Jumaane Smith, born May 26, 1981 in Seattle, WA, has established himself as a strong leader and inspired colleague of some of the most highly acclaimed musicians in the United States and abroad. Smith is a highly versatile musician, and his performance, composition, and arranging credits range from Jazz to Classical and include a wide variety of music styles. Many of his performance credits have included music composed by and/or arranged by Mr. Smith himself. As a lead trumpeter, Smith’s ability stands out among most trumpeters of today.
“One of the top 25 young trumpeters with the potential to shape the future of jazz,” - DOWNBEAT JAZZ MAGAZINE, June 2007
Jumaane has performed and recorded with artists such as: Rashied Ali, Stevie Wonder, Quincy Jones, Alicia Keys, Michael Buble, John Mayer, Boys II Men, John Legend, The Jonas Brothers, Brian McKnight, Bobby Brown, Renee Fleming, Norman Brown, Natalie Cole, Guy Sebastian, Rickey Minor, Ledisi, Paul Anka, James Ingram, Patti Austin, Michael McDonald, Reggie Workman, Dr. Billy Taylor, Benny Golson, Wynton Marsalis, Ravi Coltrane, Wycliffe Gordon, Jon Faddis, Jimmy Heath, Eddie Locke, Bobby Short, Christian McBride, Herb Jeffries, Frank Lowe, Derrick Hodge, Antoine Roney, Michael Bland, Sonny Thompson, Renee Olstead, Snooky Young, Eric Reed, Ron Blake, Chris Botti, Gerald Wilson, Carl Allen, Joe Wilder, Rodney Whitaker, James Hurt, Jeff Watts, John Clayton, Jeff Clayton, Bennie Maupin, Vinnie Colaiuta, Nathan East, Herlin Riley, Wes Anderson, Don Friedman, Clark Terry, Loren Schoenberg, and Percy Heath.
“Jumaane Smith on trumpet, a young man who plays with fiery conviction and the technical virtuosity of a seasoned veteran,” - JAZZ TIMES MAGAZINE
Smith has performed at a variety of legendary venues; among them Madison Square Garden, Royal Albert Hall, Sydney Opera House, Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Birdland Jazz Club, Blue Note, Iridium, Jazz Standard, Café Carlyle, Knitting Factory, Alice Tully Hall, Avery Fisher Hall, Radio City Music Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center, and the Village Vanguard.
Mr. Smith has also performed on a variety of television shows including the 2009 Grammy Awards with Stevie Wonder and the Jonas Brothers, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The David Letterman Show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Today Show, The Chris Isaak Show, American Idol, and many others around the world.
“The young and ultra-talented Jumaane Smith was on trumpet,” - Timothy Stout, GLIDE MAGAZINE
Jumaane has also toured with a variety of ensembles throughout North America, Central America, The United Kingdom, Europe, Asia and Australia. Smith’s performances abroad have included many music festivals, such as the Montreux Jazz Festival, the North Sea Jazz Festival, and the Montreal Jazz Festival. In 2002, he was selected to attend and perform at the International Academy of Achievement Summit in Dublin, Ireland as a “Marsalis Scholar” and was recognized as one of the first musicians ever selected to attend the event. In 2004, Jumaane Smith performed at the White House in the legendary East Room as part of the declaration of February as Black Music Month.
“Though it was the technical virtuosity, brash tone and soulful melodic flow of trumpeter Jumaane Smith that really impressed,” - Mike Hobart, FINANCIAL TIMES, London UK
Jumaane started playing the trumpet at age nine and four years later at the tender age of twelve Smith started taking lessons with the late great Floyd Sandifer who was the chief of Seattle's legendary jazz tradition. Shortly thereafter Smith attend Roosevelt High School and was mentored by the great Scott Brown who consistently inspires his music program to be renowned across the nation.
Jumaane then moved to New York City in January of 2000 to attend New School University on scholarship where he studied with artists such as Jimmy Owens, Cecil Bridgewater, Charles Tolliver, Nick Payton, Jon Faddis and Freddie Hubbard. In spring of 2001 Jumaane met legendary jazz drummer Rashied Ali, known for his innovative approach to jazz and by his work with his own mentor John Coltrane. Rashied Ali proceeded to mentor Smith for many years. In 2001, Smith was accepted with a full scholarship into The Juilliard School of Music to participate in the inaugural class of jazz studies. During the following four years at The Juilliard School, Smith studied with many world-renowned trumpeters, such as Wynton Marsalis, Mark Gould, Lew Soloff, Joe Wilder, and Terell Stafford among many others.
“25-year-old Seattle trumpeter Jumaane Smith was blowing like a young Woody Shaw,” - Jack Massarik, THE PHOENIX MAGAZINE
“Trumpeter Jumaane Smith plays as if he’s absorbed it all from Louis and Henry ‘Red’ Allen to Don Cherry,” - Nate Chinen, JAZZWISE MAGAZINE, October 2006
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