I met him a few years back after a show. If my memory serves me right he plays on an old metal Link. He doesn't play the mouthpiece game apparently.

 

thanks, have you noticed what horn he had?

 

Selmer balanced action I think.

 

I saw him with Buddy's band a few times in the late 70's, he was playing a HR Link at that time, FWIW.

 

I saw the Buddy Rich band live around 1985. Then Steve was playing a metal link and Mark VI. Sadly Buddy died less than a year later. The footage I've seen on youtube of Steve confirms this. His playing on Round Midnight will always be remembered by me as one of the greatest tenor solos of all-time. I was surprised to learn that Steve died in 2005. He was great, underrated player.

 

I worked with Steve on Buddy's band for a month in 1976. He played on an old metal Link and old Selmer Mark VI with the lacquer long gone. As great as he was on tenor he was even more amazing on soprano.

I took my son who was about 12 at the time to hear him with Buddy's Buddies. I'm glad that he had to hear such a great musician and nice guy. He is a voice that is missed.

Wisco

 

Steve used a Selmer Balanced Action, not a MARK VI. You could always tell by the separate key guards on the lower B and Bb and the octave key wrap-around. Similar to Joe Lovano's Balanced Action that he used with Herman's Band (with a modified neck brace). That was his Dad's BA handed down to him (Lovano).

 

Lets not forget Paul Moen who was a colleague of Steve Marcus's in the Buddy Rich band. I thought he had a great sound as well.

 

He used to play on a HR Link, but later switched to a STM. He had a balanced action for years, but switched to a Mark VI.

Steve Marcus is my idol!! He drives me to continue practicing. RIP you king..

 

Two rare Steve Marcus lps to look for (good luck!)
Green Line on Storyville(Denmark) w/Sonny Sharrock,Miroslav...1970
Something on Denon w/J.Inagaki + Soul Media 1971(Sato Masahiko piano)
SP

 

The Jazz Icons CD of the Buddy Rich big band is virtually the Steve Marcus show! It was obvious from watching Buddy's expressions during some prolonged Marcus solos that he too was a Steve Marcus fan. Steve may have been "under-known;" howver, for anyone that saw him in concert he would never be called under-rated.

I got the last recordings by Steve on a CD called the "Steve Marcus Project." His group includes a couple of numbers without Steve to fill out the album as it was completed after his passing.

 

Anyone happen to know his soprano setup?

 

Try to read his biography .