Steve Ferraris (percussion) specializes in the African djembe drum as well as Afro-Cuban congas, timbales, and bongó. His passionate playing, versatility, and openness have taken him in many musical directions, notably with jazz greats Sun Ra, Joseph Bowie, Charlie Haden, Michael Ray, and James Spaulding; salsa stars Chocolate and Ray Vega; and African drummer/dancer Arthur Hall. Recently Steve has been seen regularly in the rhythm sections of Burlington, Vermont-based salsa and Latin jazz outfits, Grupo Sabor and Jazzismo. He also recently recorded with guitarist/singer Habib Koité on his new CD, Afriki. Steve’s current project, The History and Mystery of Jazz, is an entertaining and educational tour through the development of America’s great indigenous art, and has appeared in both Italy and the United States.
With a number of the above groups as well as his own Rootsystem Drummers, Steve has toured the United States and Europe, appearing at (among others) the New Orleans Jazz Festival (six times), Ann Arbor Blues and Jazz Festival, the Ottawa and Toronto Jazz Festivals, the Umbria and Urbino Jazz Festivals in Italy, and Germany’s Moers Jazz Festival.
As a teacher, Steve is Adjunct Instructor of Percussion at the University of Vermont, Burlington, and for over twenty years has held numerous artistic residencies in K-12 schools throughout New England. Steve has also presented percussion clinics at the Urbino Jazz Festival Music School, the Hood Museum of Art at Dartmouth College, and the University of Vermont Summer Clinic for music teachers.
With a number of the above groups as well as his own Rootsystem Drummers, Steve has toured the United States and Europe, appearing at (among others) the New Orleans Jazz Festival (six times), Ann Arbor Blues and Jazz Festival, the Ottawa and Toronto Jazz Festivals, the Umbria and Urbino Jazz Festivals in Italy, and Germany’s Moers Jazz Festival.
As a teacher, Steve is Adjunct Instructor of Percussion at the University of Vermont, Burlington, and for over twenty years has held numerous artistic residencies in K-12 schools throughout New England. Steve has also presented percussion clinics at the Urbino Jazz Festival Music School, the Hood Museum of Art at Dartmouth College, and the University of Vermont Summer Clinic for music teachers.