Steve Cardenas has diverse credits as a performer and recording artist. Having started his musical career in Kansas City, he is now an integral part of the jazz community in New York. Cardenas has backed up such greats as Eddie Harris, Marilyn Maye, Jay McShann, and Slide Hampton. He has played at various jazz festivals throughout Europe including the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland on three separate occasions. In recent years he regularly performed with such diverse artists as Maria Muldaur, Paul McCandless of the group Oregon, trumpeters and composers Mark Isham and Jeff Beal, bassist Marc Johnson, and rock stylist Tracy Bonham. Currently he is a member of the Paul Motian Electric Bebop Band, as well as a quartet led by drummer Joey Baron called "Killer Joey". In addition to this, he leads his own trio performing at various venues around New York City. Along with his performing and recording experience, Cardenas is a private instructor with the New School in New York and is involved with the "Integrated Arts in Education" program through the Stamford, CT. school system. Previously, Steve has taught at the Musicians Institute in Hollywood, California, and he has also led jazz workshops at Jamey Aebersold Summer Jazz Camps. Most recently, in collaboration with editor/record producer Don Sickler, Cardenas completed work on a book of Thelonious Monk's compositions released by Hal Leonard Publishing. The Thelonious Monk Fakebook marks the premier publishing of all of Monk's compositions together with many of them appearing for the first time.