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Steve Kouba says he's living the musician's dream. He's established his reputation as a recording artist and live performer. He makes a living as a piano player and rock entertainer, and his recent callings have been for music soundtracks and on-stage musical theater performances. Steve performs regionally and even overseas, playing solo piano or with guitar, live bands, and backing symphonic tracks and electronic beats. He's been called a "bold producer with an ear for the colorful," and his original music has been compared to a wide array of contemporary artists from Joe Jackson, Thomas Dolby, and Cat Stevens to "John Mellencamp, Elton John, (and) and Madness."*. Steve released his self-produced debut CD "Consanguinuity" in 2000, an album that initiated his reputation as one of Chicago's most original and promising recording artists.
Born and raised in the Midwest rust-belt city of Lima, Ohio, Steve listened to AM radio and took piano lessons until he was 16, then became an Eagle Scout at age 18 and a man at age 20. After graduating from Northwestern University, he traveled cross-country to record in New York and play rock music in San Francisco/ Oakland Bay Area. He now calls Chicago home and makes his living as a performing musician. He is known to many in the city's music industry and has performed with some of Chicago’s best players, among them members of Poi Dog Pondering, The Bad Examples, Liquid Soul, The Good, Underwater People, Fareed Haque Trio, and Quantum Leep. He has recorded music in numerous professional studios, and is currently working on a follow-up album amidst a full and varied performance schedule. Steve's performances this past year alone have included venues such as House of Blues, numerous street festivals, esteemed Chicago theaters like The Athenaeum (where he performed live to excellent reviews his original soundtrack to "Trust", Steven Dietz's play on rock stardom), and The Mercury (with Tony Rogers' "Pop Psychology"), the city's best piano bars (The Redhead, The Underground Wonder Bar) and dueling piano clubs (Howl at the Moon, Rum Runners). His tour of Holland and Germany in March of 2003 further demonstrates his will to achieve at constantly new musical endeavors. "I know there's power in music, it's the magic that I choose to work with in my life. It drives me to make my living and entertain, enlighten, and uplift others in the ways I can. Music serves me the most, though, as the vehicle for my own dreams." Clearly. ~ By Steven Seven
Chicago music discussion board
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It should also be noted that Steve has alter egos, counted cards in Las Vegas,
and claims to be "more Faustian than Jeffersonian." He admits to a great love
for god, strippers and good literature. He's a happy malcontent touched by, in his words,
"...existentialism, unique vice-virtues, visions, cheap thrills, intellectual chills.
The kind insanity of Christianity. I work hard, live easy, exploit my modest talent and
pray for health and a hit rock single." It's the stuff great music is made of, and
Kouba embraces it all with humor, egotism and a slight dose of schizophrenia. "I play
the anti-hero in a movie about me" he sings, and his pursuit of both artistic and
commercial success would affirm a twisted heroic self-vision. 