 - Sumo (Michael Brecker)
05 - Cajun (Michael Brecker)
06 - Safari (Michael Brecker)
07 - In a Sentimental Mood (Duke Ellington)
08 - Trains (Mike Mainieri)


Produced by Steps Ahead 
Executive Producer : Hisao Ebine 
Associate Producer : Darryl Pitt 
Recording Engineer : Seigen Ono 
Mixing Engineer : James Farber 
Audio Facilities : S.C.I., Electric Lady Studios, New York & Tamco Mastered at Zen Music, New York 
Concert Produced by Koinuma Music, Ltd. Recorded "Live" at Kan-i Hoken Hall, Tokyo on July 30, 1986

Steps Ahead :
Mike Mainieri : Vibraphone & MIDI Vibes
Michael Brecker : Tenor Saxophone & EWI
Mike Stern : Guitar
Darryl Jones : Bass
Steve Smith : Drums

Steps Ahead "Steps Ahead" (1983) -Jazz / Jazz Fusion-

 Label : Elektra Musician

 Side One

01 - Pools (Don Grolnick)
02 - Islands (Mike Mainieri)
03 - Loxodrome (Eddie Gomez)

Side Two

01 - Both Sides Of The Coin (Michael Brecker)
02 - Skyward Bound (Mike Mainieri)
03 - Northern Cross (Peter Erskine)
04 - Trio (An Improvisation) (Michael Brecker, Eddie Gomez & Mike Mainieri)


Michael Brecker : Tenor Saxophone

Eliane Elias : Piano

Peter Erskine : Drums

Eddie Gomez : Bass

Mike Mainieri : Vibes, Synthivibe & Marimba

Produced by Steps Ahead 
Executive Producer & Management : Christine Martin 
Recorded & Mixed at Power Stations, New York 
Recording Engineer : James Farber 
Assistant Engineers : Dave Greenberg, Garry Rindfus 
Mastered by Bill Kipper at Masterdisk, New York

Steps "Smokin' In The Pit" (1981) -Jazz Fusion-

Label : Better Days Records / Nippon Columbia Co, Inc.

DISC A

01 - Tee Bag (Mike Mainieri)
02 - Lover Man (Jimmy Davis, Roger Ramirez & Jimmy Sherman)
03 - Fawlty Tenors (Don Grolnick)
04 - Song To Seth (Mike Mainieri)

DISC B

01 - Young And Fine (Joe Zawinul)
02 - Soul Eyes (Mal Waldron)
03 - Not Ethiopia (Michael Brecker)
04 - Sara's Touch (Mike Mainieri)


Produced by Mike Mainieri for Nippon Columbia
Recorded Live at Roppongi Pit Inn, Tokyo, December 14 & 16, 1980

Steps :
Mike Mainieri : Vibes
Michael Brecker : Tenor Saxophone
Don Grolnick : Acoustic Piano
Eddie Gomez : Acoustic Bass
Steve Gadd : Drums

Special Guest :
Kazumi Watanabe : Guitar on "Not Ethiopia" 

Steps "Step by Step" (1980) -Smooth Jazz / Jazz Fusion-

Label : Better Days / Nippon Columbia Co, Inc.

 Side 1

01 - Uncle Bob (Don Grolnick)
02 - Kyoto (Mike Mainieri)

Side 2

01 - Belle (Mike Mainieri)
02 - Bullett Train (Mike Mainieri)
03 - Six Persimmons (Don Grolnick)


Recorded December 8 & 19, 1980 in Tokyo

Steps :
Mike Mainieri : Vibes
Michael Brecker : Tenor Saxophone
Don Grolnick : Acoustic Piano
Eddie Gomez : Acoustic Bass
Steve Gadd : Drums