Steve Kortyka
"Every time I use Key Leaves products I have the peace of mind to know that typical sticky key pads will never be a nuisance. That feeling alone has made Key Leaves irreplaceable in my saxophone cases.”
- Steve Kortyka (Tony Bennett, Lady Gaga, Brian Newman Orchestra, New Alchemy Jazz Orchestra
Based out of Astoria, NY, Steve Kortyka is an accomplished mulit-instrumentalist, composer and educator currently working on his next studio album to be released in the Fall of 2018. As a full time performer in NYC, he is a main member of the Brian Newman Quartet, having recently completed a full touring schedule as part of the collaborative project "Cheek to Cheek" featuring the legendary Tony Bennett and his worthy counterpart, Lady Gaga. The Grammy Award Winning album 'Cheek to Cheek' (recorded in 2014) features Steve's arranging work on 'Firefly', 'I Can't Give You Anything But Love', and 'Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered', as well as an improvised solo on Irving Berlin's classic "Let's Face the Music and Dance."
Since arriving in NYC in 2011, Steve has had the opportunity to perform at Radio City Music Hall, The Blue Note, Smoke, Showmans, The Iridium, Fatcat, Smalls, Birdland, B.B. Kings, SixtyFive, 54 Below, The Rose Theatre at Lincoln Center and many other great establishments throughout the city as well as lead and record 3 studio albums. He has made numerous major network television appearances on shows including 'The Jimmy Fallon Show', 'Strictly Come Dancing' (U.K.), 'Good Morning America', 'Christmas at Rockefeller Center', ABC's 'A Very Gaga Thanksgiving', PBS's 'Great Performances' and 'NYE Live at Rockefeller Center with Carson Daly'. Also serving as an Arranger/Music Director for the Brian Newman Orchestra, he has written a number of arrangements for the band's former residency at the historic NYC venue, the Rainbow Room at Rockefeller Center.
In addition to being a full time performer, Steve is also an avid teacher of instrumental as well as improvised music. Time is always made to share his love for the art of jazz and composition through clinics, masterclasses and solo performances around the U.S. As an ever growing musician, he feels it is important to share that growth with those around him in as many ways as possible.