Stuff Smith has played with:
Dizzy Gillespie
Duke Ellington
Stephane Grappelly
Oscar Peterson
Ella Fitzgerald
Jean luc Ponty
Svend Asmussen
Oscar Aleman
Influences
Louis Armstrong, Joe Venuti, Duke Ellington, Fats Waller
Hezekiah Leroy Gordon Smith (September 14, 1909 - September 25, 1967), better known as Stuff Smith, was a jazz violinist.
Smith was, along with Stéphane Grappelli and Joe Venuti, one of jazz music's preeminent violinists of the swing era. He was born in Portsmouth, Ohio in 1909 and studied violin with his father. Smith cited Louis Armstrong as his primary influence and inspiration to play jazz, and like Armstrong, was a vocalist as well as instrumentalist. In the 1920s he played in Texas as a member of Alphonse Trent's band. After moving to New York he had a regular gig with his sextet at the Onyx Club starting in 1935 and also performed with Coleman Hawkins as well as with younger musicians such as Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie, and later, Sun Ra. Smith was critical of the bebop movement, although his own style represented a transition between swing and bebop. He is credited as being the first violinist to use electric amplification techniques on a violin. He contributed to the song "It's Wonderful (1938)" often performed by Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald throughout their careers. Smith moved to Copenhagen in 1965, performed actively in Europe, and died in Munich in 1967.
After you've finished here, you may like to hear this folk-carol on myspace... Poem 230 of 230, WalkaboutsVerse (see my blog for details): CHRISTMAS SUNG SIMPLY
As gospellers have said, Beneath signalling skies, On land dusty to tread, A trough in a stable Was the strawy first-bed Of a divine baby - The forgiving Godhead.
A season for new hope - There then and here now; The yuletide of goodwill - There then and here now.
In respect of this chance, Beneath bright or dark skies, Faith's the star that we glance Attending Christ's churches And trying to enhance, With singing and ritual, Our God-loving stance.
Thanks for the add and for helping us remember the great musicians that came before. Awesome music! Peace from Nashville - Joni 'Dennis McGee, cajun fiddler' / acrylic on peg-board / c joni bishop
