Steve Jay

American bassist (born 1951)

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Steve Jay

Background information
Birth name	Eugene Stephen Jay
Born	(1951-01-26) January 26, 1951 (age 73) Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Bassist
Instrument(s)	Bass guitar, banjo, guitar, keyboards, flute, recorder, vocals

Musical artist

Eugene Stephen Jay (born January 26, 1951) is an American bassist, best known for working with "Weird Al" Yankovic.

Early life

Jay was born Eugene Stephen Jay in Detroit, Michigan on January 26, 1951. He auditioned for "Weird Al" Yankovic in 1982 after answering an ad in the newspaper, and the two have worked together ever since. Jay can be heard or seen on all of Yankovic's albums, videos, and concerts.

He is also the founder of the ethno-funk duo Ak & Zuie, with Pete Gallagher. He has scored more than fifty nationally broadcast PBS specials and series episodes, including three George Foster Peabody Award winners, and contributed to several feature films. He has also done extensive session work, released eight solo records on his own Ayarou label, and produced two albums for the WEA Nonesuch Explorer series.

Jay's background includes a BA and MM Graduate Fellowship in composition from the University of South Florida in 1972. After completing his studies, he went to Niger and spent two and half years studying drumming.^{[citation needed]} Selections from his archival field recordings of traditional West African ceremonies, dances, and solo performances were made into three albums released by Warner/Nonesuch.

Discography

Nonesuch Explorer Series

Ghana: Ancient Ceremonies, Songs, and Dance Music
Dances of the World
West Africa: Drum, Chant, and Instrumental Music^[1]

With "Weird Al" Yankovic

"Weird Al" Yankovic
"Weird Al" Yankovic In 3-D
Dare to Be Stupid
Polka Party!
Even Worse
UHF - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack and Other Stuff
Off the Deep End
Alapalooza
Bad Hair Day
Running with Scissors
Poodle Hat
Straight Outta Lynwood
Alpocalypse
Mandatory Fun

Solo albums

Sea Never Dry – 1997
Film Music – 1998 – a collection of 66 short excerpts from his original film and television scores
Tangled Strings – 1999^[2]
Self Avoiding Random Walk – 2000
Outer Voice – 2004
Rounder Gaze – 2004
Friction – 2004
Plus – 2004
Physical Answer – 2008
Chaos, Clouds and Tongue – 2011
Things Change – 2013
El Natural 7 – 2016
Spontaneous Symmetry – 2016
When One Remains – 2016
So Do I Sadie – 2018
Vita Beata – 2022

With Ak & Zuie

Non-Franciscan Duets

Compilations

Deep Forest
Late in the 20th Century: An Elektra / Nonesuch New Music Sampler

References

^ Originally released in 1976 as Africa: Drum, Chant & Instrumental Music; see West Africa: Drum, Chant & Instrumental Music
^ Prior to Tangled Strings, a cassette-only release titled Whatever It Is was made available, containing many of the same songs which were later released on Tangled Strings. When Tangled Strings was released, Whatever It Is was retired.

External links

Official website
Uncharted Territory from Global Bass Magazine, December 2001
Stephen Jay, Bass Player for Weird Al Yankovic, On Playing Live Through Mackie SR1530s from Bass Player Magazine, May 11, 2005

"Weird Al" Yankovic