Jabbo Smith
Encyclopedia
Jabbo Smith, born as Cladys Smith (24 December 1908 – 16 January 1991) was a United States
jazz
musician
, known for his hot virtuoso playing on the trumpet
.
Smith was born in Pembroke, Georgia
. At the age of 6 he went into the Jenkins Orphanage
in Charleston, South Carolina
where he learned trumpet and trombone
, and by age 10 was touring with the Jenkins Band. At age 16 he left the Orphanage to become a professional musician, at first playing in bands in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
and Atlantic City, New Jersey
before making his base in Manhattan
, New York City
from about 1925 through 1928, where he made the first of his well regarded recordings.
In 1928 he toured with James P. Johnson
's Orchestra when their show broke up in Chicago, Illinois, where Smith stayed for a few years. His series of 20 recordings for Brunswick Records
in 1929 are his most famous (19 were issued), and Smith was billed as a rival to Louis Armstrong
. Unfortunately, most of these records didn't sell well enough for Brunswick to extend his contract.
In March 1935 in Chicago, Smith was featured in a recording session produced by Helen Oakley
under the name of Charles LaVere & His Chicagoans, which included a vocal by both Smith and LaVere on LaVere's composition and arrangement of "Boogaboo Blues". It is an early example of inter-racial blues recordings, although far from the first as such had been made at least since c. 1921.
In the 1930s, Smith moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin
which would be his main base for many years, alternating with returns to New York. In Milwaukee he collaborated with saxophonist Bill Johnson
. Subsequently, Smith dropped out of the public eye, playing music part time in Milwaukee with a regular job at an automobile
hire company.
Jabbo Smith made a comeback starting in the late 1960s. Many young musicians, fans, and record collectors were surprised to learn that the star of those great 1920s recordings was still alive. Smith successfully played with bands and shows in New York, New Orleans, Louisiana
, London
, and France
through the 1970s and into the 1980s.
Concerts in France, Italy, Switzerland and Netherlands with the HOT ANTIC JAZZ BAND. Recorded live: Jabbo Smith, European Concerts w. the Hot Antic Jazz Band (MECD 004)
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
, known for his hot virtuoso playing on the trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
.
Smith was born in Pembroke, Georgia
Pembroke, Georgia
Pembroke is a small city in Bryan County, Georgia, United States. The population was 2,379 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Bryan County.Pembroke is part of the Savannah Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
. At the age of 6 he went into the Jenkins Orphanage
Jenkins Orphanage
The Jenkins Orphanage was established in 1891 by Rev. Daniel J. Jenkins in Charleston, South Carolina. Jenkins was a former slave turned minister who, upon stumbling across homeless youths, decided to organize an orphanage for young African American children...
in Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
where he learned trumpet and trombone
Trombone
The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
, and by age 10 was touring with the Jenkins Band. At age 16 he left the Orphanage to become a professional musician, at first playing in bands in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
and Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...
before making his base in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
from about 1925 through 1928, where he made the first of his well regarded recordings.
In 1928 he toured with James P. Johnson
James P. Johnson
James P. Johnson was an American pianist and composer...
's Orchestra when their show broke up in Chicago, Illinois, where Smith stayed for a few years. His series of 20 recordings for Brunswick Records
Brunswick Records
Brunswick Records is a United States based record label. The label is currently distributed by E1 Entertainment.-From 1916:Records under the "Brunswick" label were first produced by the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company...
in 1929 are his most famous (19 were issued), and Smith was billed as a rival to Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong , nicknamed Satchmo or Pops, was an American jazz trumpeter and singer from New Orleans, Louisiana....
. Unfortunately, most of these records didn't sell well enough for Brunswick to extend his contract.
In March 1935 in Chicago, Smith was featured in a recording session produced by Helen Oakley
Helen Oakley Dance
Helen Margaret Oakley Dance, née Oakley was a jazz journalist, producer, historian, and musician. She is perhaps best known for production and for her biography of T-Bone Walker...
under the name of Charles LaVere & His Chicagoans, which included a vocal by both Smith and LaVere on LaVere's composition and arrangement of "Boogaboo Blues". It is an early example of inter-racial blues recordings, although far from the first as such had been made at least since c. 1921.
In the 1930s, Smith moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
which would be his main base for many years, alternating with returns to New York. In Milwaukee he collaborated with saxophonist Bill Johnson
Bill Johnson (reed player)
Bill Johnson was an American alto saxophonist, clarinetist, and arranger....
. Subsequently, Smith dropped out of the public eye, playing music part time in Milwaukee with a regular job at an automobile
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
hire company.
Jabbo Smith made a comeback starting in the late 1960s. Many young musicians, fans, and record collectors were surprised to learn that the star of those great 1920s recordings was still alive. Smith successfully played with bands and shows in New York, New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
through the 1970s and into the 1980s.
Concerts in France, Italy, Switzerland and Netherlands with the HOT ANTIC JAZZ BAND. Recorded live: Jabbo Smith, European Concerts w. the Hot Antic Jazz Band (MECD 004)
External links
- Jabbo Smith on Red Hot Jazz site - with audio files of some of his vintage recordings
- Cladys "Jabbo" Smith on kenyon.edu - with audio files and a short interview
- Jabbo Smith bio on Jazzhot.bigstep.com
- Jabbo Smith on African American Registry site