Posted 5 Mar 2020 James Falzone reports on his Facebook page that Bill Smith, the clarinetist that played with Dave Brubeck, died on March 4, 2020. If so, he was 93. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted 5 Mar 2020 Sorry to hear this. He used "William O. Smith" for his classical efforts and Bill Smith in jazz settings. I love his "Folk Jazz" album. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted 6 Mar 2020 Very sad to hear. A painter/drummer friend of mine won the Grande Prix de Rome for art the same time that Smith won it for music, and they had a lot of fun doing jazz gigs in Italy. They played in a band with Mussolini's son, and had a lot of great stories about it. He played me some multi-movement piece that Smith wrote for a large jazz ensemble, and it was dynamite! I also loved the Folk Jazz album he made with Shelly Manne and Jim Hall. RIP to a great artist... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted 6 Mar 2020 VERY VERY VERY SAD TO HEAR, RIP WILLIAM O SMITH I saw him as recently as 2018 and at least once before that (c. 2010), in solo setting//ensemble performing the pieces of I ALSO SAW HIM DO HIS THING WITH DAVE BRUBECK QUARTET ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, THIS WAS A SPECIAL RARE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR BILL SIT IN AS SPECIAL GUEST, the way they did it is bobby milatelo would play set one, and bill smith would play set two. always made regional Brubeck concerts even more engaging Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted 6 Mar 2020 I haven´t heard much, but I think he is on two Extended tracks on the Impulse Album "Americans in Europe", and what I heard on that, sure sounds good. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted 6 Mar 2020 I saw the Dave Brubeck Quartet with Bill Smith several times, including a set in 1992 where an oud player sat in with them for several tracks. I think that Smith was the last surviving member of the Brubeck Octet. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted 6 Mar 2020 Smith appeared on several albums on Contemporary (in addition to his own Folk Jazz), such as: Red Norvo. Music to Listen to Red Norvo By Shelly Manne. Concerto for Clarinet & Combo Barney Kessel Plays Carmen. He also is on albums by the American Jazz Ensemble on RCA Victor and Epic. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted 6 Mar 2020 This is my favorite performance by Mr. Smith: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted 6 Mar 2020 (edited) 17 hours ago, sgcim said: Ver 17 hours ago, sgcim said: . 17 hours ago, sgcim said: Very sad to hear. A painter/drummer friend of mine won the Grande Prix de Rome for art the same time that Smith won it for music, and they had a lot of fun doing jazz gigs in Italy. They played in a band with Mussolini's son, and had a lot of great stories about it. He played me some multi-movement piece that Smith wrote for a large jazz ensemble, and it was dynamite! I also loved the Folk Jazz album he made with Shelly Manne and Jim Hall. RIP to a great artist... I emailed the sad news about Bill Smith to the above mentioned friend, and he corrected me on a few things: "It was Prix De Rome, and Bill won it for Musical Composition in 1958, four years before me. Bill never played with Romano Mussolini Romano's bass player, Carlo LaFredo, brought me into Romano's band At the time Carlo was playing with the American Jazz Ensemble, the quartet led by Bill and Johnny Eaton." Edited 6 Mar 2020 by sgcim Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted 6 Mar 2020 Like Mel Powell, a guy who had an entirely separate - and quite productive - musical life away from jazz. https://www.discogs.com/artist/378105-William-O-Smith Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted 6 Mar 2020 10 hours ago, Ken Dryden said: I think that Smith was the last surviving member of the Brubeck Octet. I think you're right ...... R.I.P., Mr. Smith. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted 7 Mar 2020 2 hours ago, JSngry said: Like Mel Powell, a guy who had an entirely separate - and quite productive - musical life away from jazz. https://www.discogs.com/artist/378105-William-O-Smith i one billion percent saw him do that.................. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted 7 Mar 2020 6 hours ago, sgcim said: I emailed the sad news about Bill Smith to the above mentioned friend, and he corrected me on a few things: "It was Prix De Rome, and Bill won it for Musical Composition in 1958, four years before me. Bill never played with Romano Mussolini Romano's bass player, Carlo LaFredo, brought me into Romano's band At the time Carlo was playing with the American Jazz Ensemble, the quartet led by Bill and Johnny Eaton." Tony Scott played with Romano Mussolini. Perhaps that's the source of the confusion. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted 9 Mar 2020 On 3/6/2020 at 10:02 PM, jazztrain said: Tony Scott played with Romano Mussolini. Perhaps that's the source of the confusion. No, just my crap memory... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted 10 Mar 2020 (edited) I was fortunate to hear Bill Smith in a number of different settings. He was well appreciated in Seattle, both as a jazz player/composer and as an academic at the University of Washington. Edited 10 Mar 2020 by Utevsky Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
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