Michael S. Smith
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Michael Scott Smith (January 30, 1946 – January 2, 2006) was an American jazz drummer and percussionist.
| Michael Smith | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Michael Scott Smith |
| Also known as | Mike Smith |
| Born | January 30, 1946 |
| Died | January 2, 2006 (aged 59) |
| Genre(s) | Jazz, Avant-garde music, Ambient music, Soul music |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instrument(s) | Drums, percussion |
| Years active | 1965-2005 |
Contents |
[edit] Career
Based in the Washington D.C. - Baltimore area for most of his 40-year career, Smith played with many jazz greats including, but not limited to Dave Liebman, Herbie Hancock, John Abercrombie, Randy Brecker, Tommy Flanagan, Billy Eckstein, Astrud Gilberto, Freddie Hubbard, Herb Ellis, and Milt Jackson.
He grew up in Meadville, Pennsylvania where his father exposed him to jazz at an early age. At age 8, Smith began taking drum lessons from local jazz drummer, Cootie Harris. His father and Harris took young Smith to local jam sessions throughout Northwestern PA.
Smith's early influences included drummers Art Blakey and Philly Joe Jones. Inspired by the playing of young prodigy Tony Williams, Smith developed his own style using polyrhythms, metric modulation, and intricate cymbal work that would define his playing for the rest of his career.
As a student at Youngstown State University from 1964-67, Smith played gigs in and around Youngstown and Pittsburgh. He soon got the attention of some well-known jazz musicians, including vibraphonist Gary Burton. Burton asked him to join his ensemble on tour, but Smith declined due to fear of being drafted and sent to Vietnam. (Smith eventually dropped out of college, was immediately drafted, then classified as 4-F due to a history of migraine headaches).
In 1967, Smith transferred to Howard University in Washington D.C. where he was tapped to play with jazz pianist Bobby Timmons at the famed Bohemian Caverns jazz club.
In 1969, he joined friend and arco bassist Terry Plumeri in the group, Love, Cry, Want, a free-improvisation trio with jazz, blues, and rock influences. Smith eventually recorded with Plumeri on two albums, "He Who Lives In Many Places" (1971) featuring Herbie Hancock and John Abercrombie, and "Water Garden" (1978) (formerly titled "Ongoing") with Abercrombie, Ralph Towner, and the National Symphony String Quartet. In 2007, these two albums were re-issued on CD by GMMC records.
Smith moved briefly to Hartford, Connecticut in the late 1960s where he helped form the ambient music group, The Entourage Music And Theater Ensemble with Joe Clark, Rusti Clark, and Wall Matthews. This group made two recordings for Folkways Records and performed in theaters in combination with dance ensembles. In 2003, the electronic music artist Four Tet sampled the Entourage composition, "Neptune Rising", and used it as the basis for the hit single, "She Moves She." Smith (and Matthews) later received a royalty payment from Four Tet for the use of the copyrighted material.
He toured nationally with Roberta Flack from 1971 to 1972, but found the rigors of touring to be exhausting. He left Flack's band and returned to his home base in Washington D.C. where he performed and recorded with local jazz musicians. However, big name jazz musicians would always seek him out when playing in the Washington D.C. area. During the 1980s, Smith was the go-to drummer for saxophonist Dave Liebman and singer/song writter Mose Allison whenever they came to Washington.
The Washington Post included Smith in its 1974 Who's Who of D.C. artists and musicians.
In 1976, Smith traveled to Germany to record with pianist Steve Kuhn for ECM Records. In 1980, he recorded with pianist/bassist Don Thompson on Concord Records. He toured Europe and appeared with pianist Adam Mackowicz at the North Sea Jazz Festival in 1985 and 1987 playing to large appreciative crowds.
Late in his career, Smith continued to play jazz clubs and record with local musicians until prostate cancer sidelined him shortly before his death in early 2006. A tribute to Smith was held at Blues Alley a week after his death.
[edit] Personal Life
Smith met 19 year-old artist Sharon Hoeffler in late 1977 while playing a standing gig at the One Step Down jazz club. They were married in 1986. A child, Matthew Smith, was stillborn in 1987. They had no other children and divorced in 1998. Sharon Smith, a trained nurse, re-entered Smith's life in the last few months of his life to help with his care and was at his bedside when he died.
[edit] Selected Discography
- Terry Plumeri - He Who Lives in Many Places (1971)
- The Entourage Music And Theater Ensemble (1973)
- The Neptune Collection (1975)
- Steve Kuhn & Ecstasy - Motility (1977)
- Terry Plumeri - Ongoing (1978)
- Don Thompson Quartet - A Beautiful Friendship (1980)
- David Kane - March Heir (1988)
- Tekke - Tekke (1989)
- Eddie Vann - New Shades (1991)
- Rob Levit - Silence (1999)
- Broto Roy - Total Immersion (2000)
- David Kane - Grey Matters (2005)
[edit] Notes
- Washington Post Obit 1/9/2006
- On the Town: After Dark Fare Changes for Fall, The Washington Post, Times Herald; September 5, 1965, pg. G4
- Jazz Review
- Pastoral Rock and Programmed Lights,The Washington Post,Times Herald; Aug 22, 1969, pg. B1
- Mose Allison, The Washington Post; January 3, 1986, pg. B8
- Who's Who, The Washington Post; September 8, 1974, pg. POA14
- Steve Kuhn, The Washington Post; June 26, 1978,pg. B9
[edit] External links
- Mike Smith Tribute By David Kane
- David Kane Official Website
- Terry Plumeri Official Website
- The Entourage MTE Official Website
- Bohemian Caverns
- Blues Alley
|
||||||||||||||||
 |
This article on a drummer is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
