Jazz Articles about Tommy Smith

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Arild Andersen: Live at Belleville

by Karl Ackermann
May 21, 2010

More than forty years ago, Norwegian bassist, Arild Andersen joined saxophonist Jan Garbarek and the late Finnish drummer Edward Vesala to record the groundbreaking Triptykon (ECM 1972), one of these musicians' most energized work. It's a happy coincidence that the new millennium has seen both Garbarek and Andersen--ECM artists, both--create what may be their individual masterpieces--Live at Belleville, in the bassist's case. Andersen's intervening ECM years have generated an impressive catalog of high quality work including Molde Concert (1982), Sagn ...

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Arild Andersen: Live at Belleville

by AAJ Italy Staff
February 17, 2009

Colto dal vivo nell'omonimo club di Oslo, Live at Belleville è il coronamento di un tour europeo iniziato a Uppsala, in Svezia, da questo nuovo trio del contrabbassista norvegese Arild Andersen. Cambio deciso di direzione rispetto al precedente raffinato ed orchestrale Electra che segna il ritorno a una formazione asciutta e rigorosa, di stampo più jazzistico. Qui troviamo infatti un trio caratterizzato da grande equilibrio e doti tecniche. Il leader è affiancato dal sassofonista scozzese Tommy Smith e dal compagno ...

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Arild Andersen: Live at Belleville

by John Kelman
November 18, 2008

The general international perception of Norway's jazz scene as “Nordic Cool," is, like most generalizations, inevitably distanced from truth. Atomic, The Core and Motif may possess no shortage of heat, but ECM has undeniably helped define that unmistakable Norwegian aesthetic. One of the “big four," brought to international attention in the early 1970s alongside guitarist Terje Rypdal, saxophonist Jan Garbarek, and drummer Jon Christensen, bassist Arild Andersen's ECM releases have largely avoided the kind of burning improvisational energy of his ...

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The Tommy Smith Youth Jazz Orchestra featuring Joe Locke: Exploration

by John Kelman
February 5, 2008

At a time when the oral jazz tradition is in increasing jeopardy, you've got to admire Tommy Smith. Berklee schooled in the 1980s, the Scottish saxophonist had a promising career in the United States. He was a member of Gary Burton's mid-1980s quintet, with the vibraphonist producing Step by Step--the first of four records Smith released on Blue Note between 1988 and 1992--featuring an all star line-up including John Scofield, Eddie Gomez and Jack DeJohnette. But after a few years ...

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Tommy Smith Group: Forbidden Fruit

by John Kelman
September 9, 2005

You have to respect an artist who turns his back on the possibility of significant US exposure and returns home to his country of origin instead to give back some of what he received growing up. Scottish saxophonist Tommy Smith spent a decade in the US, studying at Boston's Berklee School of Music in the early '80s, joining Gary Burton's quintet for Whiz Kids (the vibraphonist's final ECM date), and recording a series of albums for Blue Note from '88 ...

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Tommy Smith: Evolution

by John Kelman
March 1, 2005

A member of vibraphonist Joe Locke's widely-acclaimed Four Walls of Freedom, Scottish saxophonist Tommy Smith is finally beginning to crack a broader international market. The surprise is that it's taken this long. Since returning home from the States in the late '80s, Smith has become something of a cottage industry in the UK, creating the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra, whose purview ranges from repertory classics from the likes of Charles Mingus, Count Basie and Miles Davis, to more contemporary fare ...

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Tommy Smith: Blue Smith

by Glenn Astarita
July 1, 2000

Scottish saxophonist Tommy Smith boasts a corpulent and ringing tone via his zealous articulation of extended notes and stylish mode of execution as he often melds tenacity with grace and eloquence. Here, Smith unites with guitarist John Scofield, bassist James Genus and drummer Clarence Penn for a jazz/blues based venture, aptly titled, Blue Smith.

In some instances, the pairing of Smith and Scofield does indeed rekindle thoughts of the guitarist’s now legendary early 90’s teaming with tenor sax icon Joe ...