Orquesta Alto Maiz

"The Salsa Band"

Steve Grismore

guitar

Steve has been playing the guitar for over thirty years and has degrees from the Guitar Institute of Technology (Los Angeles) and his undergraduate and masters degrees from the University of Iowa.

Steve also has a long history jazz education in the state of Iowa. He has taught at several small colleges including Coe, Cornell, Central, Iowa Wesleyan and more. He was Director of Jazz Studies at the University of Iowa from 1990-93, and is currently on staff at Augustana College (Rock Island, ILL.)

He has performed with numerous ensembles throughout the Midwest over the years including Johnson County Landmark (in his college days), the Rhythm Rockers, the Often Ensemble, Orquesta Alto Maiz, the Damon Short Band,the Grismore/Sizemore band, Odd Bar Trio + Trombone, The Beaker Brothers, and many more.

Steve has one tape with Happy House and has recorded two tapes and three CD's with Alto Maiz and also records for Accurate Records (Boston),with the Grismore/Scea Group. Their most recent disc, Of What, has received high praise in many of the national jazz periodicals and was voted one the 10 best of 97 by the Boston Phoenix Magazine. He has also recently recorded a new side with The Odd Barr Trio + Trombone and it will be released later this year on Ninewinds record label (Los Angeles).

He is co-founder and Music Director of the Iowa City Jazz Festival. The Jazz Fest is in its eighth year and has received national acclaim and has been recorded three separate times by National Public Radio for rebroadcast on Branford Marsalis's show "Jazz Set".