 Steve Smith
The group’s founder and drummer, Steve Smith, has a resume that stretches from Ahmad Jamal, Zakir Hussain, The Buddy Rich Big Band and Steps Ahead to Andrea Bocelli and Journey. It is no surprise that he won Modern Drummer Magazine's #1 All Around Drummer award five years in a row and was voted one of the Top 25 Drummers of All Time in a recent Modern Drummer readers poll, in 2002 Smith was voted into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame. In the last eight years, Smith has led or co-led fifteen different jazz or jazz/rock projects for the Tone Center label. His educational Hudson Music DVD "Steve Smith - Drumset Technique and History of the U.S. Beat" is a best seller in the music educational market. Steve Smith is one of the most constantly evolving drummers on the scene today.
 Steve Smith © Howard A. Gitelson
Smith is quick to point out that a key to the band’s remarkable versatility is its bassist, Baron Browne. "Baron brought a real serious groove element to the band," says Smith of his rhythm section partner. "He’s my favorite bass player to play with because he can play all the styles and he always makes the music feel so good. Baron plays great swing, great funk and groove, he can read anything, play in any odd time signature plus he can play over changes really well. It’s hard to find bass players who can do all of that." Browne has worked in the past with Gary Burton, Billy Cobham, Jean-Luc Ponty, Steps Ahead and Tom Jones but has never sounded better than he does with Vital Information.
Unique multi-keyboardist Tom Coster, whose versatility ranges from Hammond B3 to accordion was playing with Gabor Szabo and Rahsaan Roland Kirk long before he came to prominence in Santana, a stay that lasted nine years. He has recorded many solo albums under him own name and has been a member of Vital Information since 1986. Tom also tours with Billy Cobham and Bill Evans.
 Vinny Valentino
Vinny Valentino is the newest member of Vital Information. Vinny began touring in a progressive rock band while still in high school. At age 16, influenced by the music of George Benson, Vinny began pursuing jazz as a career. He recalls, "The turning point for me was hearing George Benson in concert; I had never heard anybody play like that. It was an eye-opening experience." Vinny and his mentor George have since developed a close friendship. George Benson refers to Vinny as a "young genius with brilliant tone and fresh ideas."
Vinny earned his Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies at Howard University. Vinny has shared the stage or recording studio with such jazz greats as Gary Bartz, Randy Brecker, Bill Evans, John Pattitucci, Richard Bona, Bob Moses, George Benson, Steve Gadd, Dennis Chambers, and Jimmy McGriff. In 2004 Vinny filled in for Frank Gambale on a four week Vital Information tour of Europe. CLick here for a Jazz Police interview with Vinny Valentino. - Steve Smith and Vital Iinformation
- March 21-25
- Tckets; $30 with a $10 minimum
- The Iridium Jazz Club, 1650 Broadway (51st st.), New York, NY 10019 -Tel : 212 582 2121
Vital Information spring tour dates:
Wednesday, March 21
Steve Smith and Vital Information
Featuring Tom Coster and Baron Browne and Vinny Valentino
Iridium Jazz Club
1650 Broadway (and 51st)
NY, NY 10019
212.582.2121
www.iridiumjazzclub.com
Thursday, March 22
Steve Smith and Vital Information
Featuring Tom Coster and Baron Browne and Vinny Valentino
Iridium Jazz Club
1650 Broadway (and 51st)
NY, NY 10019
212.582.2121
www.iridiumjazzclub.com
Friday, March 23
Steve Smith and Vital Information
Featuring Tom Coster and Baron Browne and Vinny Valentino
Iridium Jazz Club
1650 Broadway (and 51st)
NY, NY 10019
212.582.2121
www.iridiumjazzclub.com
Saturday, March 24
Steve Smith and Vital Information
Featuring Tom Coster and Baron Browne and Vinny Valentino
Iridium Jazz Club
1650 Broadway (and 51st)
NY, NY 10019
212.582.2121
www.iridiumjazzclub.com
Sunday, March 25
Steve Smith and Vital Information
Featuring Tom Coster and Baron Browne and Vinny Valentino
Iridium Jazz Club
1650 Broadway (and 51st)
NY, NY 10019
212.582.2121
www.iridiumjazzclub.com
Monday, March 26
Steve Smith and Vital Information
Featuring Tom Coster and Baron Browne and Vinny Valentino
Dakota Jazz Club & Restaurant
1010 Nicollet Mall
Minneapolis, MN 55403
612.332.1010
www.dakotacooks.com
Tuesday, March 27
Steve Smith and Vital Information
Featuring Tom Coster and Baron Browne and Vinny Valentino
Dakota Jazz Club & Restaurant
1010 Nicollet Mall
Minneapolis, MN 55403
612.332.1010
www.dakotacooks.com
Wednesday, March 28
Steve Smith and Vital Information
Featuring Tom Coster and Baron Browne and Vinny Valentino
The Orpheum Theatre
315 N. Phillips Ave.
Sioux Falls, SD 57104
For tickets: 605.334.5361
Thursday, March 29
Steve Smith and Vital Information
Featuring Tom Coster and Baron Browne and Vinny Valentino
Pioneer Place on Fifth
22 5th Ave South
St. Cloud, MN 56301
320.203.1233
www.ppfive.com Friday, March 30
Steve Smith and Vital Information
Featuring Tom Coster and Baron Browne and Vinny Valentino
The Algoma Club
107 Algoma Blvd.
Oshkosh, WI
For info call The Water City Grill
920.233.3004
http://www.watercitygrill.net Sunday, April 1
Steve Smith and Vital Information
Featuring Tom Coster and Baron Browne and Vinny Valentino
Martyr’s
3855 N. Lincoln Ave.
Chicago, IL 60613
773.404.9869
www.martyrslive.com
Monday, April 2
Steve Smith and Vital Information
Featuring Tom Coster and Baron Browne and Vinny Valentino
The Jazz Kitchen
5377 N. College Ave
Indianapolis, IN 46220
317.253.4900
www.thejazzkitchen.com
Tuesday, April 3
Steve Smith and Vital Information
Featuring Tom Coster and Baron Browne and Vinny Valentino
Durty Nellies
The Drumpad presents
Vital Information in a Band Clinic/Performance
180 N. Smith Street
Palatine, IL 60067
For tickets call The Drum Pad
847.934.8768
www.thedrumpad.com
Wednesday, April 4
Steve Smith and Vital Information
Featuring Tom Coster and Baron Browne and Vinny Valentino
The Jazz Factory
815 W. Market St.
Louisville, KY
502.992.3242
www.jazzfactory.us
Thursday, April 5
Steve Smith and Vital Information
Featuring Tom Coster and Baron Browne and Vinny Valentino
Gilly’s
132 S. Jefferson St.
Dayton, OH 45402
937.228.8414
http://hometown.aol.com/gillyjazz/myhomepage/business.html Friday, April 6
Steve Smith and Vital Information
Featuring Tom Coster and Baron Browne and Vinny Valentino
Nighttown
12387 Cedar Road (top of Cedar Hill)
Cleveland Heights, OH 44106
216.759.0550
www.nighttowncleveland.com Saturday, April 7
Featuring Tom Coster and Baron Browne and Vinny Valentino
The Tralf Music Hall
622 Main Street
Buffalo, NY 14202
716.852.2860 ext. 1
www.tralfmusichall.com Monday, April 9
Steve Smith and Vital Information
Featuring Tom Coster and Baron Browne and Vinny Valentino
Blues Street at the Ritz Theater
222 Wyoming Ave.
Scranton, PA 18503
570.341.9898
www.pajazzalliance.com Tuesday, April 10
Steve Smith and Vital Information
Featuring Tom Coster and Baron Browne and Vinny Valentino
Scullers Jazz Club
400 Soldiers Field Road
Boston, MA 02134
617.562.4111
www.scullersjazz.com Thursday, April 12
Steve Smith and Vital Information
Featuring Tom Coster and Baron Browne and Vinny Valentino
Sheraton Reading Hotel
Gerald Veasleys Jazz Base
1741 Paper Mill Road
Wyomissing, PA 19610
610.655.6374
www.geraldveasleysjazzbase.com
Friday, April 13
Steve Smith and Vital Information
Featuring Tom Coster and Baron Browne and Vinny Valentino
Zanzibar Blue
200 South Broad Street
Philadelphia, PA 19102
215.732.4500
www.zanzibarblue.com
Saturday, April 14
Steve Smith and Vital Information
Featuring Tom Coster and Baron Browne and Vinny Valentino
Zanzibar Blue
200 South Broad Street
Philadelphia, PA 19102
215.732.4500
www.zanzibarblue.com
Friday, June 15
Steve Smith and Vital Information
Featuring Tom Coster and Baron Browne and Vinny Valentino
Arturo Sandoval Jazz Club
at the Deauville Beach Resort
6701 Collins Avenue
Miami Beach, FL 33141
305.403.7565
www.arturosandovaljazzclub.com
Saturday, June 16
Steve Smith and Vital Information
Featuring Tom Coster and Baron Browne and Vinny Valentino
Arturo Sandoval Jazz Club
at the Deauville Beach Resort
6701 Collins Avenue
Miami Beach, FL 33141
305.403.7565
www.arturosandovaljazzclub.com
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Saturday, 11 October 2008
