Steve Baker (musician)

Biography

His virtuoso command of the "blues harp" as well as his instructional books and workshops have made Steve Baker one of the best known harmonica players in Europe and beyond. He came to Germany for three weeks in 1976 with the Anglo-American band Have Mercy and decided to remain in Hamburg. In the 1980s he accompanied both rock'n'roll legend Tony Sheridan and German language singer Franz Josef Degenhardt (with whom he recorded several LPs) as well as playing in various bands of his own. He has been active as a studio musician since the end of the 1970s and has contributed to hundreds of recordings with artists as diverse as James Last, europop giant Dieter Bohlen or avant-garde composer Irmin Schmidt from the group Can. Steve has also played on numerous soundtracks for German film and TV productions. Since 1987 he has worked as a consultant to Hohner Musical Instruments, the world leader in harmonica manufacture, and has been closely involved in the development of a variety of new models for the company. He has performed regularly with European blues icon Abi Wallenstein since 1990 and worked in a highly regarded duo with singer/guitarist extraordinaire Chris Jones from 1994 until the latter's untimely death in 2005. Abi Wallenstein, Steve Baker and drummer Martin Rottger frequently appear live under the band name BluesCulture. In 2010 Steve began working with Canadian singer, composer and guitar virtuoso Dave Goodman. Steve started giving harp workshops in the late 1980s and has regularly taught clinics and seminars in many European countries as well as in the USA, Australia, Russia and India.

Discography (selected CDs)

Books