Faculty

Steve Cardenas has many diverse credits as a performer and recording artist. Beginning his musical career in his hometown of Kansas City, he has been an integral part of the New York City jazz community since 1995.

Steve has performed with many well-known and highly esteemed musicians. Notably, he was a longstanding member of the Paul Motian Electric Bebop Band, Charlie Haden Liberation Music Orchestra, as well as Joey Baron's band, Killer Joey. Steve is currently a member of the John Patitucci Electric Guitar Quartet, Ben Allison and Think Free, Jon Cowherd Mercy Project and Adam Nussbaum Lead Belly Project. He has also performed regularly with such diverse artists as Norah Jones, Madeleine Peyroux, Eliane Elias, Maria Muldaur and many others. Steve has toured extensively throughout Europe, North and South America and Asia, performing at countless international jazz festivals, theaters, opera houses and clubs. Steve also leads his own trio and has six recordings as a leader which includes a new release ‘Blue Has A Range’ on Sunnyside Records.

Steve is also a well-respected educator. He is on faculty at The New School For Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York City where he directs the Thelonious Monk Ensemble, Improv Ensemble and Guitar Duos, as well as offering individual lessons. He has also been on faculty at the California Institute of the Arts, Siena Summer Jazz Workshop, Brubeck Summer Jazz Colony, Stanford Jazz Workshop and Banff International Workshop in Jazz and Creative Music. Additionally Steve is co-author, 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.