Stuff Smith: Biography

Stuff Smith
Born:
Aug 14, 1909 in Portsmouth, OH

Died:
Sep 25, 1967 in Munich, Germany

Genres:
Jazz Music, Bop Jazz Music, Fusion Jazz Music, Swing, Cool Jazz Music

Decades Active:
1920's|1930's|1940's|1950's|1960's


Artistic Quality
High
Cultural Impact
High
Popularity
Medium



Stuff Smith was one of the big three of pre-bop violinists along with Joe Venuti and Stephane Grappelli. Many of his fans said that he could outswing all of his competitors, and certainly Stuff was a major force on the bandstand. Smith, who cited Louis Armstrong as his main influence, studied music with his father and played with the family band as a child. His first major job and recordings were with Alphonse Trent's territory band in the 1920s, but it was not until 1936 that he had his breakthrough. Leading a quintet at the ~Onyx Club with trumpeter Jonah Jones, Smith's comedy vocals and hard-swinging approach made the group a hit on 52nd Street for several years; his novelty "I'se a Muggin'" became a hit. Smith worked regularly with his trios in the 1940s, but was in danger of being forgotten in the '50s when Norman Granz recorded him fairly extensively for Verve; Stuff also participated in Nat King Cole's After Midnight sessions for Capitol. The violinist moved to Copenhagen in 1965 and was active until his death two years later.

- Scott Yanow, All Music Guide

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