Jabbo Smith
Jabbo Smith had one of the oddest careers in jazz history. A brilliant trumpeter, Smith had accomplished virtually all of his most significant work by the time he turned 21, yet lived to be 82. He learned to play trumpet at the legendary Jenkins Orphanage in Charleston, and by the time he was 16, Smith showed great promise. During 1925-1928 he was with Charlie Johnson's Paradise Ten, a top New York jazz group that made some classic recordings. Smith was on a recording session with Duke Ellington in 1927 (resulting in a memorable version of "Black and Tan Fantasy") and played in the show Keep Shufflin' with James P. Johnson and Fats Waller. The high points of Smith's career were his 1929 recordings with his Rhythm Aces. These superb performances feature Smith playing with daring, creativity, and a bit of recklessness, displaying an exciting style that hints at Roy Eldridge (who would not burst upon the scene for another six years). But, although Jabbo Smith at the time was considered a close competitor of Louis Armstrong, he had hit his peak. His unreliability, excessive drinking, and unprofessional attitude resulted in lost jobs, missed opportunities, and a steep decline. After playing with one of Claude Hopkins' lesser orchestras during 1936-1938, Smith settled in Milwaukee and became a part-time player. Decades passed, and when he was rediscovered in the 1970s (when he was picked to perform in the musical show One Mo' Time), he was a weak player, a mere shadow of what he could have been.
© Scott Yanow /TiVo
Discography
18 album(s) • Sorted by Bestseller
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Jabbo Smith Selected Favorites
Jazz - Released by Charly Records on 21 Mar 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Complete Jazz Series 1929 - 1938
Jazz - Released by Complete Jazz Series on 8 Jun 2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Ultimate Jazz Archive 5 1929-1938 (3 Of 4)
Jazz - Released by Carinco AG on 16 Feb 2007
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Complete Hidden Treasury Sessions
Jazz - Released by Ascension Records on 8 Jul 2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Jabbo Smith Rhythm Aces
Jazz - Released by Documents on 1 Sep 2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Complete "Hidden Treasure" Sessions
Jazz - Released by Plenty Jazz Records on 15 Mar 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Jazz Figures / Jabbo Smith's Rhythm Aces (1929-1938)
Jazz - Released by Collector Records Greece on 24 Sep 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Complete Hidden Treasure Sessions
Jazz - Released by Lone Hill Jazz on 17 Nov 2008
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Jabbo Smith's Sa-Sha Stomp
Jazz - Released by Charly Records on 25 Jun 2006
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Lp Library
Jazz - Released by old library records on 23 Jan 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Jabbo Smith's Rhythm Aces Selected Hits
Jazz - Released by Charly Records on 21 Mar 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Jabbo Smith's Rhythm Aces' Sweet And Low Blues
Jazz - Released by Charly Records on 25 Jun 2006
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Jabbo Smith Selected Favorites
Jazz - Released by Charly Records on 21 Mar 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Jabbo Smith's Rhythm Aces Selected Hits
Jazz - Released by Charly Records on 21 Mar 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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