With two simple and inspiring words, Steve Oliver perfectly captured the brilliantly sunny, joyfully optimistic vibe of his music and life with the title of his 2002 breakthrough release Positive Energy. Establishing the smooth, funky and ultra-soulful guitarist and vocalist as a bona fide smooth jazz star, the album hit the Billboard Top 20 on the strength of the # 3 radio single "High Noon" (one of the most played songs of the year), earned him Smooth Jazz Awards nominations for Best New Artist and Best Guitar Player. Look for the accolades, airplay and a spirited blend of deep musicality and fun to continue as Oliver enters an exciting new dimension on his appropriately titled third album, 3-D.

Co-producing for the first time with keyboardist Tom Schuman, a founding member of superstar instrumental group Spyro Gyra, Oliver digs deep into a rich variety of influences for a multi-faceted romp through the worlds of pop, jazz, urban/hip-hop, world beat, Brazilian and Latin music. While focusing as always on his classic acoustic guitar and brilliant "vocalese" to convey the lead melodies on the instrumentals, he stretches into edgier blues territory with his lesser heard electric on "In The Shade of Cool."

Joining all-star guests like Fourplay drummer Harvey Mason (who adds his gentle rhythmic touch to the lush romantic atmospheres of the title track) and saxophonist Eric Marienthal (soulful harmony on the lilting ballad "She's Got the Way-O," punchy riffs and call and response amidst the brass, retro-soul and party groove mania of "Funhouse") are a handful of musicians familiar to longtime fans of the Oliver live experience, including Will Donato (sax) and Larry Antonino (bass). Oliver credits a lot of the depth the listener will discover on 3-D to the incredible chemistry he had with Schuman, working in the keyboardist's Las Vegas home studio. "My projects always include a sense of lighthearted playfulness, but there's a lot more maturity on 3-D than ever before," he says. "Tom really made the tracks sparkle with his cool sense of chordal jazz voicings that come from his deep love for straight ahead jazz. Tom's really focused on what he's doing and grounds my enthusiasm with a necessary perspective and honesty. We had a great time."

While he's toured and performed with an exciting list of genre stars and legends--Rick Braun, Peter White, Marc Antoine, Everette Harp, Larry Carlton, Gato Barbieri--it was Oliver's high profile role in Reid's band that finally gave him the opportunity to emerge as a budding instrumental star. More than simply the lead guitarist, he became a true partner of Reid's shortly after joining the band in 1996, writing nine songs on the Mysteries album and three on Passion In Paradise. First View was nominated for an AFIM (Association for Independent Music) Award for best smooth jazz recording of 1999. The album scored three hit radio singles, hit the Top 20 on the Gavin and Radio & Records airplay charts and earned Oliver the distinction of "Debut Artist of the Year" from Smooth Jazz News.

Before committing any new song to disc, Oliver tests it with his fans in a live setting, making them an integral part of his musical growth process. They've had plenty of opportunities to see him these past few years at increasingly high visible venues such as America's Jazz Festival in Maryland, the Catalina Island Jazz Trax Festival, Seaport in New York City and the Hyatt Newporter Jazz Festival in Newport Beach, California. He's also shared bills with Rick Braun, Michael Franks and, on a six city tour last year, sax superstar Boney James. Recent adds to this ever-expanding resume are appearances with Chris Botti (including the 2004 Berks Jazz Festival), The Rippingtons and at a set at the Barbados Jazz Festival.

"Music is therapy for me and makes me feel good, and I love exploring the possibilities in all the styles that I enjoy," he says. "I'm always thinking about how many people I will soon be sharing all this new music with. It's so much fun connecting with the audience and seeing them smile. They come to the show wanting to feel good, and I make sure they leave having been uplifted. It's very much a spiritual connection for me. What you see onstage is genuinely how I am. The fans keep me motivated, and the key to my success is connecting with them and making them happy. They can see I'm sincere. I have a genuine love of music and people."