Steve Gadd Interview

Following the second Steve Gadd and Friends set on November 11, 2009, I sat down with him on an over-soft couch in the green room of Catalina Jazz Club. It was an honor, and as it turned out, a true pleasure.

As I contemplated questions for the interview, it necessarily occurred to me that I had to change my premise of “What do you ask Steve Gadd, the most prolific and influential drummer of our time?” to something more like, “What do you ask Steve Gadd, the guy who just played a set at Catalina, about his band, the show, and the year he’s been having?” Keep it in the present with an eye toward the horizon—simpler for me, and likely more interesting for him.

That was the plan, anyway. Once the red light was on and I found myself sinking into that soggy couch across from the aforementioned Steve Gadd, I just let the camera, the conversation, and my posture roll. I managed to get in a couple of prescribed inquiries from my dutifully prepared Moleskine, including my favorite but most questionable question regarding his tattoos. I wasn’t sure how, or if, he would respond to that one. Indeed, it turned out to be my favorite part of the interview.

Gadd was thoughtful and generous throughout, but seemed most excited and animated talking about tattoos, his family and the Yankees. And I was most grateful for the opportunity to get to know a bit more about Steve Gadd, the man.

Go to Steve Gadd and Friends review.

Thank you to Steve and Carol Gadd, Roberta Arnold, and Catalina Popescu.

Visit Dr. Gadd’s website.

Produced by Carl King Creative.