| Intro | American musician |
| A.K.A. | Stephen Tirpak |
| Is |
Musician Composer Jazz musician Pianist Record producer |
| From | United States of America |
| Type |
Business Music |
| Gender | male |
| Birth | Edgewater Park Township, New Jersey |
Steve Tirpak (born 1981) is an American musician, composer, arranger, and performer from Edgewater Park, New Jersey, United States. He is a pianist and trumpeter who has written, produced and recorded for a number of contemporary musicians including Jay-Z, Erykah Badu, Lana Del Rey, Kirk Franklin, P. Diddy, The Roots, LL Cool J, Will Smith, Kanye West, Kid Cudi, Estelle, Luther Vandross, R. Kelly, Boyz II Men, Vivian Green, Notorious B.I.G, Gerald Levert, Mindi Abair, Kindred, Young Gunz, and many others. Tirpak was horn section leader and arranger for the John Legend band performing trumpet and trombone from 2007 to 2010. Steve has been teaching since 2010 as the Assistant Director for the Creative Music Program at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts.
Early life
Tirpaks’ parents are also professional musicians and music teachers. With their encouragement, he spent his early years studying violin, drums, piano, trumpet, trombone and flugelhorne. While in college at the University of the Arts he met his mentor, Larry Gold, who taught him string arranging and production at The Studio in Philadelphia. Tirpak graduated from the University of the Arts in 2004 with a Bachelor’s Degree in music composition.
Career
Tirpak released his debut jazz album, Who Cares?, in 2006. The album features “slick contemporary passages and spicy latin tinged jazz arrangements” played by Eric Wortham, Ross Bellenoit, Adam Blackstone, Joe Truglio, Aaron Marisis, Cheryl Tirpak, and Orlando Haddad.
After honing his craft at the direction of Larry Gold, in 2007 Tirpak was hired to the John Legend Evolver World Tour as horn arranger and trombonist. Following the tour’s end, Tirpak continued his arranging while simultaneously delving into orchestral work. He wrote for George Michael’s Symphonica Tour in 2012, and composed for full orchestra for Jay-Z’s benefit performance at Carnegie Hall later that year. Tirpak has appeared on the television shows Jimmy Kimmel Live, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and The Late Show with David Letterman. The follow-up to Who Cares?, You Promised, was released in April 2014.
Tirpak teaches as Assistant Director of the Creative Music Program at the Kimmel Center. He writes compositions for the CMP ensembles.
Discography
Solo albums
- Who Cares? (2006)
- You Promised (2014)
Musician credits
- Love in the Future – John Legend (2013)
- “Unconditional” – Ne–Yo (2012)
- 84th Academy Awards (2012)
- Laughing Down Crying – Daryl Hall (2011)
- The Beginning (The Black Eyed Peas album) – The Black Eyed Peas (2010)
- Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager – Kid Cudi (2010)
- Evolver – John Legend (2008)
- New Amerykah Part One (4th World War) – Erykah Badu (2008)
- Double Up (R. Kelly album) – R. Kelly (2007)
- Once Again (2006)
- 2005 MTV Video Music Awards (2005)
- Lost and Found – Will Smith (2005)
- So Amazing: An All–Star Tribute to Luther Vandross – Various Artists (2005)
- Happy People/U Saved Me – R. Kelly (2004)
- Throwback, Vol. 1 – Boyz II Men (2004)
- Get Lifted (2004) – John Legend (2004)
Soundtracks
- Robots Motion Picture Soundtrack (2005)