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Stuff Smith

Hezekiah "Stuff" Smith was the clown prince of jazz violin. Ruling New York's 52nd street with his madly swinging sextet, he partnered the likes of Dizzy Gillespie until his death in 1967. Geoffrey Smith surveys an exuberant career.

1 hour

Last on

Sun 7 Jul 2019 00:00
BBC Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Stuff Smith

    I Know That You Know

    Performer: Nat King Cole. Performer: JOHN COLLINS. Performer: Charlie Harris. Performer: Lee Young.
    • After Midnight.
    • Capitol.
    • 8.

  • Dizzy Gillespie

    Rio Pakistan

    Performer: Stuff Smith. Performer: Wynton Kelly. Performer: J.C. Heard.
    • Dizzy Gillespie And Stuff Smith.
    • Verve.
    • 1.

  • Stuff Smith

    A Ghost of A Chance

    Performer: Jimmy Jones. Performer: John Levy.
    • Classics 1939 - 1944.
    • Classics.
    • 7.

  • Stuff Smith

    Desert Sands

    Performer: Jimmy Jones. Performer: John Levy.
    • Classics 1939 - 1944.
    • Classics.
    • 25.

  • Stuff Smith

    Old Joe's Hittin' The Jug

    Performer: Jonah Jones. Performer: James Sherman. Performer: Bobby Bennett. Performer: Mack Walker. Performer: Cozy Cole.
    • The Complete 1936-1937 Sessions.
    • Hep Records.
    • 13.

  • Stuff Smith

    After You've Gone

    Performer: Jonah Jones. Performer: James Sherman. Performer: Bobby Bennett. Performer: Mack Walker. Performer: Cozy Cole.
    • The Complete 1936-1937 Sessions.
    • Hep Records.
    • 8.

  • Stuff Smith

    You'se A Viper

    Performer: Jonah Jones. Performer: James Sherman. Performer: Bobby Bennett. Performer: Micky Waller. Performer: Cozy Cole.
    • The Complete 1936-1937 Sessions.
    • Hep Records.
    • 9.

  • Stuff Smith

    I Hope Gabriel Likes My Music

    Performer: Jonah Jones. Performer: James Sherman. Performer: Bobby Bennett. Performer: Micky Waller. Performer: Cozy Cole.
    • The Complete 1936 - 1937 Sessions.
    • Hep.
    • 4.

  • Stuff Smith

    Things Ain't What They Used To Be

    Performer: Oscar Peterson. Performer: Barney Kessel. Performer: Ray Brown. Performer: Alvin Stoller.
    • Stuff Smith.
    • Verve.
    • 3.

  • Violin Summit

    It Don't Mean a Thing

    Performer: Stuff Smith. Performer: Stéphane Grappelli. Performer: Svend Asmussen. Performer: Jean-Luc Ponty.
    • Violin Summit.
    • Storyville.
    • 4.

  • STUFF SMITH

    Test Pilot

    Performer: Lucky Thompson. Performer: Erroll Garner. Performer: George Wettling.
    • Onyx Club Spree.
    • Topaz.
    • 23.

Stuff Smith

Title:                    I Hope Gabriel Likes My Music

Artists:                 Stuff Smith

Composers:        David Franklin

Album Title:        The Complete 1936-37 Sessions

Label:                  Hep CD 1085

Performers:        Onyx Club Boys:  Stuff Smith(vocals and violin), Jonah Jones (trumpet),  James Sherman (piano)  Bobby Bennett (guitar)  Mack Walker (bass), Cozy Cole (drums).

 

Title:                    You’se a Viper

Artists:                 Stuff Smith

Composers:        Stuff Smith

Album Title:        The Complete 1936-37 Sessions

Label:                  Hep CD 1085

Performers:         Onyx Club Boys:  Stuff Smith(vocals and violin), Jonah Jones (trumpet),  James Sherman (piano)  Bobby Bennett (guitar)  Mack Walker (bass), Cozy Cole (drums).

 

Title:                    Old Joe’s Hittin’ the Jug

Artists:                 Stuff Smith

Composers:         Harry Stride, Jack Palmer

Album Title:         The Complete 1936-37 Sessions

Label:                  Hep CD 1085

Performers:         Onyx Club Boys:  Stuff Smith(vocals and violin), Jonah Jones (trumpet),  James Sherman (piano)  Bobby Bennett (guitar)  Mack Walker (bass), Cozy Cole (drums).

 

Title:                    A Ghost of a Chance

Artists:                 Stuff Smith

Composers:        Victor Young, Ned Washington, Bing Crosby.

Album Title:        Stuff Smith ‎– 1939-1944

Label:                 Classics Classics 1054

Performers:        Stuff Smith’s Trio: Stuff Smith (vocals) Jimmy Jones (piano)  John Levy (bass)

 

Title:                    Desert Sands

Artists:                 Stuff Smith

Composers:         Stuff Smith

Album Title:         Stuff Smith ‎– 1939-1944

Label:                  Classics Classics 1054

Performers:         Stuff Smith’s Trio: Stuff Smith (vocals) Jimmy Jones (piano)  John Levy (bass)

 

Title:                    Test Pilot

Artists:                 Stuff Smith

Composers:         Alan Simpson, Ray Gaulton

Album Title:         Stuff Smith  ‎– Onyx Club Spree

Label:                  Topaz TPZ 1061

Performers:         Stuff Smith and his Onyx Club Boys:  Stuff Smith(vocals and violin), Jonah Jones (trumpet),  James Sherman (piano)  Bobby Bennett (guitar)  Mack Walker (bass), Cozy Cole (drums).

 

Title:                    I Know that You Know

Artists:                 Stuff Smith

Composers:         Anne Caldwell, Vincent Youman

Album Title:         Nat 'King' Cole And His Trio ‎– After Midnight

Label:                  Capitol EMS 1103

Performers:         Stuff Smith(violin), Nat King Cole (vocals)

 

Title:                    Things Ain’t What They Used to Be

Artists:                 Stuff Smith

Composers:         Duke Ellington, Mercer Ellington, Ted Persons

Album Title:         Stuff Smith

Label:                  Verve 2304 536

Performers:         Stuff Smith(violin ), Oscar Peterson Trio: Oscar Peterson (piano), Barney Kessel (guitar),  Ray Brown (bass),  Alvin Stoller (drums)

 

Title:                    It Don’t Mean a Thing

Artists:                 Stuff Smith

Composers:         Duke Ellington

Album Title:         Violin Summit

Label:                  MPS 8213032MPS

Performers:         Jean-Luc Ponty (piano), Stuff Smith (piano), Stephane Grappelli (violin) Svend Asmussen (violin) Kenny Drew (piano) Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen (bass) Alex Riel (drums)

 

Title:                    Rio Pakistan

Artists:                 Dizzy Gillespie

Composers:         Dizzy Gillespie

Album Title:         Dizzy Gillespie ‎– Three Classic Albums Plus (All Star Sessions)

Label:                  Avid AMSC980

Performers:         Dizzy Gillespie (trumpet), Stuff Smith (violin)

 

Broadcasts

  • Sun 6 Apr 2014 00:00
    BBC Radio 3
  • Sun 7 Jul 2019 00:00
    BBC Radio 3

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