Steve Cardenas

Guitarist Steve Cardenas began his musical career in Kansas City and has been an integral part of the New York City jazz community since 1995.

Steve has performed and recorded with many well-known and highly esteemed musicians. Notably, he was a longstanding member of the Paul Motian Electric Bebop Band (which later became the Paul Motian Octet) as well as Joey Baron's band, Killer Joey. Steve is currently a member of the Charlie Haden Liberation Music Orchestra, Steve Swallow Quintet and the Ben Allison Band. He has toured extensively throughout Europe, North and South America and Asia, performing at countless international music festivals, theaters and clubs. Steve also leads his own trio and has released three recordings as a leader featuring his own compositions. His most recent album, West of Middle, was released on Sunnyside Records in 2010.

Steve is also a well-respected educator. He is presently on faculty at The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York City. Steve has also been on faculty at the California Institute of the Arts, Siena Summer Jazz Workshop, Stanford Jazz Workshop and Banff International Workshop in Jazz and Creative Music. Additionally, Steve is co-author, along with editor Don Sickler, of the Thelonious Monk Fakebook, Hal Leonard Publishing. The Thelonious Monk Fakebook marks the first time all of Monk's compositions have appeared in one volume, many of them appearing for the first time.

As leader

 * West Of Middle - Sunnyside Records
 * Panoramic - Fresh Sound New Talent Records
 * Shebang - Fresh Sound New Talent Records

As sideman

 * Seasons: Live At The Metropolitan Museum Of Art - Anthony Wilson, Goat Hill Recordings
 * Action-Refraction - Ben Allison, Palmetto Records
 * Milestone - Adam Cruz, Sunnyside Records
 * Think Free - Ben Allison, Palmetto Records
 * Orange - Jim Campilongo, Blue Hen Records
 * Offering - Matt Marantz, (independent release)
 * Quake - Mike Holober & The Gotham Jazz Orchestra, Sunnyside Records
 * Little Things Run The World - Ben Allison & Man Size Safe, Palmetto Records
 * No Way Out - David Brandom, Blujazz Records
 * Song For Anyone - Chris Potter 10, Sunnyside Records
 * Cowboy Justice - Ben Allison, Palmetto Records
 * Music For An Imaginary Play - Sarah Wilson, Evander Music
 * Slow New York - Richard Julian, Manhattan Records
 * Give and Go - Donny McCaslin, Criss Cross Jazz
 * Garden Of Eden - Paul Motian Band, ECM Records
 * Not in Our Name - Charlie Haden Liberation Music Orchestra, Verve Records
 * Traveller - Arthur Kell Quartet, Fresh Sound New Talent Records
 * Mercy Streets - Kate McGarry, Palmetto Records
 * Visual - Alexis Cuadrado Sextet, Fresh Sound New Talent Records
 * People Behave Like Ballads - Rebecca Martin, Maxjazz
 * Home - David Brandom, (independent release)
 * Holiday For Strings - The Paul Motian E.B.B.B., Winter & Winter Records
 * Show Me - Kate McGarry, Palmetto Records
 * Middlehope - Rebecca Martin, Fresh Sound New Talent Records
 * Close Your Eyes And Listen - Mike Fahn, Sparky1 Productions
 * Metro - Alexis Cuadrado, Fresh Sound New Talent Records
 * Europe - The Paul Motian E.B.B.B., Winter & Winter Records
 * See You In Zanzibar - Arthur Kell, (independent release)
 * Killer Joey - Joey Baron, (independent release)
 * Play Monk and Powell - The Paul Motian E.B.B.B., Winter & Winter Records
 * Who Loves You: A Tribute To Jaco Pastorius - various artists, JVC Records
 * Miles Remembered: The Silent Way Project - Mark Isham, Columbia Records
 * From The Street - Tom Coster, JVC Records
 * Raising The Standard - New York Guitar Trio, Midi Inc. Records
 * Brandon Fields - Brandon Fields, Positive Music Records
 * 10/10: Tribute to Thelonious Monk - Duo with pianist John Beasley, MMP Records
 * Contemplations - Jeff Beal, Triloka Records
 * The Last Romantics - Paul Hanson, Midi Inc. Records
 * Three Graces - Jeff Beal, Triloka Records
 * Premonition - Paul McCandless, Windham Hill Records

Television

 * Sessions at West 54th Street - w/ Mark Isham & The Silent Way Project, 1999