Almost forty years ago, vibraphonist Mike Mainieri (1938) started an informal group for playing his compositions. He found people who have since become legends: tenor saxophonist Michael Brecker, pianist Don Grolnick, bassist Eddie Gomez and drummer Steve Gadd. But his initiative took on a life of its own: the venues sold out and the group, originally called Steps, made some live records in Japan that became spectacularly successful, like Smokin' In The Pit. In 1981 the name of the group was changed to Steps Ahead, coinciding with the arrival of singer/pianist Eliane Elias (1960), who also joins this Reunion World Tour. The presence of Elias makes this reunion attractive for a variety of reasons. The other members of the current Steps Ahead group are saxophonist Donny McCaslin, bassist (and husband of Elias) Marc Johnson and drummer Billy Kilson; these are all musicians who have played a role in the history of Steps Ahead.
