Jazz Articles about Jonathan Smith

About Jonathan Smith

Take Five With...

Meet Jonathan Smith: Portland, Oregon jazz guitarist, playing in the stylistic tradition of Grant Green. Instrument(s): Guitar.Teachers and/or influences? Dan Balmer, Bruce Forman, and many other great musicians I've had the good fortune to spend time with. A few special influences are: Ingrid Jensen, Benny Green, Randy Porter, Quincy Davis, and Bucky Pizzarelli.I knew I wanted to be a musician when... I have been passionate about ...

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Album Review

Jonathan Smith Quintet: En Route

Read "En Route" reviewed by Dan Bilawsky

by Dan Bilawsky
October 5, 2011

Portland-based guitarist Jonathan Smith spent three decades putting out fires, but he lets things burn on En Route. The retired firefighter-cum-jazz guitarist assembled a crew of musicians with whom he'd performed in live settings at various times, to record a debut album which, as Smith himself says, “delivers solid and accessible jazz." Smith's music isn't made to push boundaries and challenge his potential listeners; it's simply straight-up, straight-ahead jazz that's easy to digest. Blues, boogaloo, swing, calypso, ...