Steve Barnes is highly acclaimed drummer and educator, whose signature sound and musicality have made him a valuable asset in settings ranging from big bands to orchestras to television soundtrack recordings.   He has performed with jazz greats including Gene Bertoncini, Don Braden, Richie Cole, Hank Crawford, Hal Galper, Eddie Harris, Antonio Hart, Conrad Herwig, Dan Haerle, Groove Homes, Jay Leonhart, Dave Liebman, Mundell Lowe, Frank Morgan, New York Voices, Diane Schuur, Bob Sheppard, Sonny Stitt, Marvin Stamm, Tierney Sutton, Bill Holman’s Big Band, Bob Florence Big Band and the Tommy Dorsey Big Band.   During a decade in Los Angeles, Steve's professional experiences included not only live gigging and touring, but also television recording (including on-camera playing) for the ABC FAMILY show “The Secret Life of the American Teenager” and “The Middle”.    Since relocating to Dallas in 2011, Steve has enjoyed making music with some of the Metroplex’s finest jazz musicians as well as being asked to join the drum chair rotation with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra’s Pops Series under the baton of Jeff Tyzik. 

Steve has over 35 years of private teaching experience, including his current position as Adjunct Instructor of Drumset in the Jazz Division at the University of North Texas, and serving on the faculty of the Jamey Aebersold Summer Jazz Workshop since 2001.  Other past teaching positions include teaching jazz drumset at the University of Cincinnati's College Conservatory of Music and serving as drumset mentor for both the Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra’s jazz division from 2012 to 2014 and the Los Angeles Jazz Society’s Bill Green Mentor Scholarship program from 2004 to 2011.