Kirby joined the faculty of music at the University of Manitoba in 2003, where he then created the Bachelor of Jazz Studies program. He was promoted to full professor and received tenure. In January 2004, Kirby became artistic director for the Smart Park Jazz Innovators Series. As Artistic Director and bass player, Steve facilitated and performed with some of the best artists in Jazz: trombonist, Wycliffe Gordon, violinist, Regina Carter, trumpeter Nicholas Payton and vocalist Luciana Souza. All artists stayed for 1 week residencies that included master-classes, rehearsals for students and a concert at the end of the week. In March of 2004, he spearheaded the creation of what has become a weekly jazz institution in Winnipeg – the "COOL Monday Night Hang." Taking its cue from the many jam sessions Steve participated in as a professional musician in New York, "The Hang" is a place where students, faculty, seasoned professionals, and visiting artists can hone their skills and exchange ideas in a live performance setting. SK was the creator and editor in chief for Dig! bagazine in Winnipeg. Launched by SK in 2004, dig! It was designed to mirror the growth and gauge the health of Winnipeg's Jazz scene. The magazine also served to co-ordinate and promote the Jazz events that the many local and visiting presenters offer in Winnipeg and throughout the province. The last issue of dig! Magazine was published in the summer of 2017. In 2005 SK created Jazz On Wheels, his version of New York's famous Jazz Mobile. Designed as a mobile concert stage, Jazz on Wheels literally drove music to people in their own neighborhoods. Featuring local and touring jazz musicians, the project provided Winnipeggers of all social and economic backgrounds with opportunities to learn about jazz through concerts and workshops brought directly to their communities. Jazz on Wheels features interactive presentations illustrating the evolution of jazz and its influence on modern popular music. 2005 - 2016, SK held the position of artistic director for the Izzy Asper Jazz Performance Series. In this series Steve not only performed with many of the visiting artists but also has created a unique opportunity for the U of M Jazz students to perform as the opening band for the all-star visiting artists. Each artist also presented master classes to the jazz students.
Harassment allegations
He retired on June 27, 2017, after his scheduled sabbatical, during which an internal investigation into alleged sexual harassment of students was conducted by the university. Six students approached school administration in February 2017 with complaints of sexual harassment by Kirby. Shortly after retiring from the University of Manitoba, Kirby was hired by Berklee College of Music but was suspended from his position pending an investigation into allegations of sexual harassment at the University of Manitoba. Administration at Berklee put Kirby on leave after learning about the accusations. On May 9, 2018, after an investigation by Winnipeg police, Kirby was charged with sexual assault of a music student at the University of Manitoba, relating to multiple incidents between 2014 and 2017. On March 7, 2019, Crown Prosecutor Mark Kantor announced that the case against Kirby would not proceed, and that the Crown was directing a stay of proceedings in this matter. A stay of proceedings in a criminal case means a charge is not proceeding through court at this time, but does not mean the charge has been formally withdrawn. In 2020, Kirby moved to Maryland where he now performs under the name Obasi Akoto.
