Steve Jolliffe

Steve Jolliffe first gained attention through a brief period with Tangerine Dream during the closing years of the 1970s, after which he embarked on an extensive solo path that produced new albums annually throughout the 1980s and well into the following decade. Although skilled on multiple instruments and formally trained, he earned widest recognition for his synthesizer and keyboard contributions. On his own recordings he also performed on clarinet, flute, sax, assorted additional horns, and other instruments while handling vocals and composition. These accomplishments helped cement his standing as a notable cult figure.

Early on, Jolliffe encountered Rick Davies in the late 1960s. Together they performed in the band the Joint, a group that later developed into Supertramp. At that stage his focus leaned more toward formal study, prompting enrollment at the Berlin Konservatorium. While there he connected with Edgar Froese and joined an early lineup of Tangerine Dream. He next participated in Steamhammer, a blues-rock outfit that contrasted with his usual direction, yet the group achieved modest commercial traction in the early 1970s through widespread touring and two album releases. When Steamhammer disbanded, Jolliffe turned to scoring music for film and television projects.

His profile rose again in the late 1970s upon rejoining Tangerine Dream during the band’s period of strong popularity. Although he appeared on only a single release with them, Cyclone (1978), his input proved substantial through extensive instrumental work and songwriting. He also joined their large-scale European tours before audiences. This interval, though short, opened the way for his solo output, which began with Drake’s Venture in 1980. He maintained a steady pace afterward, issuing roughly one album each year across the next two decades.