Steep Wade, born Harold Gordon Pemberton Wade, was a jazz pianist and saxophonist from Montreal, Quebec. His nickname, “Steep,” is thought to be given to him due to his high forehead.

Although Wade’s parents were musically disinclined, they paid for his sister to take violin lessons, and for him to take piano lessons. Apparently, Wade was not enthusiastic about his lessons, and shunned them, taking to learning the instrument by watching the movement of the keys on a player piano. It wasn’t until he began hanging out at the famous Rockhead’s Paradise, a Montreal club known to house some of the greatest musicians around, that he began to take the piano more seriously, and took up some lessons with Milton Smythe.

Wade began his career as a saxophonist in Myron Sutton’s Canadian Ambassadors, before joining American trumpeter Louis Metcalfe’s band as a pianist. The band worked at Cafe St. Michel, which was across the street from Rockhead’s Paradise. Wade would make his living on what was called “the corner,” where St. Antoine Street intersects Mountain Street, and where the two famed clubs stood. He played with many bands at these clubs, including trumpeter Jimmy Jones’ band, and Lloyd Duncan’s Seven Sharp Swingsters. Wade also became a member of Wilkie Wilkinson’s Boptet, which created Canada’s first known bebop recordings.

He established a reputation in the city as a bebop pianist with a particular skill as an accompanist reminiscent of the style of Bud Powell. He became a friend and mentor to the great Oscar Peterson, who regularly dropped in at Cafe St. Michel to jam with the band.

During the late 1940’s and early 1950’s, Wade’s career began to wind down. Louis Metcalfe moved his band to the east end of the city in 1949, and Wade quit a year later. He played less often but continued to be seen at the neighborhood clubs frequently. He was one of the few pianists who played alongside Charlie Parker at Chez Paree for his famed February 1953 concerts. A recording of “Embraceable You” from the concert was later issued on Bird on the Road (Jazz Showcase 5003). It is one of the few known recordings of Wade. That spring, he played with Kenny Alexander’s All-Stars at the Montmartre Cafe along with Buddy Jordan, Leroy Mason, Bob Rudd and Walter Bacon. Sadly, Wade died in December of that same year from his heroin addiction.

Although Wade’s complications with heroin, and the restrictive American labour laws at the time prevented him from expanding his career, he was devoted to the music, and lived as a staple in the Montreal jazz scene.