My Favorite Axe with Mark Steinert
Mark Steinert is a Virginia native, Berklee alum, and local Bostonian with a background in jazz performance. A lover of anything improvisational, he shares his vintage Rhodes with Performer this month.
Make & Model:
Vintage 1980 Rhodes Mark II Stage 73 paired with a refurbished 1975 Fender Twin Reverb Silverface. Previously owned by critically acclaimed keyboardist and educator Alain Mallet, who I’m told played this on one or two Paul Simon records.
What it Means to You:
Kinesthetically, there’s nothing more gratifying to me than playing this Rhodes. I used to have a ’75 Suitcase I used to tell people was like swinging with two bats because the keys were so sticky (even after modding it), but the ’80 Stage has a certain bounce and sturdiness that just can’t be replicated. That’s what makes hauling all ~130lbs worth it (unless there’s more than one flight of stairs)
What It Sounds Like:
It’s a solid wall of warmth, to me at least. You can make it as sharp, crunchy, or round as you like, but it’s always got this thick warmth to it, which I guess is characteristic for the Rhodes. And it helps to pair it with a nice tube amp.
Can Be Heard On:
Biscuits & Gravy’s newest release Young Love (check it out!)
Learn more at www.biscuitsandgravymusic.com
