Organ Grinder's Swing - Music
Organ Grinder's Swing by Buster Smith
Buster Smith
Artist Biography For Buster Smith
Henry "Buster" Smith August 24 1904 – August 10 1991 Also Known As Professor Smith Was An American Jazz Alto Saxophonist. Smith Was Instrumental In Instituting The Texas Sax Sound With Count Basie And Lester Young In The 1930s And He Was Also A Mentor To Charlie Parker. Smith Played Saxophone For A Range Of Musicians Including Duke Ellington Ella Fitzgerald And Earl Hines Though In His Career He Only Recorded One Solo Album In 1959. Despite Intending To Release A Follow-Up In The 1960s Smith Was Injured In An Accident Leading To A Follow-Up Never Eventuating. Smith Was Born And Raised In Alsdorf Texas A Small Township Near Telico In The Outskirts Of Dallas Where He Attended School As A Child. Smith Earned The Name "Buster" From His Parents As A Baby As He Was Born As An Overweight Child. Buster Was The Third Of Five Boys And Had No Sisters Though Both Of His Older Brothers Died In Childhood Of Measles.
Smith's Early Musical Influences Were His Mother And His Father Who Played Guitar. At Four Years Old Buster Was Playing The Organ With His Brother Pianist Boston Smith Buster Played The Keys And Boston Stepped On The Pedals. Soon Thereafter His Grandfather Gave Away The Family Organ Because He Believed It Would Only Direct Buster To A Life Of Sin. In 1919 Smith Picked Cotton For A Week To Earn Himself The Money To Buy A $3.50 Clarinet. Smith Learned To Play Several Instruments By The Time He Was Eighteen Years Old. In 1922 Smith And His Family Moved To Dallas. He Joined The Voodie White Trio Playing Alto Saxophone And Clarinet. In 1923 He Began His Professional Music Career Playing Alto Saxophone With The Medicine Shows Though He Had To Play Very Loudly To Draw In More Customers. This Experience Led To Smith Defining His Own Musical Style Known For Being Loud. The Time With The Medicine Shows Also Led To Oran "Hot Lips" Page Inviting Smith To Join His Group The Oklahoma City Blue Devils In 1925. Over The Next Few Years Smith Wrote Much Of The Group's Music Learning From Banjo Player Johnny Clark Writing Lyrics With Co-Workers From The Bank That He Worked In. When Smith Joined The Blue Devils The Line-Up Consisted Of Walter Page Oran Page Lester Young Count Basie Jimmy Rushing And Emir "Bucket" Coleman. They Toured The Kansas City Area And The Midwest Playing Jazz For A Year Bringing All Of Its Members Into Prominence. Basie And Page Both Left The Group However Smith Decided To Stay On Though This Was Very Short Lived And Soon After He Left Also. After Leaving The Group He And Basie Formed The Buster Smith-Count Basie Band Of Rhythm Where The Two Innovated A Louder Style Of Jazz. Buster's Contribution To The Unique Sound Was By Using A Tenor Saxophone Reed In His Alto Saxophone To Achieve A Louder "fatter" Sound. Lester Young Also Joined The Band And To Complement Smith's Louder Sound He Also Opted For A Heavier Reed Using A Baritone Saxophone Reed On His Tenor Saxophone. This Sound Was Later Labelled The Texas Sax Sound. Smith Gained A Great Amount Of Influence In The Texan Music Community And Industry. Smith Mentored Legendary Saxophonist Charlie Parker During The 1930s Developing A "father-Son Relationship" Through Mentoring Parker.
In 1941 Smith Decided To Return To Dallas And To Cease Touring Though He Remained Active In The Local Music Scene. In The Following Years He Wrote For Jazz And Blues Bands Played Often And Taught Many Young Texan Musicians Including Aaron "T-Bone" Walker And Red Garland Among Others. He Also Performed Session Work With Artists Such As Pete Johnson's Boogie-Woogie Boys Eddie Durham Leo "Snub" Mosley Bon And His Buddies And The Don Redman Orchestra. In 1959 Buster Led His First Solo Recording Session In Fort Worth As Prompted By Atlantic Records. From These Sessions Released By Atlantic With The Title The Legendary Buster Smith Smith's Notable Songs Included "Kansas City Riffs " "Buster's Tune " "E Flat Boogie " And Kurt Weill's "September Song." For The Sessions Buster Enlisted His Brother Boston Smith To Play Piano Along With Musicians Spanning His Career To Date. In The 1960s Smith Was Involved In Auto Accident In Which He Was Injured And No Longer Able To Play The Saxophone. In Order To Continue Playing Music He Started To Play The Bass Guitar Throughout Dallas And Continued To Participate In The Dallas Musical Community. Buster Led A Dance Music Band Until 1980 And Played In The Legendary Revelations In The Mid-1980s. Smith Died In Dallas On August 10 1991 Of A Heart Attack.
49 Similar Tracks:
Buster Smith - Kansas City Riffs Buster Smith - E-Flat Boogie Charlie Barnet And His Orchestra - Redskin Rhumba Andy Kirk - A Mellow Bit Of Rhythm Earl Bostic - Special Delivery Stomp Earl Bostic - Tuxedo Junction Buddy Johnson - You Gotta Walk That Chalk Line Erskine Hawkins - Norfolk Ferry Arnett Cobb - Smooth Sailin' Larry Clinton - Hollywood Pastime Buddy Johnson - Please, Mister Johnson 10-25-40 Arnett Cobb - Walkin' Home Mezz Mezzrow - Minor Swoon 07-31-45 Hot Lips Page - Miss Martingale Erskine Hawkins - Gin Mill Special Mezz Mezzrow - Blues In Disguise Boilermaker Jazz Band - Rockets In My Pockets Lucky Millinder - Ram-Bunk-Shush Larry Clinton - A Study In Blue Duke Ellington Orchestra - Stepping Into Swing Society Frankie Trumbauer - Troubled 11-20-34 John Kirby - From A Flat To C 10-28-38 Lucky Millinder - Who Said Shorty Wasn't Coming Back Glen Gray & The Casa Loma Orchestra - Moten Swing Andy Kirk - Bearcat Shuffle 03-04-36 Mound City Blue Blowers - Eeny Meeny Miney Mo Duke Ellington Orchestra - Don't Get Around Much Anymore John Kirby - 9:20 Special Indigo Swing - The Best You Can Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers - Roll The Boogie Chu Berry - Chuberry Jam Boilermaker Jazz Band - When I Take My Sugar To Tea Ambrose & His Orchestra - The Sun Has Got His Hat On Gene Krupa & His Orchestra - Bolero At The Savoy Ambrose & His Orchestra - Cotton Picker's Congregation Big Kahuna And The Copa Cat Pack - Tequila Mills Blue Rhythm Band - Callin' Your Stuff Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers - Voo-It Eddie Cantor - Ma! He's Making Eyes At Me Big Kahuna And The Copa Cat Pack - Hawaiian War Chant The Solomon Douglas Swingtet - "Big Apple Contest" Teddy Powell - Jamaica Jam Hot Sugar Band - Harlem Swing Naomi & Her Handsome Devils - Take It Easy Greasy Slim & Slam - Jump Session Sammy Price - Claudia In The Crowd Meschiya Lake And The Little Big Horns - Do Right Naomi & Her Handsome Devils - I Can't Give You Anything But Love Bobby Short - Heebie Jeebies
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Biography - Buster Smith
Henry "Buster" Smith August 24 1904 – August 10 1991 Also Known As Professor Smith Was An American Jazz Alto Saxophonist. Smith Was Instrumental In Instituting The Texas Sax Sound With Count Basie And Lester Young In The 1930s And He Was Also A Mentor To Charlie Parker. Smith Played Saxophone For A Range Of Musicians Including Duke Ellington Ella Fitzgerald And Earl Hines Though In His Career He Only Recorded One Solo Album In 1959. Despite Intending To Release A Follow-Up In The 1960s Smith Was Injured In An Accident Leading To A Follow-Up Never Eventuating. Smith Was Born And Raised In Alsdorf Texas A Small Township Near Telico In The Outskirts Of Dallas Where He Attended School As A Child. Smith Earned The Name "Buster" From His Parents As A Baby As He Was Born As An Overweight Child. Buster Was The Third Of Five Boys And Had No Sisters Though Both Of His Older Brothers Died In Childhood Of Measles.
Smith's Early Musical Influences Were His Mother And His Father Who Played Guitar. At Four Years Old Buster Was Playing The Organ With His Brother Pianist Boston Smith Buster Played The Keys And Boston Stepped On The Pedals. Soon Thereafter His Grandfather Gave Away The Family Organ Because He Believed It Would Only Direct Buster To A Life Of Sin. In 1919 Smith Picked Cotton For A Week To Earn Himself The Money To Buy A $3.50 Clarinet. Smith Learned To Play Several Instruments By The Time He Was Eighteen Years Old. In 1922 Smith And His Family Moved To Dallas. He Joined The Voodie White Trio Playing Alto Saxophone And Clarinet. In 1923 He Began His Professional Music Career Playing Alto Saxophone With The Medicine Shows Though He Had To Play Very Loudly To Draw In More Customers. This Experience Led To Smith Defining His Own Musical Style Known For Being Loud. The Time With The Medicine Shows Also Led To Oran "Hot Lips" Page Inviting Smith To Join His Group The Oklahoma City Blue Devils In 1925. Over The Next Few Years Smith Wrote Much Of The Group's Music Learning From Banjo Player Johnny Clark Writing Lyrics With Co-Workers From The Bank That He Worked In. When Smith Joined The Blue Devils The Line-Up Consisted Of Walter Page Oran Page Lester Young Count Basie Jimmy Rushing And Emir "Bucket" Coleman. They Toured The Kansas City Area And The Midwest Playing Jazz For A Year Bringing All Of Its Members Into Prominence. Basie And Page Both Left The Group However Smith Decided To Stay On Though This Was Very Short Lived And Soon After He Left Also. After Leaving The Group He And Basie Formed The Buster Smith-Count Basie Band Of Rhythm Where The Two Innovated A Louder Style Of Jazz. Buster's Contribution To The Unique Sound Was By Using A Tenor Saxophone Reed In His Alto Saxophone To Achieve A Louder "fatter" Sound. Lester Young Also Joined The Band And To Complement Smith's Louder Sound He Also Opted For A Heavier Reed Using A Baritone Saxophone Reed On His Tenor Saxophone. This Sound Was Later Labelled The Texas Sax Sound. Smith Gained A Great Amount Of Influence In The Texan Music Community And Industry. Smith Mentored Legendary Saxophonist Charlie Parker During The 1930s Developing A "father-Son Relationship" Through Mentoring Parker.
In 1941 Smith Decided To Return To Dallas And To Cease Touring Though He Remained Active In The Local Music Scene. In The Following Years He Wrote For Jazz And Blues Bands Played Often And Taught Many Young Texan Musicians Including Aaron "T-Bone" Walker And Red Garland Among Others. He Also Performed Session Work With Artists Such As Pete Johnson's Boogie-Woogie Boys Eddie Durham Leo "Snub" Mosley Bon And His Buddies And The Don Redman Orchestra. In 1959 Buster Led His First Solo Recording Session In Fort Worth As Prompted By Atlantic Records. From These Sessions Released By Atlantic With The Title The Legendary Buster Smith Smith's Notable Songs Included "Kansas City Riffs " "Buster's Tune " "E Flat Boogie " And Kurt Weill's "September Song." For The Sessions Buster Enlisted His Brother Boston Smith To Play Piano Along With Musicians Spanning His Career To Date. In The 1960s Smith Was Involved In Auto Accident In Which He Was Injured And No Longer Able To Play The Saxophone. In Order To Continue Playing Music He Started To Play The Bass Guitar Throughout Dallas And Continued To Participate In The Dallas Musical Community. Buster Led A Dance Music Band Until 1980 And Played In The Legendary Revelations In The Mid-1980s. Smith Died In Dallas On August 10 1991 Of A Heart Attack. read less
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Smith's Early Musical Influences Were His Mother And His Father Who Played Guitar. At Four Years Old Buster Was Playing The Organ With His Brother Pianist Boston Smith Buster Played The Keys And Boston Stepped On The Pedals. Soon Thereafter His Grandfather Gave Away The Family Organ Because He Believed It Would Only Direct Buster To A Life Of Sin. In 1919 Smith Picked Cotton For A Week To Earn Himself The Money To Buy A $3.50 Clarinet. Smith Learned To Play Several Instruments By The Time He Was Eighteen Years Old. In 1922 Smith And His Family Moved To Dallas. He Joined The Voodie White Trio Playing Alto Saxophone And Clarinet. In 1923 He Began His Professional Music Career Playing Alto Saxophone With The Medicine Shows Though He Had To Play Very Loudly To Draw In More Customers. This Experience Led To Smith Defining His Own Musical Style Known For Being Loud. The Time With The Medicine Shows Also Led To Oran "Hot Lips" Page Inviting Smith To Join His Group The Oklahoma City Blue Devils In 1925. Over The Next Few Years Smith Wrote Much Of The Group's Music Learning From Banjo Player Johnny Clark Writing Lyrics With Co-Workers From The Bank That He Worked In. When Smith Joined The Blue Devils The Line-Up Consisted Of Walter Page Oran Page Lester Young Count Basie Jimmy Rushing And Emir "Bucket" Coleman. They Toured The Kansas City Area And The Midwest Playing Jazz For A Year Bringing All Of Its Members Into Prominence. Basie And Page Both Left The Group However Smith Decided To Stay On Though This Was Very Short Lived And Soon After He Left Also. After Leaving The Group He And Basie Formed The Buster Smith-Count Basie Band Of Rhythm Where The Two Innovated A Louder Style Of Jazz. Buster's Contribution To The Unique Sound Was By Using A Tenor Saxophone Reed In His Alto Saxophone To Achieve A Louder "fatter" Sound. Lester Young Also Joined The Band And To Complement Smith's Louder Sound He Also Opted For A Heavier Reed Using A Baritone Saxophone Reed On His Tenor Saxophone. This Sound Was Later Labelled The Texas Sax Sound. Smith Gained A Great Amount Of Influence In The Texan Music Community And Industry. Smith Mentored Legendary Saxophonist Charlie Parker During The 1930s Developing A "father-Son Relationship" Through Mentoring Parker.
In 1941 Smith Decided To Return To Dallas And To Cease Touring Though He Remained Active In The Local Music Scene. In The Following Years He Wrote For Jazz And Blues Bands Played Often And Taught Many Young Texan Musicians Including Aaron "T-Bone" Walker And Red Garland Among Others. He Also Performed Session Work With Artists Such As Pete Johnson's Boogie-Woogie Boys Eddie Durham Leo "Snub" Mosley Bon And His Buddies And The Don Redman Orchestra. In 1959 Buster Led His First Solo Recording Session In Fort Worth As Prompted By Atlantic Records. From These Sessions Released By Atlantic With The Title The Legendary Buster Smith Smith's Notable Songs Included "Kansas City Riffs " "Buster's Tune " "E Flat Boogie " And Kurt Weill's "September Song." For The Sessions Buster Enlisted His Brother Boston Smith To Play Piano Along With Musicians Spanning His Career To Date. In The 1960s Smith Was Involved In Auto Accident In Which He Was Injured And No Longer Able To Play The Saxophone. In Order To Continue Playing Music He Started To Play The Bass Guitar Throughout Dallas And Continued To Participate In The Dallas Musical Community. Buster Led A Dance Music Band Until 1980 And Played In The Legendary Revelations In The Mid-1980s. Smith Died In Dallas On August 10 1991 Of A Heart Attack. read less
16 Similar Artists To Buster Smith - Frogtoon Music
The Solomon Douglas Swingtet The Big 18 Boilermaker Jazz Band Jonathan Stout And His Campus Five, Featuring Hilary Alexander Hot Sugar Band Naomi & Her Handsome Devils Gordon Webster Skeets Tolbert The Careless Lovers Buddy Johnson Hot Swing Sextet Duke Heitger & His Swing Band Mint Julep Jazz Band THE SCHWINGS BAND Edgar Hayes Slim & Slam.