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Sonelius Smith

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Sonelius Smith
Birth nameS. L. Smith
Also known asS. Smith, Sonelius Laurel Smith
Born (1942-12-17) December 17, 1942 (age 81)
Hillhouse, Mississippi
GenresJazz, Spiritual Jazz, Soul Jazz
Occupation(s)Pianist and Composer
InstrumentPiano
Years active1970-present
LabelsSoul Note, Strata-East Records
Member ofThe Sonelius Smith Trio
Formerly ofThe New Directions, Jazzmobile, The Piano Choir, The David Murray Quartet, Flight to Sanity, the Lo-Fly Sextet

Sonelius Smith (born December 17, 1942) is known both for his innovative contributions to jazz as composer and pianist and for his collaborations with some of the late twentieth century's greatest jazz musicians.

As a composer, Smith has created work performed by pianists Ahmad Jamal and Stanley Cowell and saxophonists David Murray and Robin Kenyatta.[1][2] As a jazz pianist, Smith has performed with Charles Mingus, Lionel Hampton and Stanley Cowell, and been a member of several noteworthy musical groups, including the Piano Choir, which the Washington Post described in 2000 as a multi-genre "Masters of the Piano ... [s]et up on nine Steinway pianos in a semicircle with the keys facing the audience [showcasing] the best of three centuries of piano history."[3] In 1977, the New York Times described Smith's performance with Clifford Thornton's jazz quintet as "forcefully inventive."[4] In 1991, AllMusic described the David Murray Big Band album, which Smith recorded as a member of the David Murray Quartet, as "generally brilliant."[2][5]

Between 1970 and 2001, Smith performed, played or composed the music for some forty-five albums, including one of his own: The World of the Children (1977), originally released by the storied Strata-East Records, but remastered by Pure Pleasure Records Ltd. in 2021.[6] In a review of the remastered edition, Robbie Gerson of the UK's Audiophile Audition praised its "aspirational soul, free jazz and lyrical expression" and "Smith (the composer) [for] shin[ing] on acoustic piano with a complicated, transcendental improvisation ... incorporat[ing] both Latin and African patterns," which he described as "captivating," noting that "[a]nother Smith composition (“Conversation Piece”) captures the opposing earthy and graceful abstraction."[7]

In 2005, Smith's collaboration with Shamek Farrah on "Julius" was included in Mastercuts Breaks, a compilation released by Mastercuts that also featured Earth, Wind & Fire, James Brown and Nina Simone.[8][9]

Jazz pianist and composer

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Born in Hillhouse, Mississippi, Smith learned to play piano by ear.[10] In 1948, after his family relocated to Memphis, he began receiving classical training, which later won him a music scholarship to the historically Black university now known as the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, but then known as the Arkansas Agricultural, Mechanical and Normal College.[1] In college, Smith played in a small ensemble, and studied piano and theory with Josephus Robinson and John Stubblefield. In 1969, he graduated with a major in music education.[1][10] After graduation, Smith began touring Europe with The New Directions, which featured Stubblefield and musicians James Leary, Larry Ross and Benjamin Jones.[10]

Smith relocated to New York City at the end of 1969, and began working with Rashid Ali's Jazzmobile jazz quartet.[10] That led to his arrangements and compositions for singer, songwriter and music producer Bob Crewe's Saturday Music company.[10] A year-long tour with Rahsaan Roland Kirk followed, as did collaborations with Kirk on the studio album Blacknuss, the live album Rahsaan Rahsaan and Natural Black Inventions: Root Strata, a second studio album.[8][10]

In 1973, Smith joined jazz pianist Stanley Cowell's ensemble.[10] In the mid-1970s, he worked with Shamek Farrah and Flight to Sanity. In 1974, he served as musical director for Nancy Fales' Ark, directed by Ralph Lee at La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club in New York City's East Village.[11] Toward the end of the 1970s, he played with J.R. Mitchell, Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre, Warren Smith, and Wilber Morris.

In the 1980s, Smith worked with Andrew Cyrille and joined David Murray's quartet. Throughout a long musical career, Smith also collaborated with Kenny Dorham, Roy Brooks, Charles Mingus, Roland Kirk, Robin Kenyatta, Rashied Ali, Warren Smith, Frank Foster, Harold Vick, Donald Byrd, Elvin Jones, Archie Shepp, Freddie Hubbard, Art Blakey and Lionel Hampton.[1][2] As founder of the eponymous Sonelius Smith Trio, Smith collaborates with bass player Adam Kahan and baritone saxophonist Claire Daly.[2]

Music educator

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Between 1973 and 1986, Smith worked as an educator for the New Muse Community Museum. In the 1990s, he also began working for The Harlem School of the Arts, in addition to teaching at the Third Street Music School Settlement.

Discography

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Year Credits Album Musical Artists
1970 celesta, piano Rahsaan Rahsaan [live] Rahsaan Roland Kirk & The Vibration Society
1971 piano Natural Black Inventions: Root Strata Rahsaan Roland Kirk
1972 piano Blacknuss Rahsaan Roland Kirk
1973 performer Handscapes [live] The Piano Choir
1974 piano First Impressions Shamek Farrah
1974 piano Stompin' at the Savoy Robin Kenyatta
1975 piano, electric piano, featured, composer Handscapes 2 The Piano Choir
1977 piano The World of the Children Shamek Farrah & Sonelius Smith
1977 piano Wildflowers 2: The New York Loft Jazz Sessions Various
1980 vocals, piano La Dee La La Shamek Farrah and Folks
1980 piano, composer Live J.R. Mitchell
1982 composer Prime Time Hugh Lawson
1983 piano The Navigator Andrew Cyrille
1991 piano David Murray Big Band David Murray Quartet
1993 piano Body and Soul David Murray Quartet
1994 piano Strata-East Various
1994 composer Summit Conference Reggie Workman
1995 piano, arranger South of the Border David Murray
1997 piano Dog Years in the Fourth Ring [compilation] Rahsaan Roland Kirk
1997 piano Strata-2-East Various
1998 piano Comraderie Zusaan Kali Fasteau
2000 piano Wildflowers: The New York Loft Jazz Sessions - Complete Various
2001 composer No One in Particular Rashied Ali Quintet
2020 piano Let's Make Ends Meet Tee Holman Sextet

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Gary W. Kennedy, "Sonelius Smith". The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz. 2nd edition, ed. Barry Kernfeld, 2004.
  2. ^ a b c d "Sonelius Smith Trio". Soapbox Gallery. 2021-12-18. Retrieved 2023-05-31.
  3. ^ Hopkinson, Natalie (2000-06-01). "Masters of the Piano". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2023-06-01.
  4. ^ "Jazz: African Beat". The New York Times. 1977-05-26. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-06-01.
  5. ^ David Murray - David Murray Big Band, Conducted by Lawrence "Butch" Morris Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic, retrieved 2023-06-01
  6. ^ Jones, Mark (17 April 2021). "Shamek Farrah & Sonelius Smith 'The World of the Children' 180g Vinyl (Pure Pleasure) 4/5". UK Vibe. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  7. ^ Robbie, Gerson (2021-06-07). "Shamek Farrah & Sonelius Smith – The World Of The Children – Pure Pleasure Records". Audiophile Audition. Retrieved 2023-06-01.
  8. ^ a b "Sonelius Smith: Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2023-06-01.
  9. ^ Kellman, Andy. "Various Artists: Mastercuts: Breaks [2005]". AllMusic. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g Jazz R, Us (17 Dec 2018). "Happy birthday to pianist and composer Sonelius Smith". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2023-06-01.
  11. ^ La MaMa Archives Digital Collections. "Production: Ark (1974)". Accessed August 15, 2018.
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