Rudy Stevenson

Rudy Stevenson (1929—December 12, 2010) was an American blues, soul, and jazz guitarist, flutist, music producer, and composer, who worked with some of the biggest names in jazz, R&B, and soul, including Lloyd Price, Nina Simone, Jocelyn B. Smith, and Duke Ellington.

In his later years, he relocated to Berlin, Germany, where he continued to record and perform.

Rudy Stevenson was born Rudolf Stevenson in New York City, New York, in 1929.

He learned to play the saxophone at a young age and performed at various venues in New York City. However, his early music career was paused when the New York City Cabaret Law was passed in 1926 during the Harlem Renaissance. During this time, he turned to the rhythm guitar due to the limitations imposed by the law.

Stevenson, later, joined Lloyd Price's band and the vocal group The 5th Dimension (Florence LaRue, Lamonte McLemore, Ronald Townson, Billy Davis, Jr., Marilyn McCoo) and also performed at the Apollo Theatre in New York. In 1969, he recorded "Don'tcha Hear Me Callin' to Ya" on the 5th Dimension's album The Age of Aquarius. Arranged by Bones Howe, Bob Alcivar, and Bill Holman, the album peaked at number two on the Billboard 200 and the Top R&B Albums charts.

In the 1960s, Stevenson played for five years in the backing band of Nina Simone and recorded nine albums for her. In 1966, his flute and guitar were heard on Simone's album Let It All Out on Philips Records. The 11-track album carries covers of songs by many famed musicians, including Irving Mills, Barney Bigard, Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, and Lorenz Hart. "Images", sung a cappella, is based on a poem by Waring Cuney. "I'm Going Back Home", which was written by Stevenson, was included in Simone's 1967 album High Priestess Of Soul.

Stevenson's compositions were recorded by George Benson, Dexter Gordon, Jocelyn B. Smith, and Joe Zawinul ("Sharon's Waltz", 1976). In those years, he also worked with Sheila Jordan; Wynton Kelly (for whom he wrote "Out Front"); Cedar Walton (Soul Cycle, 1969); Herbie Mann + Roy Ayers ("Comin 'Home Baby", 1966); and Andrew White (Who Got De Funk?, 1973).

In the early 1980s, Stevenson was a member of Duke Ellington Orchestra. In 1981-83, Mercer Ellington (Duke's son) conducted and directed Sophisticated Ladies, a musical revue based on the music of Duke Ellington. Directed by Michael Smuin, the revue ran on Broadway from March 01, 1981, to January 02, 1983, at Lunt-Fontanne Theatre and won two awards and eight nominations at the 35th Tony Awards. The recording of the revue was released in 1981 on RCA Records. In the musical, Stevenson played the guitar and banjo accompanied by Kamau Adilifu, aka Charles Sullivan, Barry Lee Hall Jr., John Longo, Lloyd Michels, and Evan Solot (trumpet); Art Baron, Chuck Connors, Vince Prudente, and Britt Woodman (trombone); Al Richmond (french horn); Bill Easley, Geezil Minerve, Joe Temperley, Norris Turney, and David Young (reeds); Lloyd Mayers (piano); Dominick Fiore (bass and tuba); Charles Simons and Rocky White (percussion); and Richard Pratt (drums). In the lead cast (dancers, singers, and performers) were Hinton Battle, Gregg Burge, Michael Scott Gregory, Michael Lichtefeld, Gregory Hines, Judith Jamison, Terri Klausner, Gremlinn T. Creole, P.J. Benjamin, Phyllis Hyman, Priscilla Baskerville, Claudia Asbury, Paula Lynn, Wynonna Smith, Adrian Bailey, and T. A. Stephens.

In 1988, Stevenson moved to Berlin, Germany, where he worked as a composer and producer with several local musicians, including R&B and soul singer Tayo Awosusi, and led various bands. For several years, he worked with soloist Lia Andes and produced her album This Masquerade. Stevenson wrote and composed 9 of the 10 songs (except the title song "This Masquerade").

With his band "The Rudy Stevenson Soulband", he regularly performed at various live jazz and blues venues, such as Berlin's Yorckschlösschen. Other musicians in his group were Craig Burton (vocals), Helmut Bruger (piano), Don Marriott (trumpet), Paul Griesbach (tenor saxophone), Ben "King" Perkoff (baritone saxophone), Tony Hurdle (trombone), H.F. Hoffmann (bass), Bobby Durham (American drummer living in Europe). He also released his album Blues March, Vol. 1. In his early years in Berlin, he also played for the musical "Bubbling Brown Sugar" at Theater des Westens.

Video: Don't Cha Hear Me Callin' To Ya (The 5th Dimension, 1969)

Stevenson died in Berlin, Germany, on December 12, 2010, at age 82.