Skye Steele began studying violin when he was three years old. He grew up in California and gained early performing experience playing string quartets with his sister and two brothers, coached by their mother. As a teenager, Skye discovered the music of John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, Duke Ellington, and Stuff Smith and started exploring Jazz.  After moving to New York at the age of 17 and surviving as a subway busker for a year, Skye enrolled in the prestigious "New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music," receiving his B.F.A. in Jazz Performance in 2002.  While there he had the opportunity to study with many legends of Modern Jazz such as Reggie Workman, Junior Mance, Andrew Cyrille, George Garzone, and Jamie Haddad. At the New School, Skye also worked closely with some of the top string players in Jazz-- of particular influence were Rob Thomas and Mat Maneri.  At the New School, Skye also found time to indulge his passion for the written word and completed at B.A. in Fiction Writing also in 2002.  

More recently Skye has traveled to Turkey and twice to Brazil to investigate their respective violin traditions, studying, colaborating, performing and recording with local artists.  Skye is active throughout New York's vibrant world-music scene performing on Western and Arabic Violin, Kemani (turkish fiddle) and Rabeca (Brazilian fiddle).  In addition to his long list of regular collaborators--The Nation Beat, Anistar, Vampire Suit, the EthnoEccentric String Trio, Howard Fishman, M-LAB, the Manhattan Ragtime Orchestra, and Vince Giordano's Nighthawks-- Skye has recorded with Cyro Baptista, Rufus Wainwright (on the soundtrack to Scorcese's "The Aviator"), and performed with Frank London, Duncan Sheik, Alessandra Belloni, Souren Baronian, Matt Darriau, Andrew D'Angelo, Jenny Scheinman, Laura Cantrell, Butch Morris, Mat Maneri, Daniel Carter, Lukas Ligeti, Forro For All, MaracatuNY, Raquy and the Cavemen, Abu Gara, the Big Apple Circus, and the Bindlestiff Family Circus.  


Skye has appeared in Concert Halls and Festivals throughout the US as well as in Brazil, Europe, and the Middle East, and is a sought-after Clinician and Master-teacher specializing in Jazz and World Styles on the Violin, having worked with students and Syracuse University, University of Florida, San Diego Civic Youth Orchestra, and others.  Skye has also taught over 1000 children to play the violin in the New York City Public Schools as a Faculty Member of the Third Street Music School's MILES program for the past five years.


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  "Steele makes his instrument sing joyously"
 --Frank Rubolino, Cadence Magazine

 "the most fantastic violinist... the type of musician who made the violin transcend  beyond all the classical music stereotypes into an ephemeral, personal space."
 --Christopher Lehault, FreeNYC.net

 "Amazing"
 --All About Jazz NY

"There seems to be little limit to what Skye Steele can do"
--Ernest Bartheldes, The New York Press

"Violin virtuoso Skye Steele... seems to be well on his way to becoming the next Jean-Luc Ponty"
--Jeff Nau, 944 Magazine

 

[review of "Aviator" Soundtrack]
 "Rufus Wainwright sings George Gershwin's tune "I'll Build A Stairway to Paradise."  The accompaniment by Vince Giordano's Nighthawks is sassy and brassy. There is an  excellent turn by violinist Skye Steele and he imparts to his solo a somewhat  burlesque quality."
 --Albert Haim, bixography.com

 "Skye Steele is a genuine prodigy"
 --Butch Thompson, Jazz Pianist/Historian 



Selected Discography:

as a Leader:
Skye Steele Quintet, "late bloomer." 2007

as a Colaborator:
The EthnoEccentric String Trio, "Hands/Head" 2005
Scott Kettner's Nation Beat, "Maracatuniversal" 2006
Harel Shachal and Anistar, "Esh" 2005
Jay Vilnai's Vampire Suit, "Gaze at your Omphalos" 2004
M-Lab, "From Baser Elements" 2004
The Mitch and Skye Show, "Mitch and Skye Present" 2003


as arranger and/or soloist:
"The Aviator" Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, 2004
Drew Brody, "Drew Brody" 2007
The Manhattan Ragtime Orchestra, "Euphonic Sounds" 2005
The Manhattan Ragtime Orchestra, "At the Jazz Band Ball" 2007
Tania Eshagoff, "A Road to Teheran" 2006
Proud Simon, "Shoestring Universe" 2006
M-Lab, "A Bold and Hopeful Spark" 2006
Slow to Wake, "Slow to Wake" 2005
Megan Van Dusen, "On the Farm" 2006
John Robinson, "Trio Mahala" 2003

as performer/ensemble member:
Billy Fox, "The Uncle Wiggly Suite" 2007
The Animators, "How We Fight" 2006
Mick Moloney, "McNally's Row of Flats" 2006
"A String Tribute to Jet" 2004

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