Steve Jay


Eugene Stephen Jay is an American bassist, best known for working with "Weird Al" Yankovic.
WWW Official Site

Early life

Jay was born Eugene Stephen Jay in Detroit, Michigan on January 26, 1951. He auditioned for "Weird Al" Yankovic in 1981 after answering an ad in the newspaper, and the two have worked together ever since. Jay can be heard or seen on all of Yankovic's albums, videos, and concerts.
He is also the founder of the ethno-funk duo Ak & Zuie, with Pete Gallagher. He has scored more than fifty nationally broadcast PBS specials and series episodes, including three George Foster Peabody Award winners, and contributed to several feature films. He has also done extensive session work, released eight solo records on his own Ayarou label, and produced two albums for the WEA Nonesuch Explorer series.
Jay's background includes a BA and MM Graduate Fellowship in composition from the University of South Florida in 1972. After completing his studies, he went to Niger and spent two and half years studying drumming. Selections from his archival field recordings of traditional West African ceremonies, dances, and solo performances were made into three albums released by Warner/Nonesuch.

Discography

Nonesuch Explorer Series

Ghana: Ancient Ceremonies, Songs, and Dance MusicDances of the World
  • ''West Africa: Drum, Chant, and Instrumental Music''

With ["Weird Al" Yankovic]

"Weird Al" Yankovic"Weird Al" Yankovic In 3-DDare to Be StupidPolka Party!Even WorseUHF - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack and Other StuffOff the Deep EndAlapaloozaBad Hair DayRunning with ScissorsPoodle HatStraight Outta LynwoodAlpocalypse

Solo albums

Sea Never Dry – 1997Film Music – 1998 – a collection of 66 short excerpts from his original film and television scoresTangled Strings – 1999Self Avoiding Random Walk – 2000Outer Voice – 2004Rounder Gaze – 2004Friction – 2004Plus – 2004Physical Answer – 2008Chaos, Clouds and Tongue – 2011Things Change – 2013El Natural 7 – 2016Spontaneous Symmetry – 2016When One Remains – 2016So Do I Sadie – 2018Vita Beata – 2022Off-Bass – 2025

With Ak & Zuie

  • ''Non-Franciscan Duets''

Compilations

Deep Forest
  • ''Late in the 20th Century: An Elektra / Nonesuch New Music Sampler''