Stephen Jay

Stephen Jay is a composer, bassist, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist. His original music is bass-driven, innovative, exotic funk, blending world influenced polyrhythmic grooves with elements of Jazz and Rock. His combinations of ethnic and modern instruments and styles result in unique, richly textured musical images.

Stephen's bass recording credits include 3 Grammy winners and 9 Grammy nominated albums. He is the credited bassist on 9 Gold and 5 Platinum albums (RIAA). Stephen specializes in combining ethnic and modern instruments to create a blend of the exotic and contemporary. His world music experience includes live performance and studies throughout West Africa and Southeast Asia. From his field recording of world music Stephen produced 2 albums for the Nonesuch Explorer Series. He has scored more than seventy nationally broadcast PBS specials and series episodes, including three George Foster Peabody Award winners, and contributed to TV and feature films. His background includes a BA and MM Graduate Fellowship in composition, and studies with composers John Cage, Lucas Foss, Max Neuhaus and Charles Wuronien. Stephen's past work includes performing and recording with Wayne Shorter, Hugh Masekela, Alex Acuna, Luis Conte, Isah Hamani, Joe Higgs, Betty Buckley, Jimmy Haskell and others. He is an original and continuing member of "Weird Al" Yankovic's band. Stephen's bass and drum duo, "Ak & Zuie" has toured the US, Canada, and Australia, and has appeared on PBS.