Jazz Articles about Jason Smith

Jason Smith: Tipping Point

by John Kelman
June 27, 2007

Jason Smith's Think Like This (Alternity, 2005) was an unexpected debut from a drummer with greater credibility as a pop and rock session player. Teamed with keyboardist Gary Husband and bassist Dave Carpenter, that disc demonstrated that there can often be a considerable gap between how one makes a living and the direction chosen when given the artistic freedom to do so.

Tipping Point captures the same trio in a 2006 performance at Los Angeles' The Jazz Bakery. With Husband ...

Jason Smith: Think Like This

by John Kelman
September 25, 2005

Sometimes you have to get beyond the biases suggested by an artist's past experience. Drummer Jason Smith has been a busy west coast session player on soundtracks and pop records by artists like Enrique Iglesias. Not exactly a pedigree bound to generate excitement on the jazz front. Still, he's also worked with Mike Keneally, the guitarist from Frank Zappa's last touring ensemble--not fitting a purist's jazz definition, perhaps, but demonstrating a chameleon-like ability and veering towards fusion territory, at least ...