Steve earned his Bachelor's Degree in Music Performance at The Manhattan School of Music while working extensively in the New York freelance music scene. Some early accomplishments include performances at the Metropolitan Opera House, Carnegie Hall, solo trumpet in residence at St. Bartholomew's Cathedral and Immanuel Lutheran, and performances with the Bobby Rosengarden Band, Xavier Cugat Orchestra (solo trumpet), Duke Ellington's "Sophisticated Ladies" (solo and lead trumpet), "La Cage Aux Folles", Manhattan Transfer, The Temptations, Martha Reeves, Billy Idol, the Four Tops, and tours of "A Chorus Line" and "On the 20th Century".

Steve's recording credits include performances on Amy Grant's "House of Love", for which he received a double platinum award, Darryl Hall's "Move on Up", a gold record, and recordings for Yoko Ono, Luther Vandross, Jay Z., Monty Alexander,EricBenét, Urge Overkill, Cinderella, a Rolling Stones re-mix, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Big Chief, Leon Huff, Soul Kitchen, Andrew Dice Clay, and commercials for Comcast, Polaroid, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Nabisco, and many others.