The Jazz Organ Scene
USA
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Donald Smith
Donald was born in Richmond, Virginia as the son of an internationally known member
of the Harmonizing Four, the oldest living professional gospel group in the USA.
Donald attended school in Richmond. Upon graduation he entered the University of
Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and majored in music. While a member of the school jazz
band they won three national collegiate awards as the outstanding jazz band in the
country. Individually Donald won the national collegiate award for best male vocalist
two consecutive years. In the Champaign-Urbana community Donald performed as organist
and flutist with the renowned Tony Zamora Territorial Band. This group was well known
in the Tri-State area of Illinois, Indiana and Iowa not only for the music played, but
for the number of musicians who have entered the teaching field of American-Classical
Music and professional ranks worldwide.
As a pianist, organist and vocalist, Donald has performed and recorded with many nationally and internationally known artists including: Art Blakey, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Benny Carter, Archie Shepp, Dizzy Gillespie, Jackie McLean, Leon Thomas, Pharoah Sanders, Oliver Lake, Yon and Chico Freeman, and Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Big Band. Donald was the lead vocalist and Flautist with his brother Lonnie Liston Smith for five years. In the early 1980's, he recorded with Lester Bowie, Oliver Lake, and Craig Harris. Later, he was a steady guest in the New York club St. Nick's Pub. |
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Click on the logo to see Donald's tour dates. |
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The Great Pretender ECM Records ECM 120 recorded June 1981 in Ludwigsburg/Germany |
Lester Bowie, trumpet Hamiet Bluiett, baritone sax Donald Smith, piano, organ Fred Williams, bass Phillip Wilson, drums David Peaston, vocals Fontella Bass, vocals |
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Breath Of Life Electra/Nonesuch 79309 recorded April and September 1992 in USA |
Hamiet Bluiett, baritone sax, contra-alto clarinet Arthur Blythe, alto sax Oliver Lake, alto sax David Murray, tenor sax, bass clarinet Amina Claudine Myers, organ Donald Smith, piano, organ Fred Hopkins, bass Tarik Shah, bass Ronnie Burrage, drums Gene Lake, drums Fontella Bass, vocals, piano |
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