Internationally renowned jazz drummer, percussionist, clinician, author, and educator, Steve Houghton initially received acclaim at age twenty as the drummer with Woody Herman's Young Thundering Herd. Since then he has shared stage and studio with luminaries Freddie Hubbard, Gary Burton, Clay Jenkins, Shelly Berg, Dave Samuels, Toots Thielemans, Christian McBride, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Les Hooper, Bob Florence, Lyle Mays, Bob Sheppard, Billy Childs, Bobby Hutcherson, Pat LaBarbara, Bill Cunliffe, Arturo Sandoval, Steve Allee, Joe Henderson, Ray Brown, Lou Fischer, Stefan Karlsson, Karrin Allyson, Dianne Reeves, Rosemary Clooney and Maureen McGovern.
As a band leader Houghton's discography includes: The Manne We Love: Gershwin Revisited (TNC), a release of John Williams' charts for big band and quintet, the Steve Houghton Quintet Live @ the Senator (Jazz Compass), Windsong (SHPERC Records), Remembrances (Warner Bros.), and Steve Houghton Signature (Mesa-Bluemoon). In total Houghton attributes more than one hundred recordings to his credit as a participating artist. As a classical percussionist, Houghton has performed with the Boston, and Philadelphia Pops orchestras, U.S. Army Band, as well as the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. He frequently appears as a soloist with numerous orchestras and wind ensembles throughout the world.
As an author, Houghton's publications boast more than thirty educational books, videos and DVDs including: Drumset 101, Kid's Drumset Course- books 1 & 2, Essential Styles- books 1 & 2 , The Ultimate Drumset Chart Reading Anthology (Alfred), Play and Teach Percussion (GIA), and The Drumset Soloist (WB), and his latest project, Rhythm Section Workshop for Jazz Directors (Alfred) is a DVD-book series that addresses the entire rhythm section.
Houghton is currently Professor of Percussion and Jazz at Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music. In addition to his academic duties, he presents clinics and master classes to students around the world; most recently China, New Zealand, Australia and Taiwan. Houghton is the Immediate Past- President of the Percussive Arts Society (PAS) and endorses Yamaha drums and percussion, Zildjian cymbals, Vic Firth sticks and mallets, and Remo world percussion products and drumheads.
