Born in New Haven, Connecticut, Steve Luciano embarked on his musical journey studying guitar under the legendary Joe Tinari. He honed his jazz guitar skills at the University of Bridgeport with Sal Salvador and became a founding member of the contemporary jazz group GrooveLogic. For this group, he has penned numerous compositions and has released two albums.

Steve’s musical versatility has led him to record across genres from Jazz to Rock n’ Roll, to Pop. His impressive career also includes an 18-year tenure as a staff musician at Walt Disney World and performing as the guitarist for the Larry Elgart Orchestra. Currently, he plays for the “Disney on Broadway” series during the “Festival of the Arts” at Epcot.

Throughout his career, Steve has shared the stage with jazz icons like Charles Erland, George Morrow, Joe Morello, Danny Gottlieb, and Adam Nussbaum, as well as notable entertainers such as Donald O’Connor, Robert Goulet, and Brian McKnight.

Under the Covers is a collection of cover songs that hold a special place in Steve’s heart. Spanning over fifty years, these tracks range from long-time favorites to recent discoveries, all inspiring Steve with their beauty, groove, melody, and harmony.

Notable pieces include “Hammer Head,” originally by Wayne Shorter, which Steve first encountered during a concert a few years back, and “Chant” by Duke Pearson, which he discovered through a live stream performance by Ed Cherry.

1.Chant (Duke Pearson) (5:59)
2.I’ll Take Romance (Oscar Hammerstein II Ben Oakland) (4:36)
3.Like Someone in Love (Jimmy Van Heusen Johnny Burke) (5:56)
4.Hammer Head (Wayne Shorter) (4:57)
5.Caruso (Lucio Dalla) (7:00)
6.Everything I’ve Got (Rodgers, Hart) From an arrangement by Tal Farlow and Barry Galbraith (3:30)
7.Summer’s End (Ralph Towner) (6:39)
8.Love You Madly (Ellington, Strayhorn) (5:11)
9.On the Stairs (Pat Martino) (3:53)
10.The Bad and the Beautiful (2:55)

This dutifully soulful new recording opens on a track that was notably inspired by a performance of the Ed Cherry Trio at Smalls in NYC, the free wheeling, easy going Chant and then comes the gently playful I’ll Take Romance, the languishing Like Someone in Love, the spirited Hammer Head (featuring Dan Jordan) and the laid back Caruso (also featuring Jordan).

Along next is the rambunctious Everything I’ve Got and the dutifully lackadaisical Summer’s End, the album rounding out on the cultured Love You Madly, the flirtatious On the Stairs, coming to a close on one of his favorite pieces, the indigently-hued Theme from the “Bad and the Beautiful.”

Musicians:
Steve Luciano: guitar
Mike Avila: piano
Charlie Silva: bass
Walt Hubbard: bass
Dan Jordan: sax/flute

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