Out of the Blue

Originally from New York City, John Steiner has lived in the Bay Area, working as a performer, composer, producer, choir director, and music educator since 1989. With a 1999 B.A. in Music from San Francisco State University, Steiner has taught piano, bass and guitar at the East Bay Center for Performing Arts and at the Synergy School in San Francisco for more than a decade. He also is the pianist of the San Francisco Church of Religious Science and the First Presbyterian Church of San Rafael. Internationally, he has recorded, produced and toured with Jennifer Holiday, New Edition, Bobby Brown and Patti Austin. He recently produced a CD in the dance genre entitled 'Johnny's House.' Steiner also works in film and television, composing music for 'Deadly Vision,' an ABC 'Movie of the Week,' as well as the score for Al Hernandez' 'Jump Fence,' included in the PBS series 'American Independents;' and Daven Gee's 'Chemistries,' acclaimed by The San Francisco Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, The Ann Arbor Film Festival and The Rotterdam Film Festival. A pianist, keyboardist, and bassist, Steiner's music is drawn from many sources -- American Popular and Jazz, Western Classical, Romantic, Impressionist and Minimalist. His most recent inspiration is from the Popular and Classical music of India and Pakistan. His versatility is shown in the groups he performs and records with, such as The Old Joe Clarks, a nostalgic folk ensemble; Jesus, a Mexican folk singer; The Venusians, a cyber-pop adventure; Rinde Eckert's Navigators, a musical for the new millennium; Opera Piccola, an Oakland-based theater group; Tempus Fugitive, a folk-rock trio on Kranzke Records; and Shabaz, a fusion of Pakistani and American styles on Mondomelodia. John Steiner composed Out Of The Blue's 11 heart-felt tracks during 'the quiet hours of San Francisco's Mission District after midnight. 'Weeknights, at one or two in the morning, streets that are busy and noisy by day become quiet and deserted,' said Steiner. 'It's the yin and yang of the city. In the temporal serenity of the city's wee hours, we're free to explore the realm of sympathetic vibrations... hearing notes that expand and change color as they bleed away.' Piano: John Steiner Cello: Ann Lerner-Wright Vocals: Sharon Henderson Percussion: Paulo Baldi Produced by JS Kingfisher.