Douglas, Steve (24th
September 1938-19th April 1993)
He was a saxophonist, percussionist, flautist and
producer, born Steve Kreisman in California.As a teenager he heard "Pachuco Hop" and the influence
of Chuck Higgins' playing was enough to convince him to takie up the
saxophone.He was
a founding member of the Sleepwalkers that would evolve into Kip
Tyler & The Flips, with two of the members being Bruce
Johnston and Sandy Denny who would later join The Beach
Boys
, and at the same time he was a sought after
session musician. Before long was working and recording with Duane Eddy and
the experience he had gained there led him to form his own group with Phil
Spector on guitar.When Phil
Spector left to take up production work in New York he was given even more
opportunities as he was called on to perform on many releases by artists
that included The Crystals, The Ronettes, The Righteous Brothers and Ike
and Tina Turner, and was a member of Phil Spector's famous "Wrecking Crew".Constantly busy during the 1960s, he performed on virtually
every album by The Beach
Boys, appeared on songs by B.B. King, Aretha Franklin, Bobby
Darin and Elvis
Presley
, The Ventures and
many of Jan & Dean's hits. When the 1970s came he began to experience health
problems but he still managed to do his session work as well as release his
own solo albums and ever expanding his horizons he performed in a chamber
in one of the Great Pyramids in Egypt which gave us his The Music of
Cleops.His
1970s appearances were as many and as varied as in the 1960s and he
was seen performing with Mink
DeVille, touring with Bob
Dylan
, and working with Cher
and many others.Sadly in 1993
he suffered heart failure at the young age of 55 but not to be forgotten he
was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003.
