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The James Hughes - Jimmy Smith Quintet

The HSQ is a Detroit-based jazz quintet that performs original music with purpose. The group is spearheaded by Saxophonist James Hughes & trumpeter Jimmy Smith, the group features the rhythm section of Phil Kelly, Takashi Iio and Nate Winn. The quintet formed in the autumn of 2012 with the purpose of promoting their brand of Detroit be- bop. Fresh tunes, tight ensemble work, intriguing solos and music that swings are among the groups trademarks. Jimmy and James are both first-call freelancing musicians in Detroit and have performed with jazz giants like Jimmy Heath, Dave Liebman, Richie Cole, John Clayton, Jerry Bergonzi, Jim Rotondi, Michael Phillip Mossman, Steve Wilson, and Kenny G. Jimmy appears on recordings by The Men of Grace, Wayne Kounty, Bob Mervak, and The Motor City Horns. James appears on recordings by The Scott Gwinnell Jazz Orchestra, Carl Cafagna & North Star Jazz, Bobby Streng's House Big Band, Keith Vreeland, and Davison Magpie. Together, they form the horn section for Detroit soul legend Melvin Davis, and The Bluewater Kings. The Hughes/Smith Quintet has performed at Cliff Bell's, Jazz Cafe at Music Hall, Motor City Wine, Detroit Institute of Arts, Cadieux Cafe, Brighton Jazz & Blues Fest, the Experience Art Live Royal Oak Festival, 11 & Woodward Concert Series, St Columban Concert Series, and the Opportunity Detroit Concert Series. Their recordings FROM HERE ON OUT [2013] and EVER UP & ONWARD [2015] have been featured on 89.1 WEMU, 90.3 Blue Lake Public Radio and 101.9 WDET.

Hughes Smith Quintet: Motion

by Mark Sullivan
May 17, 2018

Detroit's Hughes/Smith Quintet keeps the hard bop flame burning in this follow up to Ever Up & Onward (Self Produced, 2015). The album shares the same personnel--this has been a working band since 2013, and they sound like it--and the same positive energy. The program is all originals this time. Trumpeter Jimmy Smith's “The Runaround" opens the set with a blast of infectious funk (or perhaps it should more appropriately be called soul jazz, the label popular during ...

Album Review

James Hughes & Jimmy Smith Quintet: Ever Up & Onward

Read "Ever Up & Onward" reviewed by Mark Sullivan

by Mark Sullivan
April 24, 2016

Detroit was once a vital jazz center, contributing some of the major hard bop artists of the 1960s: Hank, Thad, and Elvin Jones, Tommy Flanagan, Barry Harris, Paul Chambers, Kenny Burrell, and Ron Carter, just to name a few. The James Hughes & Jimmy Smith Quintet honors that tradition by playing mostly original hard bop with real flair. In addition to being strong soloists, saxophonist James Hughes and trumpeter Jimmy Smith contribute all of the compositions and arrangements.

Jimmy Smith and James Hughes have added to our appreciation of local music with From Here On Out and will do so for years to come. Linda Yohn ~ WEMU

On its second album, this Detroit quintet display growing confidence with a modern meld of hard- and post-bop. ~ Allmusic.com

The back-to-back saxophone and trumpet breaks…are nearly airborne. Thom Jurek ~ allmusic.com