| Artist: Tommy Smith |
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| Discography: Tommy Smith |
| Wikipedia: Tommy Smith (saxophonist) |
| Tommy Smith | |
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| Background information | |
| Born | 27 April 1967 |
| Genre(s) | Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician (composer, educator, orchestra director) |
| Instrument(s) | Saxophone |
| Label(s) | Spartacus Records |
| Website | http://www.tommysmith.co.uk |
| Notable instrument(s) | |
| Saxophone | |
Dr Tommy Smith (born 27 April 1967 in Edinburgh, Scotland) is a jazz saxophonist, composer and educator.
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Smith grew up in the Wester Hailes area of Edinburgh and was encouraged to learn the tenor saxophone from the age of 12 onwards. [1] At the age of 16, he obtained a scholarship to study at Berklee College of Music [2]. There he joined Gary Burton's group.
He has become one of Scotland's leading jazz musicians and composers, an internationally recognised soloist and bandleader since the late-1980s and the musical director and driving force behind the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra and his own Youth Jazz Orchestra.
His CV, since touring and recording the Whiz Kids (ECM Records) album with vibraphonist Gary Burton at the age of eighteen, includes a total of twenty-three albums under his own name for Hep Records, GFM, Blue Note Records, Linn Records and his own Spartacus label.
Smith has worked in jazz groups and big bands, and has recorded and toured with world-renowned jazz musicians including Joe Lovano, David Liebman, Benny Golson, Joe Locke, Gary Burton, Chick Corea, Tommy Flanagan, John Scofield, John Patitucci, Miroslav Vitous, Arild Andersen, Trilok Gurtu, Jack DeJohnette, Jon Christensen, John Taylor, Joanne Brackeen and Kenny Wheeler.
He has composed for and performed with classical orchestras and ensembles including the Orchestra of St. John's Square, the Scottish Ensemble, the Edinburgh Youth Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Icelandic Symphony Orchestra, Scottish Chamber Orchestra and the Paragon Ensemble. He has also recorded and performed with classical pianist Murray McLachlan, pop groupHue & Cry, and Scottish traditional musicians including Gaelic singer Karen Matheson and accordionist/keyboards player Donald Shaw from Capercaillie, and Iraqi oud virtuoso Naseer Shamma.
His work with the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra includes programmes of Pat Metheny, Oliver Nelson, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus, Benny Goodman, Gil Evans, Stan Kenton, Thelonious Monk, Steely Dan, John Coltrane and Maria Schneider as well as Smith's own compositions such as Beauty and the Beast for David Liebman and Torah for Joe Lovano, and his many acclaimed achievements include his work for solo saxophone 'Alone At Last', utilising samples, harmonizer, loop machine and surround-sound concerts to 48 venues over the U.S., France, Germany, Sweden and the UK.
In recognition of his artistic achievements, Smith was made Doctor of the University by Heriot-Watt University in his home town, Edinburgh on 14 July 1999 and the following year, on 4 May 2000, he became Honorary Fellow of the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland. The British Jazz Award for best tenor saxophonist followed in May 2002. On Burns Night, 25 January 2000, Smith was announced as one of the first fourteen recipients of the Scottish Arts Council's Creative Scotland Awards. The award helped to fulfil his ambition of performing Alone At Last, a solo concert programme using tenor and soprano saxophones, high-tech equipment, poetry, natural sounds and special effects, which he toured extensively throughout Scotland and beyond in 2001. In 2008 Smith received his second doctorate from Glasgow Caledonian University for his services to music in Scotland. Also that year he won a prestigious BBC 'Heart of Jazz' Award.
His work in jazz education began while working for Gary Burton in 1986 when the group had to present masterclasses to international students all over the world, this kind of work continued with his own groups until 1990 when he starting teaching at Broughton High School in Edinburgh with John Rae, Brian Kellock and Kenny Ellis. 1993 when he began teaching improvisation at Napier University. In 1995 he created the curriculum for the National Jazz Institute in Glasgow which he directed until 1998. He has given masterclasses all over Europe, Americas and Asia. His private students include Steve Hamilton, Stuart Gorman, Graeme Scott, Theo Forrest, Paul Booth, Konrad Wisznieski, Tom MacNiven, Allon Beauvoisin, Paul Towndrow, Fraser Campbell and Jo Fooks.
In 2009 Jazz Education in Scotland takes a major leap forward with introduction of the country’s first-ever full-time jazz courses at The Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. Designed for students at Undergraduate and Postgraduate Diploma and MMus levels, these specialist pathways for jazz musicians will be created and led by Tommy Smith and will offer tuition from the best jazz musicians in Scotland. Specialist tutors trumpeter Ryan Quigley, trombonist Chris Greive, guitarist Kevin Mackenzie, pianist Paul Harrison, bassist Mario Caribe, and drummer Alyn Cosker are all Scottish-based musicians with growing international reputations and represent the cream of a currently flourishing Scottish jazz scene.
Tommy Smith, who will teach the saxophone students personally, said: “This is an exciting development and a tremendous boost for the scene. For many years Scotland has lagged behind almost every country in Europe in not having a full-time jazz course and yet we’ve produced dozens of talented players who have been forced to go America and England to study. Now instead of looking elsewhere, they can receive top level tuition here on their doorstep.”
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 | Standards (1991 Album by Tommy Smith) |
| Whiz Kids (1986 Album by Gary Burton Quintet) |
| The Red Crayola (Rock Band, '60s) |
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