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B I O G R A P H Y

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/director  of  The  Scottish   National   Jazz   Orchestra.   These   career   defining   achievements   are  consolidated  by  his   track   record  as  an   international   recording  artist;   a   composer  and   arranger   of   extraordinary   ambition;   a   respected   group   leader   and   generous  sideman;  and  not  least,  as  a  jazz  educator.  Perhaps  above  all  these  things  he  is  an  unstinting  advocate  and  emissary  for   jazz,  a  fact  that  has  been  recognized  by  the  most   prestigious   educational   institutions   in   his   home   country   of   Scotland   and  beyond.    He  was  born   in  Edinburgh  on  April   27th  1967   to  a   Scottish  mother,  Brenda  Ann  Urquhart  and  William  John  Ellis,  a  father  whom  he  never  met.  Smith  was  brought  up  in  the  challenging  environs  of  Pilton,  Broomhouse  and  Wester  Hailes;  areas  of  the  city  not  known  as  fertile  ground  for  nurturing  jazz  talent.  At  the  age  of  twelve,  he   was   encouraged   by   his   late   stepfather   George   Smith   to   take   up   the   tenor  saxophone.  Smith  Sr.  was  an  avid  jazz  fan  and  no  mean  drummer,  very  much  in  the  Gene  Krupa  style.    Under   the   skillful   direction   of   Jim   O’Malley   and   Jean   Allison   of   the   music  department   at  Wester   Hailes   Education   Centre,   Smith   made   swift   progress   and  was  soon  gigging  around  Edinburgh  and  Scotland  with  his  quartet.  Tommy  Smith's  special   talent  was   self-­‐evident   from   the  moment   he   appeared  on   the   Edinburgh  jazz  scene  in  his  early  teens.  He  recorded  his  first  album,  Giant  Strides,  at  the  age  of   sixteen   in  1983  with  a   trio   featuring  drummer  and  Scottish   jazz   stalwart   John  Rae.   That   same   year   he   won   a   scholarship   to   attend   the   prestigious   Berklee  College  of  Music  in  Boston.  Such  was  the  belief  in  him,  that  Jean  Allison,  his  music  teacher  at   the   time,   assisted  by  organizing  an  extensive   fund-­‐raising  programme  on  his  behalf.    In   four   short  years  he  had   recorded  Giant  Strides   and  Taking  Off!,  had  made  his  way   to  Berklee  and   formed  the  co-­‐operative  group  Forward  Motion  with  bassist  Terje   Gewelt,   drummer   Ian   Froman   and   pianist   Laszlo   Gardonyi.   This   group  remained   active   with   varying   personnel   until   1994   and   recorded   two   albums,  Progressions  and  The  Berklee  Tapes,  both  released  on  HEP  Records.  During  his  time  in  New   York   he   also   played  with   similarly   gifted   instrumentalists   Jaco   Pastorius,  Rashied  Ali  and  Mike  Stern.            

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At  eighteen,  and  on  the  recommendation  of  Chick  Corea,  Smith  joined  Berklee  vice  president  Gary   Burton's   group,   alongside   bassist   Steve   Swallow,   pianist  Makoto  Ozone  and  drummer  Adam  Nussbaum.  Together,  they  toured  the  world,  recording  the  Whiz  Kids  album  for  ECM  Records  and  catching  the  attention  of  critics  such  as  Larry  Kart  of  the  Chicago  Tribune  who  opined:  "The  key  addition  is  Tommy  Smith,  who,  if  memory  serves,  is  only  the  second  saxophonist  Gary  Burton  has  employed  in  his  twenty-­‐odd  years  as  a  leader.  Smith's  angular,  bristling  lines  suggest  he  has  his  own  story  to  tell."    This   impressive  opening  chapter   is  only   the  beginning  of  a  much   longer   story.   In  1989,   the   twenty-­‐two   year   old   Smith   signed   to   the   iconic   jazz   label   Blue   Note  Records.  His  first  outing  for  them,  Step  by  Step,  was  recorded  with  guidance  from  producer   Gary   Burton   and   featured   Smith   leading   a   band   composed   of   jazz  luminaries   John   Scofield   (guitar),   Eddie   Gomez   (Bass)   and   Jack   DeJohnette  (drums).  His  Blue  Note  debut  catapulted  Smith  to  the  attention  of  an  international  audience  and  marked  his  arrival  as  mature  contender.      Three   further   albums   followed   for   Blue   Note.   Peeping   Tom   (1990),   Standards  (1991)  and  Paris  (1992)  all  served  to  amplify  Smith’s  work  ethic  and  dedication  to  his   craft.  During   this   period   Smith   also   hosted   a   series   of   BBC   TV   specials   called  Jazz   Types   in   which   he   played   with   astonishingly   diverse   guest   such   as   pianists  Tommy  Flanagan  and  Chick  Corea;  alto  saxophonist  Bobby  Watson;  bassist  Arild  Andersen;   his   old   boss   Gary   Burton;   pop/soul   group   Hue   &   Cry,   and   the   BBC  Scottish   Symphony   Orchestra.   He   also   recorded   and   toured   in   that   time   frame  with,  among  others,  Hue  &  Cry,  the  American  vibist  Joe  Locke,  percussionist  Trilok  Gurtu  and  Arild  Andersen.      In  addition  to  his  jazz-­‐based  commitments,  Smith  also  enjoyed  a  two-­‐year  sojourn  in  Paris  where  he  studied  classical  music  and  worked  with  Daniel  Humair.  This  led  to  Tommy  Smith’s  first  saxophone  concerto,  Unirsi  In  Matrimonio,  and  a  suite  for  saxophone  and  strings,  Un  Ecossais  A  Paris.  These  works  were  followed  by  Sonata  No.  1  -­‐  Hall  of  Mirrors;  and  Sonata  No.  2  -­‐  Dreaming  with  Open  Eyes.  The  latter  is  regularly   played   by   the   saxophonist   Gerard   McChrystal   and   virtuoso   pianist  Murray  McLachlan.      In   1993,   Smith   joined   Scottish   label   Linn   Records   for   whom   he   recorded  Reminiscence   (1993),  Misty  Morning   and   No   Time   (1994),  Azure   (1995)   and   the  hugely  ambitious  Beasts  of  Scotland  (1996).  All  of  these  albums  received  audience  approval   and   critical   acclaim.   Neil   Tesser   writing   in   Playboy   magazine   noted   of  Beasts   of   Scotland   that:   "Smith's   artful  writing  makes   the   ensemble   sound   like   a  petite  Philharmonic."  Reviewer  Chris   J.  Walker,   in  the  Los  Angeles   Jazz  magazine,  remarked  that  Smith's  strong  compositional  talent  "vividly  conveys  the  aura  of  the  various  wildlife  that  his  compositions  are  named  for."  

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 Next  came  The  Sound  of  Love   (1997),  recorded  in  only  six  hours  in  New  York  City  with  the  outstanding  rhythm  section  of  Kenny  Barron   (piano),  Peter  Washington  (bass),   and  Billy  Drummond   (drums).   The   album   focused   on   the  Duke   Ellington-­‐Billy   Strayhorn   songbook   in   a   superb   set   of   readings   of   classics   by   two   of   the  foremost   composers   in   jazz   history.   The   album   reached   number   20   in   the  American   Gavin   Jazz   Chart,   an   astounding   achievement   for   a   European   jazz  musician.    1998   saw   the   release   of  Gymnopedie:   The   Classical   Side   of   Tommy   Smith   and   it  highlighted   a   completely   different   facet   of   Smith's   musical   vocabulary.   It   was  recorded   with   his   regular   duo   partner,   classical   pianist   Murray   McLachlan   and  featured  Smith's  Sonatas  No.  1  and  No.  2   and  music  by  Satie,  Bartok,  Grieg,  and  Chick  Corea.      In  May   of   that   year,   Smith   premiered   his   third   saxophone   concerto,  Hiroshima,  with   the  Orchestra   of   St.   John   Smith's   Square   at   Chelmsford   Cathedral.   Other  projects   included   producing   singer   Jeff   Leyton's   debut   album   with   the   City   of  London   Philharmonic.   Leyton,   who   is   also   Smith's   uncle,   most   notably   sang   the  lead   role  of   Jean  Valjean   in   Les  Miserables   in   London   for   fourteen   years.   Leyton  also   featured   on  Monte   Cristo,   the   saxophonist's   commission   for   the   combined  forces   of   the   Paragon   Ensemble   and   his   own   sextet.   The  work   featured   text   by  poet  Edwin  Morgan  and  was  first  performed  at  the  Traverse  Theatre  in  Edinburgh  in  September  1998,  before  going  on  to  tour  other  Scottish  cities.    Tommy  Smith   returned   to   jazz  and   to  New  York   the   following  year   to   record  his  final  album  for  Linn,  the  tough  and  gritty  Blue  Smith  (1999).  He  was  assisted  by  his  old  friend,  the  much-­‐admired  guitarist  John  Scofield,  and  the  familiar  rhythm  team  of  bassist  James  Genus  and  drummer  Clarence  Penn.    Smith's   extraordinary   creativity   continued   uninterrupted   and,   if   anything,  diversified  even  further.  In  addition  to  maintaining  a  busy  international  performing  schedule,  he  also  wrote  the  music   for  a  play,  Kill  The  Old,  Torture  The  Young,  an  Edinburgh   Traverse   Theatre   production   featuring   actor   Billy   Boyd.   He   also  contributed   tenor   and   soprano   saxophone   excerpts   respectively   to   the   movies  Complicity  and  The  Talented  Mr  Ripley.    However,   July   14th   1999   marked   a   memorable   red-­‐letter   day   for   Smith.   In  recognition   of   his   many   artistic   achievements,   Tommy   Smith   became   the  youngest-­‐ever  recipient  of  an  honorary  Doctorate  from  Heriot-­‐Watt  University   in  his  hometown  of  Edinburgh.      

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 On   Burns   Night,   January   25th   2000,   Smith   was   announced   as   one   of   the   first  fourteen   recipients   of   the   Scottish   Arts   Council's  Creative   Scotland   Awards.   The  award   helped   to   fulfill   his   ambition   to   perform   Alone   At   Last,   a   solo   concert  programme   using   tenor   and   soprano   saxophones,   high-­‐tech   equipment,   poetry,  natural   sounds   and   special   effects.   He   toured   extensively   with   the   project  performing  over  40  concerts  throughout  Scotland  and  beyond.  On  May  4th  2000,  he  became  Honorary   Fellow  of   the  Royal   Incorporation  of  Architects   in   Scotland  and  won  the  Best  Tenor  Saxophonist  title  at  the  British  Jazz  Awards  in  May  2002.      In  July  2000  he  premiered  another  large-­‐scale  composition,  Sons  and  Daughters  of  Alba,  this  time  at  Glasgow  International  Jazz  Festival.   It  was  an  artistically  daring  work   that   incorporated   Scottish   folk   music   with   contributions   from   traditional  musicians  Donald  Shaw  &  Karen  Matheson  as  well  as  poetry  by  Edwin  Morgan.      In  September  2000,  determined  to  take  full  control  of  his  recorded  output,  Smith  established  his  own  recording  company,  Spartacus  Records.  The  first  album  on  the  new   label,   also   called  Spartacus,  was   released   in   February   2001.   It  was  made   in  New   York   to   the   highest   technical   and   artistic   standards   and   featured   Smith  reunited  once  more  with  pianist  Kenny  Barron,  bassist  James  Genus  and  drummer  Clarence  Penn.  That  was  quickly  followed  by  a  solo  album,  Into  Silence,  recorded  in  the   spiritually   inspiring   Hamilton   Mausoleum   on   October   30th   2001.   The   year  closed  out  on  a  seasonal  note  with  a  recording  by  Smith's  quartet  of  ten  specially  arranged  Christmas  songs.    Subsequent  Spartacus  releases  included  Evolution,  featuring  Smith’s  all-­‐star  sextet  with  Joe  Lovano,   John  Scofield,  John  Taylor,  John  Patitucci  and  Bill  Stewart;  two  duo  recordings,  Bezique  and  Symbiosis,  with  BBC  Jazz  Awards-­‐winning  pianist  Brian  Kellock;  Miles  Ahead  with   the  Scottish  National   Jazz  Orchestra  and  guest   soloist,  trumpeter  Ingrid  Jensen;  Smith's  solo  project  Alone  At  Last;  and  Forbidden  Fruit  by  Smith’s  all-­‐Scottish  quartet.    In   April   2001,   he   was   invited   to   take   part   in   televised   concerts   in   Switzerland  alongside  Benny  Golson,  Vincent  Herring,  Carl  Allen,  Buster  Williams,  Victor  Lewis,  Buster  Cooper,   and  Randy  Brecker.   In   July   that   year,   he  premiered  his   extended  composition,   Beauty   and   the   Beast,   specially   written   for   saxophonist   David  Liebman  and  the  Scottish  National  Jazz  Orchestra.  Smith  also  took  advantage  of  a  remarkable  opportunity  that  year  to  tour  in  a  quintet  with  Liebman.              

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 Tommy  Smith  also  appeared  as  solo  saxophonist  in  Sally  Beamish's  The  Knotgrass  Elegy,  commissioned  by  the  BBC  Proms  and  performed  at  the  Royal  Albert  Hall  in  London   in   July   2001.  Other   classical  music   endeavours  have   included   the   largest  known   work   for   the   Edinburgh   Youth   Orchestra's   40th   anniversary.   Written   for  saxophone,   bass   and  drums  plus   a  one  hundred-­‐strong   symphony  orchestra   and  entitled  Edinburgh,   it  was  premiered  on  April   12th  2003  at   the  Edinburgh  Usher  Hall  before  touring  Latvia,  Estonia,  Russia  and  Finland.    Besides   these   personal   accomplishments,   Smith   recognized   that   Scotland   was  producing  an  outstanding  crop  of  young  jazz  musicians.  He  had  already  invested  a  great   deal   of   time   and   energy   during   the   mid-­‐1990’s   establishing   the   now-­‐treasured   Scottish   National   Jazz   Orchestra.   Nevertheless,   in   2002,   Smith   re-­‐affirmed  his  commitment  to  the  future  of  jazz  in  Scotland  by  forming  the  Tommy  Smith  Youth  Jazz  Orchestra.      Not  content  with  that,  he  financed  rehearsals  and  travelling  expenses  for  talented  teenage  players  from  across  the  country  out  of  his  own  pocket  and  established  a  charitable   foundation   in   his   own   name.   Since   then,   the   youth   orchestra   has  performed   at   jazz   festivals   throughout   Scotland   and   launched   its   first   CD  Exploration   (2008)   featuring   special   guest   Joe   Locke.   Their   second   recording,  Emergence,   was   released   in   2012.   Six   out   of   six   of   the   last   Young   Scottish   Jazz  Musicians  of  Year  have  come  from  the  Tommy  Smith  Youth  Jazz  Orchestra.    In  2005,   Tommy  Smith   reunited  with   Joe   Locke   to   record   the  album  Sirocco   and  toured   extensively   with   the   vibist's   group   Four   Walls   of   Freedom.   Smith   also  formed   a   duo   with   another   long-­‐time   colleague,   the   Norwegian   bassist   Arild  Andersen,   later   adding   drummer   Paolo   Vinaccia   to   an   ensemble   that   developed  into   one   of   Europe’s   leading   jazz   trios.   The   group   has   enjoyed   a   busy   concert  itinerary  and   their  debut  album  Live  at  Belleville   (ECM  2008)   received  numerous  album  of  the  year  nominations  in  the  press  worldwide.  Their  second  release  is  due  out  on  ECM  later  in  2013.  Yet  another  saxophone  and  piano  pairing,  this  time  with  Swede  Jacob  Karlzon,  has  featured  at   jazz   festivals   in  Edinburgh,   Islay  and  Fife  to  an  enthusiastic  response  from  audiences  everywhere.    In  2012,  Tommy  Smith  created  Karma,   a  brand  new  quartet  with  drummer  Alyn  Cosker,   keyboard   artist   Steve   Hamilton   and   bassist   Kevin   Glasgow.   Their  eponymous  debut  CD  was  released  to  rave  reviews  and  scooped  the  prize  for  best  album  of  2012  at  the  Scottish  Jazz  Awards:  “His  tone  is  tungsten-­‐tough  or  tender  and  nostalgic,  his  improvisations  stimulating  and  affecting.”  BBC  MUSIC  MAGAZINE  ★★★★★,  “His  toughest  and  most  creative  quartet  yet.”  SCOTSMAN  ★★★★★    

   

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 Tommy  Smith  and  The  Scottish  National  Jazz  Orchestra    In   1995,   in   the   midst   of   a   busy   schedule   consisting   of   touring,   writing   and  recording,  Smith  found  the  time  and  energy  to   launch  The  Scottish  National  Jazz  Orchestra   and   he   remains   its   artistic   director.   The   SNJO   has   presented  programmes   of   both   repertory   classics   and  more   contemporary  works,  many   of  them  specially  commissioned.    The   repertory   programmes   have   included   Duke   Ellington's   extended   suites,  celebrations   of   Count   Basie   and   Benny   Goodman   (with   special   guest   Ken  Peplowski)   and   the   collaborations   between  Miles   Davis   and  Gil   Evans:   Porgy   &  Bess   (with   Gunther   Schuller),   Sketches   of   Spain   (both   with   Gerard   Presencer   as  trumpet  soloist)  and  Miles  Ahead  (with  Ingrid  Jensen  and  Paolo  Fresu).      The  SNJO  has  also  presented   the  music  of  Charles  Mingus,  Oliver  Nelson,  Benny  Carter,   Stan   Kenton,   Buddy   Rich,   Ray   Charles,   Joe   Williams   (with   singer   Tam  white),  Monk  and  Steely  Dan.  Moreover,  this   is  an  orchestra  that   is  diverse  in   its  output   and  eclectic   in   its   approach.   It   has   taken  on   the  music  of  Astor  Piazzolla  and  Pat  Metheny   featuring  the  guitarist  talents  of  Jim  Mullen,  Phil  Robson,  Mike  Walker   and   Kevin   MacKenzie,   and   premiered   special   commissions   by   Keith  Tippett,  Florian  Ross,  and  Geoffrey  Keezer.    Under   Smith’s   thoughtful   direction   they   have   presented   specially   commissioned  arrangements   of   John   Coltrane,   Chick   Corea   (with   drummer   Gary   Novak),   and  Wayne   Shorter   featuring   Gary   Burton   and   Branford   Marsalis   as   soloists.   The  orchestra   has   also   recorded   with   Kurt   Elling,   Mike   Stern,   David   Liebman,   Bill  Evans,  Clarence  Penn  and  Joe  Locke.  In  addition,  the  SNJO  has  delivered  music  by  contemporary  jazz  creators.  These  include  Kenny  Wheeler's  Sweet  Sister  Suite;  Joe  Lovano's  Celebrating  Sinatra,  with  arrangements  by  the  late  Manny  Albam;  and  a  programme  of  the  music  of  Maria  Schneider,  conducted  by  the  composer.    The   orchestra   has   also   performed   Tommy   Smith's   own   Planet   Wave,   an  adventurous,   large-­‐scale   composition   that   married   Smith's   music   to   poet   Edwin  Morgan's   text   to   great   effect.   It   was   made   possible   by   the   Arts  Foundation/Barclays  Bank   jazz   composition   fellowship   and   the   concerts  with   Joe  Lovano  also   featured   the  premiere  of   Smith's  acclaimed  Torah;   a  work  based  on  the   first   five   books   of   the   Bible.   Torah   is   a   piece   that   depicts   a   titanic   struggle  between   good   and   evil   which   is   vividly   enacted.  Written   over   seventy   days,   the  fifty-­‐minute   composition   was   created   specially   for   the   pairing   of   Lovano,   a  phenomenal  tenor  saxophonist,  and  the  big  sound  of  the  SNJO.        

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The  same  evening  that  Torah  was  being  premiered   in  Scotland,  Dame  Cleo  Laine  and   John  Dankworth  premiered  another  work  by   Smith  and  Edwin  Morgan,  The  Morning  of  the  Imminent,  at  The  Kennedy  Center  in  Washington,  DC.  Also  in  2008,  the   SNJO   presented   Pino   Jodice’s   Jazz   Toons   project   featuring   the   voice   of  Maureen   McMullan.   In   2010,   Smith’s   collaboration   with   the   Mugenkyo   Taiko  Drummers   produced   World   of   the   Gods,   a   suite   based   on   Japanese   folk   songs  which  was  a  major  hit  and  toured  all  around  the  UK.    As  well  as  three  duo  albums,  Tommy  Smith’s  special  partnership  with  Scots  pianist  Brian  Kellock  resulted  in  Smith  creating  an  expanded  jazz  arrangement  of  George  Gershwin’s  Rhapsody  in  Blue,  and  a  programme  of  Ellington’s  music  In  the  Spirit  of  Duke  for  the  SNJO  with  Kellock  as  the  featured  soloist.  Rhapsody  was  premiered  to  huge  acclaim  when  it  opened  the  Edinburgh  Jazz  Festival  on  Friday  July  28,  2006.  A  popular  recording  was  later  released  in  May  2009.  In  the  Spirit  of  Duke  was  toured  in   Autumn   2012   and   a   live   CD   of   the   same   name   was   released   in   2013.   This  coincided  with  a  triumphant  tour  of  North  America  and  a  rampant  headline  show  at  the  2013  Edinburgh  Festival  Fringe.    The  SNJO  has  also  provided  a  platform  for  jazz  musicians  and  composers  based  in  Scotland   to   write   for   a   big   band   in   concerts   devoted   to   suites   comprising   of  contributions  by  orchestra  members  and  external  contributors  alike.  These  include  The  Solar  Suite,  Great  Scots  Suite  and  The  Edinburgh  Suite.    The   SNJO   undoubtedly   thrives   on   his   unswerving   commitment   and   boundless  energy,  but  Tommy  Smith  has  continued  throughout  to  maintain  a  hectic  personal  work  schedule.  In  recent  years  he  has  toured  in  France,  Argentina,  Brazil,  Turkey,  North   America,   Switzerland,   Azerbaijan,   Malta,   Bratislava,   Romania,   Ireland,  Faroes,  Austria,  Hong  Kong,  China,  Yemen,  Uzbekistan,  Kazakhstan,  Israel,  Tunisia,  Romania,  Germany,  Spain,  Portugal,  Norway,  Sweden,  Finland,  Denmark,  Canada,  Russia,  Estonia,   Latvia,  Bulgaria,   Italy,  Belgium,  Sicily,   Iceland,  Netherlands,   India,  Pakistan,  Czech  Republic,  Egypt  and  Sri  Lanka  as  well  as  in  the  UK.      Tommy   Smith   remains   full   of   creative   ideas   and   he   has   consistently   received  recognition  at  virtually  every  point  in  his  career;  namely  three  British  Jazz  Awards  (1989,   1996  &   2002);  BBC   Heart   of   Jazz   Award   -­‐   Best  Woodwind;   Scottish   Jazz  Awards  -­‐  Best  Big  Band  (2008);  an  honorary  doctorate  from  Caledonian  University  in   Glasgow;   The   Scottish   Jazz   Expo   Award   (2009);   Lord   Provost   Music   Award  (2009);   a   professorship   from   the   Royal   Conservatoire   of   Scotland   (2010);   five  Scottish   Jazz   Awards   for  Woodwind   (2009);   Educator   (2011,   2012);   Best   album  'KARMA'   (2012)   and   Big   Band   (2009,   2011).   In   2013   he   received   an   honorary  doctorate  from  Edinburgh  University  for  services  to  jazz  in  Scotland.      

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His   tireless  work   in   jazz   education   began  when   he  wrote   the   curriculum   for   the  short-­‐lived  National   Jazz   Institute   (1995-­‐1998)   and   continued   through   teaching  promising   individual   students.   His   continuing   campaign   for   a   jazz   presence   in  Scottish   further   education   was   rewarded   when   in   October   2009   the   Royal  Conservatoire   of   Scotland   in   Glasgow   appointed   Smith   inaugural   head   of   the  newly  formed  jazz  department.  In  this,  as  in  every  area  of  his  artistic  endeavours,  Smith   promises   resolute   support   and   looks   forward   to   sending   fully   prepared  graduates  upon  the  path  of  the  professional  jazz  musician.  It’s  a  road  that  he  has  travelled  with  much  distinction  since  taking  those  early,  youthful  Giant  Strides.    It   is  clear   that  Tommy  Smith   is  going   to  continue  creating  music  of   lasting  value.  His   journey   across  more   than   two   decades   is   packed  with   original   and   inspiring  music.   It   has   demonstrated   conclusively   that   his   is   a   singular  musical   voice,   and  one  that  still  has  much  to  say.    “One  of  the  important  voices  in  the  tenor  players  of  today.”  JACK  DEJOHNETTE      “Tommy  has  a  unique  sound  and  approach.”  CHICK  COREA      “The  most  talented  sax  star  to  arrive  on  the  world  scene  in  years.”  GARY  BURTON    “Tommy  is  an  incredible  writer  and  a  great,  great  player.”  JOHN  SCOFIELD    “Tommy  Smith  is  one  of  the  best  musicians  around.”  DAVID  LIEBMAN   Please find all further information incl. contact details on www.tommysmith.co.uk.