Baritone Sax: Nick Smith
Trumpet: Benny Lee
Double Bass: John Porter
Drums: Stevie Smith
Nick also appears with the Henley Farrell Big Band.
Here are a few pics of the band's recent concert in Torbay with sax and clarinet virtuoso Alan Barnes:
Influences
Anything that makes me happy, or grumpy.
I've discovered this though, that may make the travelling burden a bit lighter,
All music influences me in some way...
I also like Alan Barnes' playing - here's some archive footage of the gig we did with him in 2007...
Sounds Like
Nick thinks he's getting towards the sounds of King Curtis, Sonny Rollins, and maybe Tubby Hayes. Well, he looks a bit like Tubby Hayes anyway.
Jake & Elwood sound like the Blues Brothers - as close as they can get. We're big in Poland you know (almost as good as being big in Japan!).
Mulligan Soup sound a lot like the famous Gerry Mulligan quartets of the 1950's - dilligently transcribed arrangements from the famous West Coast Jazz style. In fact, you're probably listening to them now!
For more information visit mulligansoup.com.
Nick Smith is a seasoned professional with over ten years' performance experience, in that time being lucky enough to work with artists as varied as great American trumpeter Bobby Shew,
British multiple jazz award winner Alan Barnes, Big Band frontman and 'professional nephew' John Miller,
soul legends Jimmy James and the Vagabonds,
Sheffield star ascendent Richard Hawley, Big Band singer Lee Gibson, and Bernie Clifton and his Ostrich.
Nick is available for concerts, events, weddings, parties, theatre shows and other engagements on a freelance basis, as well as teaching the saxophone.
To make enquiries or bookings, please contact him through this Space, or CLICK HERE TO EMAIL NICK.
He is able to play tenor, alto, soprano and baritone saxes, doubles on clarinet and bass clarinet and is currently mastering the flute, further enhancing his versatility.
Nick's main influences are Big Band players like the great Johnny Hodges, through Marshall Royal, Lockjaw Davis, Pepper Adams, Eric Dolphy and Joe Henderson to contemporary players like Denis DiBlasio, Ronnie Cuber and the amazing, sadly departed Michael Brecker.
He also enjoys playing funk and blues - major influences here being Cannonball Adderley, Herbie Hancock, Bob James, and Maceo Parker.
Nick is currently touring nationally and internationally with the revered theatre show Jake & Elwood, paying tribute to the Blues Brothers in a theatre near you soon!
Here's a taster of the show, live in Israel at Frederic R Mann Auditorium (aka Hechel Ha'Tarbut)...
He is also the leader of Mulligan Soup, a piano-less quartet playing cool jazz in the style of the famous Gerry Mulligan/Chet Baker collaborations of the 1950's.
In addition to this, he regularly performs with many other groups around the country, including
The example tracks provided above are part of a hastily assembled demo Nick recorded with friends Jez Matthews and Richard Keates (the "Jez Matthews Project") in the Stables, in Sheffield in March 2005. More examples will be available soon!
Hi Nick. Good to meet you too yesterday. . and thanks for playing music that brought an instant smile to my face. See you around I hope. All the best. Jo
Hey Nick, thanks for the add. Great sounds on here! Did you do the gig in Solihull with Nu Soul? I know Danny said there was another sax - assumed it was you. All the best.
Hi Nick, how's things? Not seen you since Lee's birthday! Anyway hope you're well and keepin busy..Be good to have a jam sometime eh? Catch up soon? Cheers..J
