Johnny Smith

[Cunamara]

I was just taking off JS' re-harmonization of a tune from one of his Roost records for a big band chart I'm writing, and I can't believe how hip it is.
Underestimating or ignoring this guy is a huge mistake. I also copied a chorus of his pianist, Bob Pancoast, and is ideas are so hip and musically solid, it's almost frightening that they were doing these things almost 70 years ago!

In one interview he said his guitar chordal movements were voiced the same way he'd have voiced a horn section. I think these folks (JS, Miles, Trane, Monk, Strayhorn, Gil, etc... not that JS would have put himself in that group!) had a degree of musical sophistication that was rare and that few approach now. Maria Schneider, Charlie Haden, a few others. These are rare talents.

[Cunamara]

A recording I didn't know about until yesterday. Johnny Smith performing "The Annotations of the Muses" composed by Johnny Richards. This was recorded in 1955, according to Lin Flanagan's biography:

And as a bonus the famous Schoenberg concerto conducted by Dmitri Mitropolous, when Smith deputized for a classical guitarist who couldn't read the part:

[neatomic]

And as a bonus the famous Schoenberg concerto conducted by Dmitri Mitropolous, when Smith deputized for a classical guitarist who couldn't read the part:

so funny...i was going to post that one myself! johnny played his epi emperor on the schoenberg session...acoustically!...it was later stolen during a nbc gig




cheers

[Greentone]

Did the thief get JS's gun, too? (Johnny "Nails" Smith used to carry a revolver in the neck pocket of his guitar case. Semper vigiles.)

[No judgment implied, here, by the way. I have long been a Smith devotee.]

[neatomic]

johnny was not sugar coated...he was a WW II vet... played trumpet in the army...

when he was approached last minute to do the schoenberg session ^, after a long day in the nbc pit...he took the score and stuck it under his bed and went out on the town..a real bender...(johnny liked his drinkin...)

still intoxicated, he got a call to come for his audition right away...johnny showed up and said though he could hardly hold the guitar, he still did enough to secure the session

when the session occurred a few days later, he nailed it in one take!

cheers

[Greentone]

I work with lots of musicians. Everyone reads music. Very few are brilliant sight readers. I've played in orchestras and I would say that most classical musicians are adept at sight reading, but nowhere near brilliant (me included). I have run into some true machines, however. You put anything in front of them and BAM!

Smith, Tommy Tedesco, etc., were really gifted when it cam to this sort of thing.

[neatomic]

totally agree gt..but schoenberg might be a bit tougher to sight read!

i left out that johnny holed up with one of the great nbc pianists, irwin kostel, and woodshedded for a few days before the recording!!

still nailed a complicated score tho....and went over so well..it was a live recording..they encored it for the audience!!

cheers

[Cunamara]

johnny was not sugar coated...he was a WW II vet... played trumpet in the army...

when he was approached last minute to do the schoenberg session ^, after a long day in the nbc pit...he took the score and stuck it under his bed and went out on the town..a real bender...(johnny liked his drinkin...)

still intoxicated, he got a call to come for his audition right away...johnny showed up and said though he could hardly hold the guitar, he still did enough to secure the session

when the session occurred a few days later, he nailed it in one take!

cheers

Johnny hung over, still half drunk, with the shakes and barely able to see would still a better musician than I will ever be stone cold sober.

Geez, after one beer my fingers barely work. I always had to hold off on having a drink at gigs until after all the music was over.

[ronjazz]

My understanding of Johnny Smith (which is limited), is that he wouldn't say much either way, but if he did say something it would be positive. BUT that doesn't mean that is how he actually felt. I.e. for many people (especially those before the social media era), what they say publicly might not be what they actually feel. This use to be viewed as having a degree of class.

Bottom line; it is folly for anyone to say what they believe someone like Smith would say, one way or the other.

Your narrow-mindedness is showing. And you've destroyed your own bottom line. But, if you find no value in Frisell or Metheny, then it's your loss.

[jameslovestal]

Your narrow-mindedness is showing. And you've destroyed your own bottom line. But, if you find no value in Frisell or Metheny, then it's your loss.

Hey, ronjazz, I assume you misused the "quote" feature. Re-read what you posted here; your reply has nothing to do with what I posted (and what you have quoted).

AGAIN: all I said what that it was folly for anyone TODAY to imply what some one DEAD would have to say about current players.

[Cunamara]

This is on the NAMM website; I had never seen this. The full interview is 41 minutes long.

Johnny Smith | Oral Histories | NAMM.org

[Max405]

This is on the NAMM website; I had never seen this. The full interview is 41 minutes long.

Johnny Smith | Oral Histories | NAMM.org

C, you made my night. I really appreciate this.
JD

[Max405]

After listening to the entire interview I didn’t learn anything new. But it reaffirmed what I knew already and that was Johnny was a truly warm and wonderful human being. And listening to “muses”, also proved what I’ve known all along. Johnny was the greatest guitar player i will ever hear in my lifetime.
That’s my hero right there. And I am very to say that.
Joe D

[Marinero]

There have been a few mentions about mistakes. When you play live, they are always just around the corner. And, they happen because people are not machines . . . they are people. For musicians who play live, you know you bring a bag of mistakes with you every time you play. They can come from losing focus, not feeling well, inebriation, a bad day, or just simply mechanical errors. Your audience rarely notices them. Perhaps, a few musicians will hear them. However, they are more profound when playing Classical Music since you are playing from a score that requires exactitude, precision, and certitude. Not so much in Jazz since ,if you're fast on your feet, you can turn it into something else and recover. If I am going to judge a musician, I want to hear him/her live before an audience where sound and mistakes cannot be manipulated by a recording engineer. It's a good night, indeed, when the gremlins don't visit. Play live! . . . Marinero

[Cunamara]

Those old jazz recordings were "live in the studio," union-required to complete a minimum recording of three songs in four hours for which they received union scale pay. Jazz musicians in the so-called golden age rarely if ever saw royalty payments, as the recording contract assigned those rights to the studio as a matter of course. Record companies have stolen from artists since the beginning. Johnny Smith himself did not receive any royalties from his famed Roost records until after the death of Reddy Reig, the label owner, who left a partial payment of back royalties in his will. Johnny didn't get royalties from his last three recordings (on Verve?) until an interview in Guitar Player magazine brought that forth and the interviewer contacted the label about it. This was why Johnny stopped recording, which he didn't much like very much anyway. FWIW John Coltrane got union scale for Giant Steps and that, reportedly, was it- like $500.

There were rarely overdubs or punch-ins, due to there being no budget for that and no isolation for the various instruments anyway, and little if any rehearsal unless it was a group that had been playing live. Things are very different nowadays, with Pat Metheny famously stitching together different takes and the like, just as one example. But Kind of Blue, Giant Steps, etc., were all live performances in the studio and often the first take. No different than a club gig, just a much smaller and very quiet audience.

[wintermoon]

"and little if any rehearsal unless it was a group that had been playing live"

This is generally true but Blue Note frequently had paid rehearsals and Alfred Lion would often put out food and soft drinks.
These gestures relaxed the musicians and many feel is a big reason the label's recordings are so consistently excellent.

[AllanAllen]

I never knew Johnny Smith recorded with Benny Goodman! I didn't even realize that when I bought this record.

[sgcim]

I never knew Johnny Smith recorded with Benny Goodman! I didn't even realize that when I bought this record.

As usual, Benny hogs the whole thing, but you can hear Smith smokin' on cut A-5- "After You've Gone- one full chorus, and then a lot of riffing with the noisy King.
He also gets one chorus on Honeysuckle Rose plus a lot of great riffing with the boys.
Finally on One O'clock Jump, just a lot of riffing, but the you tube video sometimes ends early on the cut before, "I Found a New Baby.

Benny is such a hog, he tries to cut JS on HR, but JS hangs in there and the King backs off.
Even two choruses of JS is more satisfying than that Kitty Kat album with Jim Hall's overly bassy sound and weak fill-ins. I wonder who the rhythm guitar player and excellent flute player were?

[Cunamara]

Barry Galbraith was a rhythm guitar fixture in the studios in those days, might've been him. If it wasn't Johnny, that is.

[AllanAllen]

Why wouldn’t Johnny Smith play rhythm guitar too?

[daveg]

Here is the part of the BG Disco which shows JS. JS can be heard on all tracks but only solos on the highlighted tracks.

P.S. I have not heard the post-June '51 Tracks.

Benny Goodman Sextet : Benny Goodman (cl) Terry Gibbs (vib) Teddy Wilson (p) Johnny Smith (g) Bob Carter (b) Terry Snyder (d) Jimmy Ricks (as Rickey),Nancy Reed (vcl)
New York, October 10, 1950
C044431-1 Oh babe (r,nr vcl) Col 39045, Har HL7278
C044432-1 You're gonna lose your gal (r vcl) - , CSP P5.15536
CO44433-1 Walkin' with the blues (r vcl) - , -
Note : Entire session on Ocium (Sp)OCM0042 (CD), Classics (F)CD1436.

Benny Goodman Sextet : same except Charlie Smith (d) replaces Snyder and The Pastels (vcl) added
New York, November 24, 1950
CO44674-1 Lullaby of the leaves (A,B) Col 39121, CK44674 (CD)
CO44674-2 Lullaby of the leaves (C) (*) CJ40379, CJ40474
CO44675-3 Then you've never been blue (nr vcl)(A) Harmony HL7278, Collectors' Choice
CCM-485 (CD)
CO44676-1A Walkin' (tp vcl) Harmony HL7278
CO44677-1 Temptation rag (B) Col 39121, CK44677 (CD)
CO44677-2 Temptation rag (C) (*) CJ40379, CK40379 (CD)
Note : (A) on CSP P5.15536.
(B) on Harmony HL7225, Jazzmen 625-50-015, CBS 450411-2,
(C) on Giants of Jazz (It)CD53054, Wave (Eu)2686822 (CD) and Companion 618322.
Entire session except (*) on Ocium (Sp)OCM0042 (CD), Classics (F)CD1436.

Benny Goodman Trio : Benny Goodman (cl) Teddy Wilson (p) Gene Krupa (d)
New York, April 1, 1951
China boy Col CL516, Classics (F)CD1436
Body and soul - , -
Runnin' wild - , -

Eddie Safranski (b) added

On the sunny side of the street Col CL516, Classics (F)CD1436

Johnny Smith (g) added

After you've gone Col CL516, Classics (F)CD1436

Lou McGarity (tb)

Basin Street blues Col CL516, Classics (F)CD1436
Rose room (bg,tw,gk only - -

Buck Clayton (tp) Benny Goodman (cl) Teddy Wilson (p) Johnny Smith (g) Eddie Safranski (b) Gene Krupa (d)

Honeysuckle rose Col CL516, Classics (F)CD1436
I found a new baby (bg,tw,gk only) - , -

Lou McGarity (tb) added to the sextet personnel

One o' clock jump Col CL516, Classics (F)CD1436
Note : The above is the correct sequence of this WNEW broadcast.
Entire session also on Columbia (Jap)5001, Tax (Swd)m-8041 and Jazz Connoisseur 100 (Cas), this
cassette contains 4 more titles but they belong to another session.

Benny Goodman and his Orchestra : Billy Butterfield, Chris Griffin, Jimmy Maxwell (tp) Lou McGarity, Will Bradley, Cutty Cutshall (tb) Benny Goodman (cl) Hymie Schertzer, Al Klink (as) Peanuts Hucko, Boomie Richman (ts) Art Drellinger (bar) Stan Freeman (p) Johnny Smith (g) Bob Haggart (b) Terry Snyder (d) Flet­cher Henderson (arr)
New York, April 26, 1951
CO45670-1 Down south camp meeting (fh arr)(*) Col 39416, Harmony HL7190
CO45671-1 Mean to me (fh arr) HL7225
CO45672-1 South of the border (fh arr)(*) - , HL7190
CO45673-1 Muskrat ramble (fh arr) HL7225
Note : (*) These titles on CBS (F)21124, Jazz World CD77003, CBS 467151-2, En­tertainers CD0240 entitled
"Benny Goodman-King of Jazz" and Columbia SMM509623-2.

New York, April 29, 1951
CO45674-1 Lulu's back in town (fh arr) Har HL7225
CO45675-1 Stardust (fh arr) -
CO45676-1 Wrappin' it up (fh arr) (*) Col 39513, Har HL7190, CBS 467151-1
CO45677-1 King Porter stomp (fh arr) (*) Col 39564, - , Entertainers
CD0240, CBS 467151-2
Note : (*) Both titles also on CBD (F)21124 and Columbia SMM509623-2 entitled "Columbia Jazz 1931-1951".

Benny Goodman Sextet : Benny Goodman (cl) Terry Gibbs (vib) Paul Smith (p) Johnny Smith (g) Eddie Safranski (b) Sid Bulkin (d) Nancy Reed (vcl)
New York, June 13, 1951
CO45842-1 Farewell blues Col 39564, CJ40379, CK40379 (CD),
Har HL7225, Jazzmen 625-50-015, CBS
450411-2, Wave 2686822 (CD),
Companion 6187322 (CD), Ocium (Sp)
OCM0042 (CD)
CO45843-1 Toodle-lee-yoo-doo (nr vcl) Col 39513, Har HL7278, Ocium (Sp)
OCM0042 (CD), Collectors' Choice
CCM-485 (CD)
By the fireside (nr vcl) (unissued)
Who ? -

Benny Goodman (cl) acc by Russ Case and his Orchestra : no details except Peggy Lee (vcl)
Broadcast, "Peggy Lee Rexall Show", New York, July 15, 1951
Clarinade Sounds Rare SR5008
Toodle-lee-yoo-doo (pl vcl) -
Goodbye (complete theme) -
Note : The above 3 titles also on Giants of Jazz (It)1005.

Benny Goodman (cl) acc by the Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra : no details except for Johnny Green (cond)
Concert, "Hollywood Bowl", Hollywood, CA., September 15, 1951
The man I love Vintage Jazz Classics VCJ1034 (CD)
I only have eyes for you -
Dizzy fingers -

Benny Goodman and his Orchestra : Bernie Privin, Carl Poole, Billy Butterfield, Chris Griffin (tp) Lou McGarity, Will Bradley, Cutty Cutshall (tb) Benny Goodman (cl) Hymie Schertzer, Al Klink (as) Boomie Richman, Peanuts Hucko (ts) Art Drellinger (bar) Stan Freeman (p) Johnny Smith (g) Bob Haggart (b) Terry Snyder (d) Nancy Reed (vcl)
New York, September 26, 1951
CO47080-1 When Buddha smiles Harmony HL7190, Playboy PB1957-1,
CBS (F)21124, Entertainers CDO240,
CSP P5.15536, Jazz World JW77003
(CD)
CO47081 Sunrise serenade (bb out) Harmony HL7225
CO47082 You can't pull the wool over my ears (nr vcl) (unissued)

[sgcim]

Here is the part of the BG Disco which shows JS. JS can be heard on all tracks but only solos on the highlighted tracks.

P.S. I have not heard the post-June '51 Tracks.

Benny Goodman Sextet : Benny Goodman (cl) Terry Gibbs (vib) Teddy Wilson (p) Johnny Smith (g) Bob Carter (b) Terry Snyder (d) Jimmy Ricks (as Rickey),Nancy Reed (vcl)
New York, October 10, 1950
C044431-1 Oh babe (r,nr vcl) Col 39045, Har HL7278
C044432-1 You're gonna lose your gal (r vcl) - , CSP P5.15536
CO44433-1 Walkin' with the blues (r vcl) - , -
Note : Entire session on Ocium (Sp)OCM0042 (CD), Classics (F)CD1436.

Benny Goodman Sextet : same except Charlie Smith (d) replaces Snyder and The Pastels (vcl) added
New York, November 24, 1950
CO44674-1 Lullaby of the leaves (A,B) Col 39121, CK44674 (CD)
CO44674-2 Lullaby of the leaves (C) (*) CJ40379, CJ40474
CO44675-3 Then you've never been blue (nr vcl)(A) Harmony HL7278, Collectors' Choice
CCM-485 (CD)
CO44676-1A Walkin' (tp vcl) Harmony HL7278
CO44677-1 Temptation rag (B) Col 39121, CK44677 (CD)
CO44677-2 Temptation rag (C) (*) CJ40379, CK40379 (CD)
Note : (A) on CSP P5.15536.
(B) on Harmony HL7225, Jazzmen 625-50-015, CBS 450411-2,
(C) on Giants of Jazz (It)CD53054, Wave (Eu)2686822 (CD) and Companion 618322.
Entire session except (*) on Ocium (Sp)OCM0042 (CD), Classics (F)CD1436.

Benny Goodman Trio : Benny Goodman (cl) Teddy Wilson (p) Gene Krupa (d)
New York, April 1, 1951
China boy Col CL516, Classics (F)CD1436
Body and soul - , -
Runnin' wild - , -

Eddie Safranski (b) added

On the sunny side of the street Col CL516, Classics (F)CD1436

Johnny Smith (g) added

After you've gone Col CL516, Classics (F)CD1436

Lou McGarity (tb)

Basin Street blues Col CL516, Classics (F)CD1436
Rose room (bg,tw,gk only - -

Buck Clayton (tp) Benny Goodman (cl) Teddy Wilson (p) Johnny Smith (g) Eddie Safranski (b) Gene Krupa (d)

Honeysuckle rose Col CL516, Classics (F)CD1436
I found a new baby (bg,tw,gk only) - , -

Lou McGarity (tb) added to the sextet personnel

One o' clock jump Col CL516, Classics (F)CD1436
Note : The above is the correct sequence of this WNEW broadcast.
Entire session also on Columbia (Jap)5001, Tax (Swd)m-8041 and Jazz Connoisseur 100 (Cas), this
cassette contains 4 more titles but they belong to another session.

Benny Goodman and his Orchestra : Billy Butterfield, Chris Griffin, Jimmy Maxwell (tp) Lou McGarity, Will Bradley, Cutty Cutshall (tb) Benny Goodman (cl) Hymie Schertzer, Al Klink (as) Peanuts Hucko, Boomie Richman (ts) Art Drellinger (bar) Stan Freeman (p) Johnny Smith (g) Bob Haggart (b) Terry Snyder (d) Flet­cher Henderson (arr)
New York, April 26, 1951
CO45670-1 Down south camp meeting (fh arr)(*) Col 39416, Harmony HL7190
CO45671-1 Mean to me (fh arr) HL7225
CO45672-1 South of the border (fh arr)(*) - , HL7190
CO45673-1 Muskrat ramble (fh arr) HL7225
Note : (*) These titles on CBS (F)21124, Jazz World CD77003, CBS 467151-2, En­tertainers CD0240 entitled
"Benny Goodman-King of Jazz" and Columbia SMM509623-2.

New York, April 29, 1951
CO45674-1 Lulu's back in town (fh arr) Har HL7225
CO45675-1 Stardust (fh arr) -
CO45676-1 Wrappin' it up (fh arr) (*) Col 39513, Har HL7190, CBS 467151-1
CO45677-1 King Porter stomp (fh arr) (*) Col 39564, - , Entertainers
CD0240, CBS 467151-2
Note : (*) Both titles also on CBD (F)21124 and Columbia SMM509623-2 entitled "Columbia Jazz 1931-1951".

Benny Goodman Sextet : Benny Goodman (cl) Terry Gibbs (vib) Paul Smith (p) Johnny Smith (g) Eddie Safranski (b) Sid Bulkin (d) Nancy Reed (vcl)
New York, June 13, 1951
CO45842-1 Farewell blues Col 39564, CJ40379, CK40379 (CD),
Har HL7225, Jazzmen 625-50-015, CBS
450411-2, Wave 2686822 (CD),
Companion 6187322 (CD), Ocium (Sp)
OCM0042 (CD)
CO45843-1 Toodle-lee-yoo-doo (nr vcl) Col 39513, Har HL7278, Ocium (Sp)
OCM0042 (CD), Collectors' Choice
CCM-485 (CD)
By the fireside (nr vcl) (unissued)
Who ? -

Benny Goodman (cl) acc by Russ Case and his Orchestra : no details except Peggy Lee (vcl)
Broadcast, "Peggy Lee Rexall Show", New York, July 15, 1951
Clarinade Sounds Rare SR5008
Toodle-lee-yoo-doo (pl vcl) -
Goodbye (complete theme) -
Note : The above 3 titles also on Giants of Jazz (It)1005.

Benny Goodman (cl) acc by the Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra : no details except for Johnny Green (cond)
Concert, "Hollywood Bowl", Hollywood, CA., September 15, 1951
The man I love Vintage Jazz Classics VCJ1034 (CD)
I only have eyes for you -
Dizzy fingers -

Benny Goodman and his Orchestra : Bernie Privin, Carl Poole, Billy Butterfield, Chris Griffin (tp) Lou McGarity, Will Bradley, Cutty Cutshall (tb) Benny Goodman (cl) Hymie Schertzer, Al Klink (as) Boomie Richman, Peanuts Hucko (ts) Art Drellinger (bar) Stan Freeman (p) Johnny Smith (g) Bob Haggart (b) Terry Snyder (d) Nancy Reed (vcl)
New York, September 26, 1951
CO47080-1 When Buddha smiles Harmony HL7190, Playboy PB1957-1,
CBS (F)21124, Entertainers CDO240,
CSP P5.15536, Jazz World JW77003
(CD)
CO47081 Sunrise serenade (bb out) Harmony HL7225
CO47082 You can't pull the wool over my ears (nr vcl) (unissued)

It's a shame JS doesn't get any solos on this other material with BG, other than the After You've gone, Honeysuckle Rose and 1:00 Jump solos from the OP.
Thanks for listing this discography, Dave. Have you heard the newly released Colorado JS small group stuff yet?

[daveg]

It seems that one was recorded before the first Johnny Smith Verve album was released and one afterwards. The material is largely the same as the Verve material but it is great to hear what he was doing live. Really amazing.

DG