Steve Tavaglione

An original voice in instrumental music, Steve "Tav" Tavaglione is well known as a multi-styled saxophonist, clarinetist, flautist and E.W.I. wind-synth player, who uses imagery and passion to guide his performance.

Since making his professional debut with Sly and the Family Stone at the 1st Annual American Music Awards, Tav has cultivated a reputation as one of the music industry's most inventive players. He has recorded and/or performed with Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Diana Ross, George Benson, Lee Ritenour and many others. As a founding member of the pioneering Worldbeat ensemble Caldera, Tav helped create an award winning Latin sound. (Caldera was one of the first groups to forge the direction, which inspired the current Flamenco and Global Pop crazes.)

Now, in keeping with the innovative and unselfish spirit that has always distinguished his work, Tav has created a solo album for Unitone Recordings that's as notable for its ensemble playing as for its improvisational grace.


Produced by Jeff Beal, Silent Singing features songs by accomplished composers Vince Mendoza and John Patitucci, and composer/players John Beasley (produced "Eclipsis") and Patrick Leonard. Also accompanying Tav on his instrumental journey are Alex Acuna, Dave Carpenter, Doug Lunn, Gary Novak, Peter Maunu and Brian MacLeod.


As its prayerful title would suggest, Silent Singing is a record of transcendent beauty. Inspired by Electronic artists like Squarepusher and Bjork, as well as visionary movie composers he has worked with such as Mark Isham and Thomas Newman, Tav set out to make a recording that evoked a variety of emotions, visuals and sounds. "I was listening to music that placed a lot of importance on ambient space and silence," Tav explains, "which lead to a new sense of simplicity."

Silent Singing is the result of Tav's well-considered approach. Putting ego aside, he sought out songs by a diverse collection of muses. Acclaimed composer Vince Mendoza contributes three exceptional songs to the album, including the title track Silent Singing, "Arabesque" and "She Never Has A Window." Jeff Beal's songs include "Actor's Alley," a study in musical methodology replicating the nail-biting urgency of an opening night rehearsal. As performed by Tav, Patrick Leonard's "Home from 17" is a journey that's as mystical as its title, whereas Beasley’s "Eclipsis" stirs the primitive spirit.


Tav delivers one of his most moving performances on "Love," a song composed by John Patitucci. "That performance symbolized my feelings of friendship with John over the years."

Born in Riverside, California, Steve Tavaglione began performing professionally at age 18. Utilizing his ability to weave ideas within an ensemble setting, Tav teamed with Jorge Strunz and Eduardo Del Barrio in 1975 to form the pioneering World-Fusion group, Caldera. The trio recorded four acclaimed albums for Capitol Records and won Best Latin Group honors from Billboard and Cashbox in 1978-79. The band was one of few to have singles appear regularly on the Billboard Pop charts.

Post Caldera Tav gained an A-list reputation that continues to this day from his work with Pop icons such as Steve Winwood, Gino Vanelli, David Crosby and Andre Crouch, to International superstars like Sergio Mendes, Luis Miguel and Simone, to Jazz luminaries George Benson, Dave Weckl, Frank Gambale, Gary Willis, Vinnie Colaiuta, and Alan Holdsworth. Most recently, Tav performed and recorded in concert with legendary Pink Floyd alumnus,
Roger Waters.

As he prepared to take center stage with his own solo album, Tav thoughtfully assessed his musical motivations. "I began exploring the ways music could address and relate to all aspects of life." Silent Singing is his soulful realization of this search.