Jazz Articles about Walter Smith III

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Walter Smith III: Jazz Explorer

by R.J. DeLuke
April 19, 2017

Walter Smith stands straight when he raises his tenor sax to his mouth to embark on a solo, or play enthralling, serpentine, contrapuntal lines in unison with band mates like Ambrose Akinmusire. [Check out “Confessions To My Unborn Daughter" from Akinmusire's When the Heart Emerges Glistening.] It's a muscular sound that emerged from his horn. Authoritative. More than that, his improvisational path when he solos is unfettered and unpredictable. He's praised by his peers as a saxophonist who ...

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Walter Smith III: Still Casual

by Mark F. Turner
September 9, 2014

There are countless musicians who perform but few that can make their instruments breathe as melodically as saxophonist Walter Smith III. In the opening track “Foretold You" from his release Still Casual, it's as if his horn is an extension of his thoughts and will--notes burning, graceful and flowing like a stream of ideas. Yet with these obvious abilities Smith is a diligent craftsman whose arduous schedule includes education, tours, and performances within a rotation of rising jazz leaders that ...

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Walter Smith III: III

by Mark F. Turner
January 21, 2011

While there are many saxophonists warranting greater recognition, Walter Smith III is consistently emerging as an identifiable voice among the masses. He's been making waves, whether performing across the waters in Spain with bassist Paco Charlin; recording in France on drummer Eric Harland's debut, Voyager Live by Night (Space Time, 2010); with trumpeter Christian Scott for 2008's Live at Newport (Concord); or stints with another trumpeter, Terence Blanchard. Smith's third release further reveals his maturation as a ...

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Walter Smith III: Casually Introducing Walter Smith III

by Nic Jones
July 1, 2006

Walter Smith has a whole lot going on here. On this programme of originals and standards, the saxophonist's work is often so far advanced from a harmonic standpoint (in particular) that he manages to carve out his own space in the modern mainstream idiom, and that's no mean feat in itself.

He also likes to take his time, and in these days of often hyperactive-sounding soloists, that's more than welcome, too. He's no apostle of technical display for its own ...

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Walter Smith III: Casually Introducing Walter Smith III

by Mark F. Turner
March 12, 2006

Walter Smith III, a striking saxophonist, has entered the arena with this promising debut. A rising horn player, he has performed and shared the stage with a variety of musicians, including jazz veterans (Roy Haynes, Ralph Peterson), pop stars (Destiny's Child, Lauren Hill), and contemporary jazz luminaries (Terence Blanchard, Jason Moran). Like recordings by other younger artists, this disc integrates a variety of styles and influences into a jazz framework, creating an open avenue in which Smith ...