Results for "Lee Smith"

Lee Smith

Lee W. Smith is an American-born bassist. He was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Leopold and Anne Smith, the younger of two children. He has an older sister, Leanne. Lee has three sons: Lee W Smith, Jr., Tommy Pinkett, and celebrated bass great Christian McBride. Lee studied trumpet from 5th grade through his freshman year at West Chester University. He played with the school orchestra and band, and with the all city concert band. While in Overbrook High School, Lee got his first bass guitar, and started learning songs from the radio by ear. He became interested in the bass guitar after hearing James Jamerson on numerous Motown recordings

Bobby Zankel: The Inside Story of 'A Change of Destiny'

by Victor L. Schermer
September 21, 2023

Saxophonist, bandleader, composer and arranger Bobby Zankel has been making jazz in many ways with diverse cohorts for over a half-century. He has found his own way to create music that is both advanced and very listenable at the same time. He is loved and revered by the many musicians who have performed with him and ...

Mary Ellen Desmond: Comfort and Joy 2022 at the Church of St. Luke and the Epiphany

by Victor L. Schermer
December 21, 2022

Mary Ellen Desmond Comfort and Joy Church of St. Luke and the Epiphany Philadelphia, PA December 12, 2022 In the course of the years, it has always been a pleasure to hear Mary Ellen Desmond sing, and for the past seventeen of those years, her special ...

Philadelphia Heritage Art Ensemble

Active since: 1993

Fred Adams, an inspiring composer and bandleader, formed the Philadelphia based jazz sextet known as the Philadelphia Heritage Art Ensemble (PHAE) in 1993. The PHAE was created as a result of a proposal made by Ron Dewey Wynn to present the compositions of the late Philadelphia jazz composers Hank Mobley and Lee Morgan along with Fred's original compositions at the Mill Creek Cultural Center in Philadelphia. It was there that Fred joined the house band with additional artists and the PHAE was born.

The PHAE is keeping the Philadelphia jazz sound of the '50s and '60s alive representing the Philly East Coast hardbop sound by doing arrangements by Lee Morgan, Hank Mobley, Jymie Merritt, McCoy Tyner, Philly Joe Jones, and Dizzy Gillespie along with original compositions by Fred Adams.

The PHAE lineup includes Fred Adams leading the band on trumpet, one of three innovative jazz musicians rotating in the tenor sax chair, Brent White on trombone, one of two forward thinking Philly based jazz musicians on piano, Sonny Sunkett on bass, and Craig McIver on drums.

The band has performed at a variety of venues including Birdland in New York City, Kelsey’s and the Chicken Bone Beach Festival in Atlantic City, along with several locations in its home base of Philadelphia including Ortlieb’s Jazz Club, the Clef Club, Drummers, and the Platinum Grille

Mary Ellen Desmond: Comfort and Joy 2021

by Victor L. Schermer
December 18, 2021

Mary Ellen Desmond Comfort and Joy Church of St. Luke and the Epiphany Philadelphia, PA December 12, 2021 Mary Ellen Desmond is one of the most treasured Philadelphia-based vocalists, and for more than a decade she has provided the inspiration for and fronted the same top ...

I Wish I Knew

By Susie Meissner

Label: Lydian Jazz
Released: 2020
Track listing: The Great City; I Wish I Knew; It Could Happen To You; I’ve Grown Accustomed to Your Face; Poinciana; Alfie; Hello Young Lovers; The Shadow of Your Smile Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye; In a Mellow Tone; You Go To My Head; The Party’s Over.

Mary Ellen Desmond: Comfort and Joy 2020 Virtual Stream

by Victor L. Schermer
December 19, 2020

Mary Ellen Desmond Comfort and Joy: Virtual Stream Church of St. Luke and the Epiphany Philadelphia, PA December 13, 2020 In the course of two decades as a jazz reviewer in Philadelphia, it has often been my pleasure to hear Mary Ellen Desmond sing, and for ...

Susie Meissner: I Wish I Knew

by Jack Bowers
October 3, 2020

I wish I knew why the talented Philadelphia-based singer Susie Meissner chose to open her salute to the Great American Songbook with the only tune on the album that doesn't really qualify: Curtis Lewis' “The Great City." It's not a bad song but Cole Porter or Johnny Mandel it ain't. On the bright side, Meissner recovers ...

Poinciana

October 1, 2020

Album:
Label:
Released:
Duration: 6:19

Susie Meissner: Tea for Two

by C. Michael Bailey
September 3, 2020

Natural but determined evolution makes for well conceived and produced projects. Vocalist Susie Meissner has proved this statement as she progressed from her debut recording I'll Remember April (Lydian Jazz, 2009), through her sophomore effort, I'm Confessin' (Lydian Jazz, 2011) to the present Tea for Two. Using a well-worn repertoire, Meissner, mostly with the support of ...