[Dixielandjazz] Talented Pianist Paul Smith dies at 91-- Ella Fitzgerald's accompanist, among others

[Marek Boym]

A friend of mine admired Paul Smith.  He wrote Paul Smith a letter telling
him about it, and received a bunch of LPs by return mai.
Indeed, an excellent pianist and, judging by the above gesture, a very
gracious person.
He may be gone, but his music lives on.
Cheers


On 2 July 2013 19:01, Norman Vickers <nvickers1 at cox.net> wrote:

> To:  DJML and Musicians and Jazzfans list****
>
> From: Norman Vickers, Jazz Society of Pensacola****
>
> ** **
>
> This obituary from 7-1-13 Los Angeles Times.  Paul was a regular at Dick
> Gibson’s jazz parties when I attended 85-93.  We had him at Jazz Society of
> Pensacola on a couple of occasions. I’d watch for his appearances on the
> East Coast of Florida and then entice him to stop by Pensacola on the way
> home.  We’d schedule a special event for him.  Always, I  would need to
> find a tennis partner for him on his visit.  His major “sin” was drinking
> diet Cokes.  He neither smoked or drank.  Said he’d watched so many of his
> colleagues die from smoking, alcohol or drugs that he completely abstained.
> ****
>
> ** **
>
> As the obit says, he worked in the movie  studios on West Coast, including
> the piano accompaniment for the Saturday morning cartoons.  When he’d play
> for the Gibson party, he’d frequently work in some appropriate lick to
> illustrate what was happening on the bandstand.****
>
> ** **
>
> When Ella Fitzgerald appeared in Pensacola at the Saenger Theatre in
> concert in 1985, Paul was the pianist.  Other performers were guitarist Joe
> Pass; Joey Barron, drums; and Keeter Betts, bass.  During that event, Ms.
> Fitzgerald featured Joe Pass on solo guitar for some numbers, Smith just
> played the appropriate music to make Ms. Fitzgerald look great.  No solos
> for him on that  session.****
>
> ** **
>
> He will be missed!   I’m glad I knew/heard him.****
>
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>
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>
> From  Los Angeles Times****
> Paul Smith dies at 91; jazz pianist, arranger, composer****A brilliant
> soloist and accompanist, Paul Smith worked with diverse talents such as
> Ella Fitzgerald, Steve Allen and Sammy Davis Jr.****
>
> 2****
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>
> By Don Heckman****
>
> *July 1, 2013**,** **11:04 p.m.***
>
> Paul Smith<http://www.latimes.com/topic/services-shopping/clothing-accessories-shoes/paul-smith-PRDCAS0000609.topic>,
> a jazz pianist, arranger-composer and music director for stars such as
> Sammy Davis Jr., Anita O'Day, Mel Torme<http://www.latimes.com/topic/entertainment/music/mel-torme-PECLB00000011026.topic>,
> Ella Fitzgerald, Doris Day, the Andrews Sisters, Sarah Vaughan and Rosemary
> Clooney, has died. He was 91.****
>
> Smith died of heart failure Saturday at the Torrance Memorial Medical
> Center, publicist Alan Eichler said.****
>
> At 6 feet 5, with hands that easily spanned the piano keyboard well beyond
> octaves, Smith was an impressive sight on stage. Playing with a versatility
> comparable to that of Oscar Peterson and a harmonic richness similar to the
> work of Bill Evans, he was both a brilliant soloist and an accompanist who
> was highly praised by the many singers with whom he performed.****
>
> His initial solo album, "Liquid Sounds," is the first of numerous
> convincing examples of his impressive musical skills. Fluent with jazz,
> classical music and beyond, he moved from genre to genre with ease.****
>
> "Paul was a perfectionist and worked every day to improve his art," said
> jazz singer Lyn Stanley, for whom Smith was a mentor, an accompanist and a
> close friend. "When you worked with him, he expected the same of you."****
>
> For more than 25 years Smith was the pianist and music director for the
> "The Steve Allen Comedy Hour." "What Paul Smith does with two hands would
> ordinarily take three. He does the impossible," Allen — himself a pianist
> and jazz fan — once said.****
>
> Smith recorded more than five dozen albums — many of which are still
> available — as a leader of his own groups. As a much-favored accompanist,
> he recorded with singers and musicians of extraordinarily diverse styles,
> including Tony Martin<http://www.latimes.com/topic/entertainment/tony-martin-PECLB00000060488.topic>,
> Bing Crosby, Red Skelton, Pat Boone, Nat "King" Cole, Pearl Bailey and
> Dizzy Gillespie, among many others. He worked for more than 11 years as a
> pianist and conductor with Ella Fitzgerald, and four with Sammy Davis Jr.*
> ***
>
> "You know," Smith told the San Diego Union-Tribune in 1991, "an
> accompanist has to be selfless — he has to put his ego on the shelf and
> make the vocalist sound better than she would without him. But with Ella
> that was no problem." Their musical relationship was a fulfilling creative
> experience for both, with Smith playing on many of Fitzgerald's critically
> praised, classic "songbook" albums.****
>
> In addition to his far-reaching activities as an accompanist and solo
> artist, Smith spent many years as a studio musician, performing and
> arranging for film and television scores and a wide range of recordings.
> Among many other assignments, he was a staff pianist at Warner Bros.<http://www.latimes.com/topic/economy-business-finance/media-industry/cinema-industry/warner-bros.-entertainment-inc.-ORCRP0000017183.topic>
>  and NBC, appearing on Dinah Shore<http://www.latimes.com/topic/entertainment/music/dinah-shore-PECLB00000010454.topic>'s
> TV variety show for eight years. But, unlike many musicians, he enjoyed the
> challenges and the opportunities of studio work.****
>
> "I liked the studio work because I could stay at home," he told the Idaho
> Statesman in 2006. "I enjoyed the variety of music, not just playing the
> same 34 songs every night. Accompanying every kind of singer — jazz,
> country, bossa nova — was a lot more fun than sitting in a club every
> night."****
>
> Smith was also active as a teacher and educator, training established
> professionals as well as eager novices. He wrote piano method books,
> covering styles reaching from boogie-woogie and bebop to ballads and
> accompaniment techniques.****
>
> Smith was born in San Diego on April 17, 1922. He began studying classical
> piano music at 8, had his own band in high school and was still in his
> teens when he became a working professional with the Johnny Richards band
> in 1941.****
>
> After playing with a military band led by Ziggy Elman during World War II,
> he joined the Les Paul Trio in 1946. Shortly thereafter, he worked with the
> Tommy Dorsey Band as a pianist-arranger in 1947-48 before moving to
> Hollywood in 1949 and becoming an active studio musician.****
>
> "My father told me when I was young," he told The Times in 1994, "that
> since I was going to have to work a very long time, choose something I
> enjoyed and I'd never have to work a day in my life. I'm 72 and I still
> enjoy playing."****
>
> Smith was an active player until his death. He was scheduled to perform
> with his wife, singer and pianist Annette Warren, at Catalina Bar & Grill
> jazz club in mid-July.****
>
> For the past four years, Smith and Warren toured with a show titled "A
> Marriage of Music and Mirth." They also recorded several albums together,
> including the appropriately titled "His and Hers."****
>
> Besides his wife of 54 years, Smith is survived by their daughter, actress
> Lauri Johnson, sons Gary and Paul, eight grandchildren and two
> great-grandchildren.****
>
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>