Remembering Steve Allison

Drummer Steve Allison and I were trying to learn a Herbie Hancock tune called “4am,” an apt title since it was well past midnight at this point. The problem was the bass line. During the B section, all the root notes landed on upbeats but it sounded like downbeats if you weren’t paying attention. We had to laugh at the mess we were making of it (in large part because of me!). See, there was no pressing reason to learn this tune other than it was fun. We were in his dad’s backyard practice shed and the pizza was plentiful. What else were we going to do?

In contrast, the gigs we did together were usually utilitarian. Background bar music. Lounge gigs. The life of a musician. For a time Steve was one of my closest friends. Then I moved away for many years. After I returned we didn’t see each other that often but when we did, the musical magic was still there. I loved his feel and empathy — he heard everything around him. 

His funeral a few weeks ago was packed with musicians spanning the many genres he had mastered — jazz, country, gospel, pop. He could do it all: I’ve never known a musician more dedicated to his craft than Steve.

Here are some tracks we did over the years. I will miss him, musician, mentor and friend. May he rest in peace.