And This Blog Loves Stuff Smith

"The main attraction was Smith himself, attired in a worn-out top hat and sometimes sporting a parrot on his shoulder."

Hezekiah Leroy Gordon, a.k.a. "Stuff" Smith was born on this day in 1909. We respectfully tip a worn-out top hat to a consummate 20th century entertainer!



Stuff Smith was up there with Joe Venuti, Stéphane Grappelli, Michel Warlop, Eddie South, Svend Asmussen and Ray Nance among those intrepid violinists whose motto was "swing the Stradivarius."

This brief clip of Stuff rocking the violin on Art Ford’s Jazz Party is the best 44 seconds I could ever post.



Additional excerpts from this TV show, which can be seen in its entirety here, are not too shabby as well.



Smith successfully adapted European classical music's cornerstone instrument to the idiom of jazz and brought both the swagger and improvisational mojo of Louis Armstrong to the violin. Here he is, yet again swinging like mad with an all-star JATP/Verve Records ensemble, led by Ella "Perfect Pitch, Only Always" Fitzgerald, Roy Eldridge and Oscar Peterson's trio.



As Stéphane Grappelli did, Stuff repeatedly demonstrated an uncanny ability to bridge the musical eras.

Stuff's Live At The Montmarte concert album, a bluesy offering from late in his musical career, is a standout. He's backed by the killer quartet from Ben Webster's terrific albums on the Black Lion label: pianist Kenny Drew, bassist Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen and drummer Alex Riel.



This exceptional group even appeared on television in the 1960's.



Smith began making recordings in the 1930's with The Onyx Club Boys, a swing quintet and New York City fixture also starring trumpeter Jonah Jones and drummer Cozy Cole. He continued making amazing albums through the mid-1960's.

Like Pops, Dizzy and the aforementioned trumpeter-violinist-vocalist Ray Nance (from The Duke Ellington Orchestra), Stuff was an entertainer and showman.



Not surprisingly, his frequent collaborators included Dizzy and Stéphane Grappelli. Dizzy Gillespie & Stuff Smith is a felicitous combination and favorite album of music lovers around the world.



In addition to Ella Fitzgerald and Roy Eldridge, headliners and bandleaders Nat King Cole, Earl Hines, Carmen McRae and Billy Taylor all incorporated the violinist's distinctive brand of string swing into their sonic mix.



A listen to The Complete Verve Stuff Smith Sessions is most illuminating. Did not, unfortunately, purchase this epic box set when the opportunity arose (briefly); Mosaic Records compilations sell out quickly. In particular, love the album with Stuff backed by the usual suspects from Verve Records (Oscar Peterson, Barney Kessel, Ray Brown & Alvin Stoller). volume 1 of the Mosaic Records compilation, as well as volume 2 and volume 3 are incredible listening.



We're also enthusiastic fans of the Stuff & Steff album, in which The Hot Club of France meets The Onyx Club! Their equally swinging Violins No End album is another winner.



Also outstanding: MPS Records' Black Violin album.



This 1965 Paris concert of The Earl Hines All-Stars - Stuff Smith, Roy Eldridge, Ben Webster, Don Byas, Kenny Clarke and bassist from the Kenny Clarke/Francy Boland Big Band Jimmy Woode - is particularly wonderful.



For an introduction to the scintillating string swing magic of Stuff Smith, the swing-obsessed population at Way Too Damn Lazy To Write A Blog highly recommend the following compilation of his blazing 1939-1944 recordings.