| Fun music and entertainment for your special event. Dixieland, early Jazz, Ragtime, Sing-alongs and more. "We Play Happy Music!" |
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Steve Luchter, Clarinet & Sax
Steve is our clarinet player. His lifelong interest in traditional jazz started in his high school days.
He says many of the songs we play now are the same ones he played back then. That wasn't the
start of his musical career; he began to play violin at age six, and continued with that instrument
until age 13, when he became enamored with the clarinet. Steve says his aspires to play like Willie
Humphrey, the clarinetist with the Preservation Hall Jazz band in the 80s. He feels that no one
puts more feeling into his music than Willie.
When Steve graduated from high school he had to decide between engineering and music as a
career, and chose engineering. That didn't mean he gave up on music. In his college days he
played in a big band, and over the years played in a number of concert bands. He retired in 2001
and has devoted his principal energies to music since then. His first project was to take all of the
music courses offered at the Northern Virginia Community College. To sharpen his improvising he
attended several sessions of the Adult Jazz Camp offered by the San Diego jazz society America's
Favorite City Jazz Society. In 2002 he co-founded Jefferson Street Strutters.
Although his primary interest is in traditional jazz, Steve also plays Russian folk music as a
member of the Washington Balalaika Society orchestra where he plays the alto balalaika. He
founded an ensemble from within that organization, Russkiye Musikanti, a group that plays at
senior centers, schools, civic events and as the warm-up band in the lobby prior to the orchestra
concerts. Steve plays percussion with that group.
Another area of interest is as an advocate for the arts. Steve is president of the Arlington Citizens
for the Arts and has appeared before the Arlington County Board and the School Board advocating
for issues of interest to the arts community.
Maybe genetic, but in any case Steve has two sons involved in the music scene. His older son,
Justin, is a bass guitar player and an expert in sound engineering. His younger son, Peter, is a
drummer, presently leading a fusion jazz band
Steve is our clarinet player. His lifelong interest in traditional jazz started in his high school days.
He says many of the songs we play now are the same ones he played back then. That wasn't the
start of his musical career; he began to play violin at age six, and continued with that instrument
until age 13, when he became enamored with the clarinet. Steve says his aspires to play like Willie
Humphrey, the clarinetist with the Preservation Hall Jazz band in the 80s. He feels that no one
puts more feeling into his music than Willie.
When Steve graduated from high school he had to decide between engineering and music as a
career, and chose engineering. That didn't mean he gave up on music. In his college days he
played in a big band, and over the years played in a number of concert bands. He retired in 2001
and has devoted his principal energies to music since then. His first project was to take all of the
music courses offered at the Northern Virginia Community College. To sharpen his improvising he
attended several sessions of the Adult Jazz Camp offered by the San Diego jazz society America's
Favorite City Jazz Society. In 2002 he co-founded Jefferson Street Strutters.
Although his primary interest is in traditional jazz, Steve also plays Russian folk music as a
member of the Washington Balalaika Society orchestra where he plays the alto balalaika. He
founded an ensemble from within that organization, Russkiye Musikanti, a group that plays at
senior centers, schools, civic events and as the warm-up band in the lobby prior to the orchestra
concerts. Steve plays percussion with that group.
Another area of interest is as an advocate for the arts. Steve is president of the Arlington Citizens
for the Arts and has appeared before the Arlington County Board and the School Board advocating
for issues of interest to the arts community.
Maybe genetic, but in any case Steve has two sons involved in the music scene. His older son,
Justin, is a bass guitar player and an expert in sound engineering. His younger son, Peter, is a
drummer, presently leading a fusion jazz band