Track: Moranish from III (2010, Criss Cross Jazz). Walter Smith (tenor sax), Ambrose Akinmusire (trumpet), Jason Moran (piano) Joe Sanders (bass), Eric Harland (drums), Logan Richardson (alto sax).
For critics prone to read too much into album and track titles, Smith is a valuable reminder of the realities of a musician’s working life. I wondered whether the album title, IIIwas a reference to his name, intended as a personal statement of some kind. The reality is more pragmatic. “III is part of my name,” Smith says, “but in this case I used it simply because it’s my third album and there wasn’t much time to debate album titles.”
The same applies to the track ‘Highschoolish’. I rate the track highly: with its repeated questioning saxophone phrase over a subtle, shifting rhythm, it has a wistful, yearning quality to it, as though he’s look back, fondly or regretfully, to a past experience. Again, though, the reality is more straightforward.
“Actually, this got its title because it sounds like something I would have written back when I was in high school,” Smith explains. “I wasn’t particularly proud of the composition and was just kind of experimenting with composing for chordless saxophone trio and was trying to make the harmonic structure really obvious so that it could be easily heard without piano or guitar playing the harmony.”
Education is, all the same, an important and rewarding part of Smith’s career: “I’ve always valued teaching as an important part of what I do. I have been doing a lot of artist in residence work, as well as masterclasses like the one we’ll be holding at Leeds College here. It’s a great way to share ideas with younger musicians and learn a lot about your own approach to playing music.”
After his extensive UK tour, Smith has a few gigs planned in France as well, where he has played often, and his album Live in France was released in 2009. He enjoys both the musical opportunities and cultural interaction of travel: “I perform mostly in Europe because of the festivals throughout the year as well as the large number of venues that operate year round. I love having the opportunity to travel to new places and experience different cultures and share music experiences with them.”
Noticing an upcoming Masterclass at Trinity Laban in Smith’s diary (6th February), I asked him about the future health and prospects of jazz in the UK:
“I would say that things look pretty good in the UK,” he says. “I just played at the London Jazz Festival with Ambrose [Akinmusire] and people were going wild in there. Next door was [Robert] Glasper and that was completely sold out and then when we went to Ronnie’s for the radio broadcast there was a line down the block for it. The audience is there for sure. As for the younger generation, there is nothing to worry about. I personally know ten saxophone players that would embarrass me thoroughly, and they are all under 25, so if anything, it is inspiring me to try and practise more to catch up with them!”
www.WalterSmith3. com
Walter Smith III is on tour in the UK from 28th January until 9th February. This tour has received a grant from the PRS for Music Foundation. Full dates:
Jan 28 & 29: Pizza Express Dean Street, London
Jan 30: The Sage, Gateshead
Jan 31: Bonnington Theatre, Nottingham
Feb 1: Leeds College of Music, Daytime Masterclass Leeds
Feb 1: Wakefield Jazz Club, Wakefield
Feb 2: CBSO Center, Birmingham
Feb 3: Southport Jazz Festival, Jazz on a Winter’s Weekend, Southport
Feb 6: Trinity College of Music, London
Feb 7: The Spin, Oxford
Feb 8: The Fleece, Boxford
Feb 9: Drill Hall Arts Center, Lincoln
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