Present and Past — Steve La Porta is available as a drummer and percussionist to record, perform, teach, and consult. He plays drum kit, congas, bongos, cajon, timbales, and other world percussion. He studies and practices daily.

His journey in the music business is fairly unique because it has consisted of a wide variety of real-world music-related experiences: performing, recording, teaching, consulting, negotiating, retail sales, drum repair, promotion, marketing, advertising, and journalism.

Steve bought his first drum set (a used 1962 Gretsch that he still owns) during his senior year of high school in order to start a band with friends. He was soon replaced by an experienced drummer and, consequently, stepped away from drumming for a couple years to concentrate on his college work at U.C. Berkeley. A couple years later, after reading an interview with Tower of Power drummer, David Garibaldi, Steve was inspired to renew his interest in music and requested that his drums be shipped out west. It’s been his main love ever since.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
• Performed in front of 60,000 people at the Gay Pride Main Stage @ the San Francisco Civic Center with “LZ Phoenix.”
• Toured the West Coast, and New Zealand with the band, “Vortex Tribe.“
• For two years, regularly performed with the “2001 Chinese Band” that backed up singers and actors from China and Taiwan for sold-out concerts of 3,000+ attendees in Reno and Lake Tahoe.
• Performed more than 500 shows, over the course of 8 years, as percussionist with “Bob Falstein and Delish” band at the Claremont Hotel and Resort. You never knew what special guest might show up on a Sunday evening to dine or dance in Jordan’s restaurant. One time we looked up and there was the entire Chick Corea band, including Steve Gadd. Funny thing is that Bob led the group in his own unique way. We never had a rehearsal and we never once used a set list.
• Performed in front of 10,000 people twice at the Cow Palace “Exotic Erotic Ball” in San Francisco with “LZ Phoenix.”
• Played sold out shows at the Warfield Theater with two different bands, “LZ Phoenix” and the “2001 Chinese Band.”
• As a member of the “Ramana Vieira Ensemble” and “Brother Spellbinder,” he has been interviewed and performed on air at dozens of east and west coast radio stations.
• Performed on more than 30 studio albums, many that have received praise in publications such as Billboard, San Francisco Chronicle, New York Times, Boston Globe, Oakland Tribune, the Eugene Weekly, etc.

• Was a member of the Drum World retail store team that was voted best Drum Shop in America at NAMM by Music and Sound Retailer magazine.

• Appeared on the cover of Music Inc. magazine, and was featured and interviewed in the music business magazines, Music Inc., Music and Sound Retailer, and Drum Business, during his time managing retail stores, Drum World and Haight Ashbury Music Center.

• While manager of Drum World and Haight Ashbury Music Center, helped host dozens of drum and percussion clinics (see list later). He invited David Garibaldi, Tony Williams, and Michael Spiro, among others, to teach at Drum World.

• Was invited to Germany by the Sonor drum corporation while a member of Drum World — as a reward for helping to promote their revolutionary “designer series” drum kits.

• Toured the East Coast, West Coast, and Hawaii with the “Ramana Vieira Ensemble” — For me, the highlights of the East Coast tour were the new friendships forged with the kind folks at each stop along the way. We traveled to Philadelphia, New Haven, New York City, Woodstock, Mt. Vernon, Boston, and New Bedford — which hosts the largest Portuguese festival in the U.S. More than 100,000 people attend over the course of four days. Club managers, sound people, stage hands, restaurant owners and staff, radio stations DJs, newspaper reporters, and musicians provided the kind of hospitality that made our journey unique and interesting. Without their support and cooperation, we would have had a much tougher row to hoe. They allowed us to do what we do best — play music.