STEVE HOWE
Crossover Prog • United Kingdom
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Stephen James HOWE - Born April 8th, 1947 (Holloway, North London, UK)
During his childhood he was troubled by 'Fellini-like horror fantasies and nightmares' for some years. He only could get asleep when he listened to music (like "Teensville" from CHET ATKINS). So music became an essential safety valve, if not an obsession pretty early on. When he was 12 years old, Steve got an acoustic guitar from his parents. A few years later he bought his first electric guitar (a Japanese Guyatone) and started to copy solos from the Fifties and Sixties rock-scene note-by-note (from Les Paul, Frank Beecher, Scotty Moore, Link Wray and Chuck Berry to Wes Montgomery, Django Rheinhardt and Barney Kessel). He was also influenced by Jazz icon Miles Davis, the classical composers VIVALDI and STRAVINSKY, classical guitar player Julian Bream and organ player Jimmy Smith. Steve incorporated all these influences and developed his unique style. He soon turned from a 'bedroom-guitarist' into a semi-professional player and became a 'hot session-musician'. Steve joined his first band THE SYNDICATS ('63-'65), followed by THE IN CROWD ('66-'68) and received a "cult-hero-status' in TOMORROW (1968), a kind of psychedelic update from the previous THE IN CROWD. Steve even played one gig in THE NICE when he replaced David O'List and he also did auditions for JETHRO TULL and BLACK SABBATH. But this didn't work out for him and he joined BODAST ('68-'69).
In '71 he made his legendary move to YES after a phone call by Chris SQUIRE. Steve HOWE's solo career started in '75 with his first solo album entitled "Beginnings". He also collaborate on albums with an impressive list of known musicians like Lou REED, Rick WAKEMAN, FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD, PROPAGANDA, Stanley CLARKE, QUEEN, FISH and even the BEE GEES! Between '81 and '95 Steve HOWE joined the commercially successful ASIA ('81-'83 and '91-'93) and GTR ('84-'87), he founded ANDERSON - BRUFORD - WAKEMAN - HOWE (YES minus Chris SQUIRE) and did a YES-reunion ('91-'92). Special projects/concerts: the album "Guitar Speak" from '88 (with Andy Powell, Randy California and Robbie Krieger), the Magna Carta YES tribute "Tales From Yesterday" (with Annie Haslam) and the Montreux Jazz Festival in '79. From '95 he's again a member of YES and recently did a world tour, more than 30 years after he joined this legendary 'symphonic rock dinosaur'!
His first solo album "Beginnings" from '75 is a fine effort, showing HOWE's varied style and his amazing collections of all kind of guitars (from Gibson and Fender electric to the banjo, Portuguese guitar and pedal steel guitar) but I don't like his vocals. In my opinion his second record entitled "The Steve Howe album" is his best effort but my favourite is the live-album "Not necessarily acoustic" (from '94). This one contains all his best material like the virtuosic "Meadow rag" and the fragile "Surface tension". It also features songs from YES like "Excerpts from Tales from topographic oceans", the Spanish climate from "Mood for a day", the exciting "Clap" and the 'stage favourite' "Roundabout". These compositions shows an amazing variety: Spanish, classical, rock, ragtime, romantic or jazz. If you listen to Steve HOWE, you listen to a guitar-hero who scouted all kind of musical borders to become one of the most influential and acclaimed progrock guitarists of all time.
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STEVE HOWE discography
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STEVE HOWE top albums (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)
2.73 | 166 ratings
Beginnings 1975 |
3.47 | 166 ratings
The Steve Howe Album 1979 |
1.86 | 33 ratings
Paul Sutin & Steve Howe: Seraphim 1988 |
3.38 | 79 ratings
Turbulence 1991 |
2.85 | 53 ratings
The Grand Scheme of Things 1993 |
2.32 | 25 ratings
Paul Sutin & Steve Howe: Voyagers 1995 |
2.62 | 26 ratings
Homebrew (1) 1996 |
2.82 | 40 ratings
Quantum Guitar 1998 |
3.20 | 37 ratings
Portraits Of Bob Dylan 1999 |
3.33 | 24 ratings
Homebrew 2 2000 |
3.53 | 58 ratings
Natural Timbre 2001 |
3.31 | 36 ratings
Skyline 2002 |
4.33 | 6 ratings
Steve Howe & Martin Taylor - Masterpiece Guitars 2002 |
2.79 | 45 ratings
Steve Howe's Remedy: Elements 2003 |
3.57 | 53 ratings
Spectrum 2005 |
3.26 | 25 ratings
Homebrew 3 2005 |
3.86 | 33 ratings
Steve Howe Trio: The Haunted Melody 2008 |
3.21 | 14 ratings
Motif, Volume 1 2008 |
3.33 | 18 ratings
Homebrew 4 2009 |
3.27 | 36 ratings
Time 2011 |
3.47 | 17 ratings
Homebrew 5 2013 |
3.40 | 15 ratings
Homebrew 6 2016 |
2.97 | 21 ratings
Virgil Howe & Steve Howe: Nexus 2017 |
3.95 | 20 ratings
Steve Howe Trio: New Frontier 2019 |
3.87 | 43 ratings
Love Is 2020 |
2.82 | 11 ratings
Virgil & Steve Howe: Lunar Mist 2022 |
4.00 | 3 ratings
Motif, Volume 2 2023 |
STEVE HOWE Live Albums (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)
3.78 | 36 ratings
Not Necessarily Acoustic 1994 |
2.20 | 13 ratings
Pulling Strings 1999 |
3.75 | 8 ratings
Steve Howe Trio: Travelling 2010 |
STEVE HOWE Videos (DVD, Blu-ray, VHS etc)
2.00 | 2 ratings
Classic Rock Legends - Steve Howe 2002 |
2.00 | 1 ratings
Live Legends - Careful With That Axe 2003 |
3.29 | 12 ratings
Remedy Live 2005 |
STEVE HOWE Boxset & Compilations (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)
3.00 | 2 ratings
Guitar Player 1989 |
3.13 | 8 ratings
Steve Howe: The Early Years with Bodast 1990 |
3.00 | 1 ratings
Mothballs 1994 |
4.75 | 4 ratings
Homebrew 1 & 2 2002 |
3.84 | 12 ratings
Light Walls 2003 |
4.83 | 6 ratings
Guitar World 2003 |
4.23 | 13 ratings
Anthology 2015 |
3.09 | 4 ratings
Anthology 2 (Groups and Collaborations) 2017 |
3.19 | 7 ratings
Homebrew 7 2021 |
STEVE HOWE Official Singles, EPs, Fan Club & Promo (CD, EP/LP, MC, Digital Media Download)
3.08 | 5 ratings
Lily's in the Field (with Annie Haslam) 1995 |
STEVE HOWE Reviews
Showing last 10 reviews only
Steve Howe Crossover Prog
Review by desistindo
'Love is' feels like a direct sequel to the first two albums, the same vibe is here, the same magic, that magic he brought to the Yes albums. In all of Steve Howe's other albums there's a lot of positive stuff, for sure, but in none of them did I feel the strength of an album, but more like a collection disconnected songs, experiments, virtuosity, or filling in the discography, nothing very memorable, especially in the subject of good compositions.
But in 'Love is' everything is there. For this album he had the happy idea of recruiting his current bandmate, vocalist Jon Davison, to help them with vocals, also to play bass (Davison played bass in his former band 'Sky Cries Mary'). By the way, Howe probably has his best vocals on this album. Davison makes an important and excellent collaboration with his vocal harmonies too. To complete the trio, the good Dylan Howe, Steve's son, takes over the drums (on this album he is perhaps in his best form). The album is basically an interspersed mix of instrumental and sung songs and I love them all. But I like the sung ones even more (that's why in my playlist I made a tracklist putting the sung songs first, something like side A with the sung songs and side B with the instrumental ones). Howe is superb on guitars, with all those colors, textures and magical layers of string instruments that he is a master of. The production, mixing, album art and concept are also highlights. With Howe taking over production on the last two Yes albums ('The Quest' and 'Mirror to the Sky', it's encouraging to hope that this experience will also determine great productions on his next solo works.
On this album it seems that finally Steve has something to say and show an album that had a reason to exist, not a "I have to do a solo album". It is a work that was born naturally. Also a more prog work than its predecessors (with the exception of the first two, as already mentioned). Also 'Love is' is an album close to the last Yes albums (with Jon Davison) and many songs could perfectly be on them.
'Love is' is a very pleasant surprise in Howe's inconstant discography, and I hope his next solo works are like this one, who knows this trio doesn't record some more?
Steve Howe Crossover Prog
Review by
kev rowland
Special Collaborator Honorary Reviewer
I cannot imagine how hard it must be for a parent to lose a child, and undertaking this album must have been both emotionally exhausting and fulfilling for Steve as he attempted to ensure the world knew a little but more about his son. However, there is no way of moving past the fact that these snippets were originally not good enough for the album they worked on together, and the biggest issue here is not the musicianship from either of them but the quality of the material itself. I love Steve and was even fortunate enough to interview him more than 20 years ago, but there is no doubt in my mind he works best in the company of others as opposed to his solo albums which tend to be a little hit and miss. The result is an instrumental album which is nice and pleasant but contains little which is inspirational or driving and it meanders through its course with no real direction and when it is finished there is little which is memorable and not much which would make me want to play it again.
Steve Howe Crossover Prog
Review by alainPP
"Lunar Mist" to discover Steve's work developing his son's notes, translating them to make us dance beyond death. "More Than You Know" ethereal theme over echoing Spanish guitars. "Plexus" prog latent 70's with piano-guitar chord for digestive atmosphere. "Mariah's Theme" cinematic sound full of sensitivity, emotional feeling; meditative atmosphere. "A Month in the Sun" with enterprising bluesy guitar over driving jazz-rock piano. "As If Between" lullaby where Steve's plucked strings keep alert. "Never Less" slow ballad piano crystalline aided by waves of guitar water notes.
"Lothian's Way" cascading tune. "Free Spirit" raw piano, night bar, saloon on plaintive electric guitar. "Eternal" piano melody on a redundant mandolin variation. "Dirama" for a free jazz guitar-synth battle. "Pinnacle" bar piano return, archaic raw sound associated with Steve's Andalusian guitar, the one we can listen to in Queen-plasticine (Innuendo); solemn look. "Pagoda" repeat to a tune that Elton John could have composed, the more upbeat you'll understand. "Martian Mood" BOF from 'Flash' or 'Mars Attack' it's up to you.
Vigil offered hushed moods, ballads that could be incorporated into soundtracks; Steve's finalized symbiotic musical ode to staying together a bit when life decided otherwise, tunes where the piano drives Steve's guitars; airy, padded airs, short compositions to pass from one cloud of Heaven to another where tranquility reigns; often repetitive tunes to be sure to go; separate album.
Steve Howe Crossover Prog
Review by
fuxi
Prog Reviewer
In fact, at least half of the pieces sound 'rocky' rather than jazzy. But it's a delightful collection all the same. Steve and his two fellow musicians never seem less than inspired. Dylan Howe is a drummer very much in the Bill Bruford tradition, and organist Ross Stanley is given a lot of space (but not too much!) for soloing - something rare in Steve's solo career, which tends to be rather egocentric. If you love the full-blown instrumental treatment Yes (and Steve H in particular) once gave Paul Simon's 'America', I think you'll also love NEW FRONTIER. By the way, I just found out there's also an earlier album by the 'Steve Howe Trio'! Can't wait to go and check it out...
Steve Howe Crossover Prog
Review by
Matti
Prog Reviewer
'Lily's in the Field' was written by Howe and Haslam. David Biglin seems to handle all the other instruments besides Howe's guitar. For the first ten seconds there's only an acoustic guitar, and a promise of a delicate, elegant piece of classical orientation, but right away when the clinical pop production sets in, I feel somewhat disillusioned. Especially the programmed drums sound flat and boring, and IMHO should have been left out at least for the most part. The ethereal synths are mainly filling the background. I'm sure if this song had been arranged as a simple duet between Haslam's angelic voice and Howe's acoustic guitar mastery, the result would have been much, much more enjoyable.
The peaceful minor key song itself is quite beautiful but not deeply impressive or emotionally powerful. Slightly lacklustre perhaps, sad to say. Biglin did so much better work with the above mentioned Genesis cover 'Ripples'. Can't rate this song higher than three stars.
Steve Howe Crossover Prog
Review by Soul2Create
Best tracks are Half way, a a version of "While Rome's Burning" from Turbulence but with lyrics, which would have benefited from the energy and solos of the original, A lady she is and Cold winds, the best piece here.
Steve Howe Crossover Prog
Review by
Matti
Prog Reviewer
The journey leads us through ten different bands! Let it be said right away that the best-loved era with YES, ie. the whole 70's, is represented with only three tracks ('Roundabout', the instrumental beauty 'Montreux's Theme' and 'Tempus Fugit' from Drama, 1980), "due to the high number of re-releases" as Howe says in his track-by-track liner notes. I think that's a wise decision, without which just two discs would have been painfully inadequate. I confess I spent very little time with the first half of CD 1, the sixties stuff. The Syndicats (the other track here also being a cover) was followed by r&b oriented The In Crowd featuring Keith West on vocals. "As if through metamorposis, we transformed into a psychedelic band": TOMORROW is represented with four songs. CANTO was a short-lived trio which evolved into BODAST when vocalist Clive Skinner joined in.
After the mentioned YES section comes four ASIA songs from the super group's early 80's era, one of them (Howe's composition 'Masquerade') being a previously unreleased instrumental. Disc 1 is finished with two songs from GTR, the equally commercial act led by Howe and his namesake Hackett.
For an acquainted listener of Yes, Asia and related, disc 2 in general is perhaps the least eye-opening or interesting part of this release. The albums represented are e.g. ABWH, Keys to Ascension 2, Open Your Eyes (the Anderson-Howe duet 'From the Balcony'), The Ladder and Magnification. Then comes two pieces of traditional guitar/organ/drums jazz of STEVE HOWE TRIO. The original ASIA quartet returned with Phoenix (2008) and continued with albums Omega and XXX. The Yes albums Fly From Here and Heaven & Earth are represented with one song each.
The third disc contains various collaborations and is IMHO the most rewarding part of this release. Here the majority of pieces were new to my ears, although there are legitimately 'Time and a Word' with FISH and 'Turn of the Century' with ANNIE HASLAM. Other collaborators include e.g. PAUL SUTIN, OLIVER WAKEMAN, KEITH WEST and MAX BACON (the vocalist in GTR). The music is mostly not very proggy but fairly pleasant pop/rock anyway. Three strong stars are well deserved due to the easy-to-follow and verbally commented representation.
Steve Howe Crossover Prog
Review by Artik
Steve Howe Crossover Prog
Review by Heart of the Matter
First, there is a beautiful blend of voices, very reminiscent of Asia's "One Step Closer", he maintains with John Davidson (Yes current official singer) along vitually each vocal track here. Steve's own voice sounds much stronger than usual also (listen track 10 - On the Balcony).
Second, the track sequence alternating instrumental (like the opener) with vocal songs brings a balance to the overall sound, that you may not always find in Steve's recorded output, and is welcomed here.
Third, the ensamble sounds tighter now than it did on several of his former releases, with son Dylan well established behind the drums, and possibly emerging as the band's anchor.
Enough for you? It is for me.
Steve Howe Crossover Prog
Review by Psychedelic Paul
It's time to wake up and smell the coffee for "Doors of Sleep". The most surprising thing about this first song is hearing Steve Howe's lilting tones for the very first time, and he does a pretty commendable job as a singer too. The song has all the trademark ascending arpeggios and descending diminuendos that we've come to know and love from Steve Howe during his YES years. Not surprisingly, this music is very reminiscent of YES, and one thing's for sure, you won't be falling asleep to the sound of the chiming chords and rousing chorus in "Doors of Sleep". This is no hushaby lullaby. This is a cadence and cascade of crashing crescendos in the best traditions of powerful and pulsating polyphonic prog. We're heading for a land down under next for "Australia", which sounds like it could be an ad for the Australian Tourist Board with Steve Howe urging us all to "Come to Australia". It's an optimistic feel-good travel song with some nice proggy YES-style power chords, although one can't help thinking the song would have sounded better with Jon Anderson on vocals. Riding in on the next wave is "The Nature of the Sea", an instrumental number with enough staccato stop-starts and sudden chord changes to keep even the most hardened of prog fans happy. The music opens in tranquil fashion, conjuring up a beach scene of being sat on a deckchair and watching the waves gently lapping over the shoreline, but watch out for the tide coming in because there's a tsunami of passionate and powerful prog arriving on the next wave. The next song "Lost Symphony" is an up-tempo and uplifting Jazz-Rock song of surging and symphonic splendour, with the sound of a cool saxophone very much at the forefront. This particular song represents quite a departure from the sound of YES, but variety is the spice of life, so they say, and this lively song could liven up many a dull evening spent indoors.
Side Two opens with the title track and longest piece of music on the album: "Beginnings". It's a seven-and-a half-minute long classically-inspired pastoral piece of music, sounding like a Bach Cantata, with sweeping violins, charming cellos, gently tinkling pianos, a woodwind section, and of course, featuring the magnificent maestro himself, Steve Howe on classical guitar. It's a delightful piece of classical music that conjures up a peaceful Bachian image of a green and pleasant meadow where sheep may safely graze on a warm summer's day. The next song appears like a "Will o the Wisp", and represents a return to more familiar Prog-Rock territory, sounding like a curious cross between Renaissance and YES, with a pounding bass guitar making its presence loudly felt in the formidable style of YES bassist Chris Squire - although it's actually Colin Gibson. Charging in next is "Ram", although this is a gently playful acoustic guitar ram that wouldn't hurt anybody. It's a perfect opportunity for Steve Howe to showcase his magnificent talent. Next up is "Pleasure Stole the Night", a gorgeously mellow and mellifluous slice of pastoral Prog-Folk. This lovely music sounds as English as strawberries and cream at Wimbledon, or maybe a troupe of Morris Men gaily prancing around the Maypole - well, maybe not THAT English! "Pleasure Stole the Night" is a real pleasure to listen to though - at any time of the day or night. Sadly, the "Beginnings" album is now coming to an end because we're about to "Break Away From It All" for the final song. Steve Howe treats us to another dazzling display of stunning guitar virtuosity in a song that sounds like a funky version of YES, with shades of "Owner of a Lonely Heart".
As with any first solo album from a longtime band member, this is an album where Steve Howe really stretches his wings and displays his versatile musical feathers in magnificent plumage by firmly establishing his Jazz and Classical credentials, long before The Steve Howe Trio came into existence. Steve Howe might not have the strongest voice in the world, but the marvellous music on this debut album more than makes up for any vocal deficiencies. Although the music is generally a bit of a departure from the familiar sound of YES, it's still very proggy and there's enough glittering guitar glissandos and captivating chord changes on offer here to keep any ardent YES fan happy.