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Tommy Smith

Smith grew up in the housing schemes and began his prolific career at 14 when his quartet won Best Band, and he received Best Musician Trophy at the 1981 Edinburgh Jazz Festival. A year later, he was invited to appear on the TV show 'Jazz at the Gateway' with Niels Henning Ørsted Petersen and Jon Christensen; toured with the European Youth Jazz Orchestra, and recorded his quintet for BBC Radio.

At 16, he released his first two albums, Giant Strides and Taking Off! and studied at Berklee with financial assistance from Sean Connery. He joined Gary Burton's quintet after a recommendation from Chick Corea at 18, toured worldwide, and recorded on ECM's album Whiz Kids.

Smith has documented over thirty solo albums for Blue Note, Linn, ECM and his own Spartacus Record label; toured 50+ countries, composed over 300 works, and collaborated with musicians, poets, and visual artists, including Arild Andersen, Scofield, MacCaig, Alan Davie, Kenny Munro, Jaco, Wheeler, DeJohnette, Liz Lochhead, Christine de Luca, Trilok, and poet Edwin Morgan who he developed a unique artistic relationship in 1996 collaborating on 55 works of poetry and music. In 1995 he established the SNJO and ensured its progress until funding began in 1998.

He founded the TSYJO in 2002 to provide an educational opportunity for the country's best young jazz musicians and fought to establish the first full- time jazz course in Scotland. In 2009 Smith was appointed head of Jazz at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and became Professor in 2010. Smith holds numerous jazz accolades from BBC, (2) British, (2) UK Parliamentary and (9) Scottish - Jazz Awards.

His contributions to Jazz were recognised nationally when in 1998, he became the youngest-ever recipient of an honorary Doctorate from Heriot-Watt University in recognition of his extraordinary artistic achievement. He subsequently received honorary doctorates from Glasgow Caledonian and Edinburgh Universities. In 2019 he was given an OBE for services to Jazz from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

Awards

2019 Scottish Jazz Award [Best Band]

2019 OBE for Services to Jazz from Queen Elizabeth II

2017 British Jazz Award [Big Band]

2015 Parliamentary Jazz Award [Educator]

2013 Scottish Jazz Award [Best Live Performance/SNJO] 2013 Honorary Doctorate of Music University of Edinburgh

2012 British Jazz Award [Big Band]

2012 Scottish Jazz Award [Educator] 2012 Scottish Jazz Award [Album 'KARMA']

2011 Scottish Jazz Award [Educator] 2011 Scottish Jazz Award [Big Band]

2011 Parliamentary Jazz Award [Large Ensemble/SNJO]

2009 Scottish Jazz Award [Big Band]

2009 Scottish Jazz Award [Woodwind]

2008 Honorary Doctorate of Letters Caledonian University, Glasgow

2008 Heart of Jazz Award BBC Jazz Awards#2008

2002 The British Jazz Awards [Best Tenor Saxophonist]

2000 Scottish Arts Council [Creative Scotland Award]

2000 Honorary Fellow of the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland 2000 Honorary Doctorate of the University Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh

1996 Arts Foundation/Barclays Bank [Jazz Composition Fellowship Prize]

1996 BT British Jazz Award

1992 Wavendon All Music Awards [Services to Music]

1989 British Jazz Award

1986 BBC National Big Band Competition [Outstanding Musician Award]

1981 Edinburgh Jazz Festival [Best Band]

1981 Edinburgh Jazz Festival [Best Soloist]

Gear

Roberto Romeo Saxophone Reeds Aizen Mouthpiece Bill Evans Mouthpiece

Scottish National Jazz Orchestra: In the Spirit of Duke

by Jack Bowers
July 22, 2013

It had long been saxophonist Tommy Smith's dream to perform and record a live concert of music written by or associated with the great Duke Ellington. As leader of the acclaimed Scottish National Jazz Orchestra, Smith set about making that dream come true, and in October 2012 it happened, as an enthusiastic audience saw and heard a stellar performance In the Spirit of Duke by Smith and the SNJO, one that those who weren't lucky enough to be present that ...

226

Album Review

Tommy Smith: Karma

by John Kelman
May 23, 2011

Tommy Smith is on a roll. Not that he's been on anything but for the last several years, with a string of superb albums, each as different as they are consistent in demonstrating the saxophonist's ongoing ascension as a player, writer and bandleader. But that's not all. Since returning to Scotland after graduating from Boston's Berklee College of Music in the 1980s and kick-starting his career with a series of albums on Blue Note, Smith has literally reinvented Scotland's jazz ...

244

Album Review

Tommy Smith: Torah

by John Kelman
October 19, 2010

Since returning home after schooling at Berklee College of Music, vibraphonist Gary Burton's final ECM quintet and Whiz Kids (1987), and four Blue Note discs as a leader, Tommy Smith has virtually single-handedly placed his native country on the jazz map with his Scottish National Jazz Orchestra (SNJO). He's also become a powerful advocate on the educational/mentoring front, leading the Tommy Smith Youth Jazz Orchestra and, with Exploration (Spartacus, 2007), demonstrating that it's possible to encourage mature performances from a ...

289

Album Review

The Tommy Smith Youth Jazz Orchestra featuring Joe Locke: Exploration

Read "Exploration" reviewed by John Kelman

by John Kelman
February 5, 2008

At a time when the oral jazz tradition is in increasing jeopardy, you've got to admire Tommy Smith. Berklee schooled in the 1980s, the Scottish saxophonist had a promising career in the United States. He was a member of Gary Burton's mid-1980s quintet, with the vibraphonist producing Step by Step--the first of four records Smith released on Blue Note between 1988 and 1992--featuring an all star line-up including John Scofield, Eddie Gomez and Jack DeJohnette. But after a few years ...

280

Album Review

Tommy Smith Group: Forbidden Fruit

Read "Forbidden Fruit" reviewed by John Kelman

by John Kelman
September 9, 2005

You have to respect an artist who turns his back on the possibility of significant US exposure and returns home to his country of origin instead to give back some of what he received growing up. Scottish saxophonist Tommy Smith spent a decade in the US, studying at Boston's Berklee School of Music in the early '80s, joining Gary Burton's quintet for Whiz Kids (the vibraphonist's final ECM date), and recording a series of albums for Blue Note from '88 ...

326

Album Review

Tommy Smith: Evolution

Read "Evolution" reviewed by John Kelman

by John Kelman
March 1, 2005

A member of vibraphonist Joe Locke's widely-acclaimed Four Walls of Freedom, Scottish saxophonist Tommy Smith is finally beginning to crack a broader international market. The surprise is that it's taken this long. Since returning home from the States in the late '80s, Smith has become something of a cottage industry in the UK, creating the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra, whose purview ranges from repertory classics from the likes of Charles Mingus, Count Basie and Miles Davis, to more contemporary fare ...

154

Album Review

Tommy Smith: Blue Smith

Read "Blue Smith" reviewed by Glenn Astarita

by Glenn Astarita
July 1, 2000

Scottish saxophonist Tommy Smith boasts a corpulent and ringing tone via his zealous articulation of extended notes and stylish mode of execution as he often melds tenacity with grace and eloquence. Here, Smith unites with guitarist John Scofield, bassist James Genus and drummer Clarence Penn for a jazz/blues based venture, aptly titled, Blue Smith.

In some instances, the pairing of Smith and Scofield does indeed rekindle thoughts of the guitarist’s now legendary early 90’s teaming with tenor sax icon Joe ...

Award / Grant

Royal Conservatoire of Scotland 2020 Jazz Awards

Source: All About Jazz
June 27, 2020

The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS) in jny:Glasgow today announced the winners of its 2020 Jazz Awards. Saxophonist Matt Carmichael won the Fog Arts Prize in Jazz Improvisation. The winner of the George Duncan Prize for Jazz Composition was Richard Glassby, for composing an outstanding original suite of music. Glassby commented, “These pieces were the product of a great first year at RCS, I have had the chance to work with some amazing musicians who have really brought my music ...
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Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Tommy Smith

Source: Michael Ricci
April 27, 2018

All About Jazz is celebrating Tommy Smith's birthday today!

Tommy Smith is a leading light in European jazz, first and foremost as one of the finest saxophonists of his generation, and latterly as the founder and current director of The Scottish National Jazz Orchestra (SNJO). These career-defining achievements are framed by his status as an international recording artist; a composer and arranger of extraordinary ambition; and not least, as a jazz educator... Read more.

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Recording

Monday Recommendation: Tommy Smith On Coltrane

Source: Rifftides by Doug Ramsey
August 22, 2017

Tommy Smith, Embodying The Light: A Dedication To John Coltrane (Spartacus Records) Fifty years ago in the aftermath of John Coltrane’s death, it would have seemed unlikely that a definitive tribute to the saxophone master would someday come from a Scottish tenor player. Yet, so universal is Coltrane’s presence in jazz and so deeply has Tommy Smith absorbed and incorporated his lessons that Smith’s tribute album is an important achievement and a moving listening experience. His rhythm section perfectly conforms ...
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Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Tommy Smith

Source: Michael Ricci
April 27, 2017

All About Jazz is celebrating Tommy Smith's birthday today!

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Recording

Power, Passion and Majesty - Beauty and the Beast - The Scottish National Jazz Orchestra (SNJO) directed by Tommy Smith with special guest Bill Evans (soprano and tenor saxophone)

Source: All About Jazz
November 2, 2016

CD release date October 28, 2016 on Spartacus Records Tommy Smith originally wrote his epic suite Beauty and the Beast specifically for American saxophonist Dave Liebman, a fearsome player with a generous heart. This fabulous live recording with the superbly expressive Bill Evans and the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra fully captures the colossal scale of the work, and marks the towering improvisational accomplishments of modern jazz musicians hitting peak form. Bill Evans studied under Liebman, but they have more in ...
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Recording

"Modern Jacobite" - History, Art And Identity Entwine With A New Symphonic Work By Tommy Smith

Source: Michael S. Clark
September 7, 2016

Many jazz composers and musicians now work comfortably across lines of demarcation between classical music and jazz forms. The outcome over the years has largely been a victory of good sense over tender sensibilities, with much fulfilling music to enjoy. Now, Scots tenor saxophonist Tommy Smith, with the 80-piece BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, offer music lovers a full-bodied listening experience on 'Modern Jacobite'. Modern Jacobite (released in the USA 2nd September 2016) opens with Tommy Smith’s personal interpretation of Rachmaninov’s ...
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Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Tommy Smith

Source: Michael Ricci
April 27, 2016

All About Jazz is celebrating Tommy Smith's birthday today!

Award-winning Scottish saxophonist-composer-educator Tommy Smith is a creative force in improvised music performing in settings from solo to symphonic concerts and is one of Europe’s leading musicians. He has recorded 24 solo albums as a leader for Blue Note, Linn and his own label Spartacus Records and worked with stars like Chick Corea, Gary Burton, Jack DeJohnette, Arild Andersen, Trilok Gurtu, Jaco Pastorius and John Scofield... Read more.

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Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Tommy Smith

Source: Michael Ricci
April 27, 2015

All About Jazz is celebrating Tommy Smith's birthday today! Award-winning Scottish saxophonist-composer-educator Tommy Smith is a creative force in improvised music performing in settings from solo to symphonic concerts and is one of Europe’s leading musicians. He has recorded 24 solo albums as a leader for Blue Note, Linn and his own label Spartacus Records and worked with stars like Chick Corea, Gary Burton, Jack DeJohnette, Arild Andersen, Trilok Gurtu, Jaco Pastorius and John Scofield... Read more. Place our Musician ...
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Award / Grant

The Scottish National Jazz Orchestra Directed By Tommy Smith Submits "American Adventure" CD To The 57th Grammys

Source: Michael S. Clark
October 6, 2014

In the summer of 2013, The Scottish National Jazz Orchestra were joined at Avatar Studios in New York City by Kurt Elling, Mike Stern, Randy Brecker, Dave Liebman, Bill Evans, Joe Locke, Donny McCaslin, Clarence Penn, Michael Dease and Joel Frahm to capture some great performances on American Adventure. Following universal praise, the CD has now been submitted it for consideration at the 57th Recording Academy Awards. This is a first for Scottish jazz from an orchestra that is barely ...
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Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Tommy Smith

Source: Michael Ricci
April 27, 2014

JOHN SCOFIELD “Tommy is an incredible writer and a great, great player.”

GARY BURTON “Tommy Smith, the most talented tenor sax star to arrive on the world scene in years.”

CHICK COREA “Tommy has a unique sound and approach. I like it from when I first heard him play as a student at Berklee.”

DAVID LIEBMAN “Tommy Smith is one of the best musicians around.”

JACK DeJOHNETTE “One of the important voices in the young tenor players of today.”

BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE ★★★★★

LOS ANGELES TIMES “Smith’s soloing… is superb, never more so than in a stunning, utterly solo rendering of Solitude.”

JOHN SCOFIELD “Tommy is an incredible writer and a great, great player.”

GARY BURTON “Tommy Smith, the most talented tenor sax star to arrive on the world scene in years.”

CHICK COREA “Tommy has a unique sound and approach. I like it from when I first heard him play as a student at Berklee.”

DAVID LIEBMAN “Tommy Smith is one of the best musicians around.”

JACK DeJOHNETTE “One of the important voices in the young tenor players of today.”

BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE ★★★★★

LOS ANGELES TIMES “Smith’s soloing… is superb, never more so than in a stunning, utterly solo rendering of Solitude.”

SCOTSMAN ★★★★★

PLAYBOY MAGAZINE “Smith’s artful writing makes the band sound like a petite philharmonic.”

IRISH TIMES ★★★★★

JAZZWISE “It is quite possibly his finest recording yet.”

OBSERVER Jazz CD of the week “An auspicious first release by Smith's own label”

MOJO “Scottish saxophonist/composer’s 24th album, one of his best.”

BIRMINGHAM POST “Since Stan Getz died, Smith must be one of the chief contenders for most beautiful saxophone sound in the world.”

INDEPENDENT “Smith comes across as a true star, inhabiting the sound of his saxophone in a way very few players anywhere in the world are capable of.”

DOWNBEAT “Smith’s some sax-man. Possessing a shining powerful tone and masterful technique, he creates melodies, not riffs, even if the tempo is outrageous.”

ALL ABOUT JAZZ “Were Smith still living in the US, there’s every chance he’d be the star there that he clearly is at home.”

STUART NICHOLSON - JAZZWISE “The notion that an album will last beyond an artist’s lifetime, as in the case of many classics from jazz’s Golden Years in the 1950s and 1960s, seems a thing of the past. Yet Modern Jacobite, by the strength of Tommy Smith’s epic ‘Jacobite’ suite, certainly has the potential to last beyond Smith’s lifetime. In any event, ‘Jacobite’ is a masterful piece of music.”

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