Tom Smith's Music Web Page

Tom Smith

TROMBONIST - CONDUCTOR - EDUCATOR - RESEARCHER - WRITER

Thsmith.com has been constructed to address a need for organizing my rapidly evolving mental clutter. For once, I have made a realistic attempt to archive some of the better known articles and reviews. This way, people will never have to sift through the really obscure stuff, although I am certain there inevitably will be those who recoil in horror at some of the things I now consider note worthy. There is also a new forum page, something devoted to non music writings, many, many photographs, and a section dedicated to Romanian adventures.

Perhaps of greatest significance is a comprehensive soundlips page that contains over four hours of music. There are recordings and live concerts that go as all the way back to 1979. It is divided into two sections: recordings of Tom Smith led big bands, and solo/small group sessions.

A very wise person once told me life is what happens while you are making plans. A truer expression was never uttered. Yet, with change comes the more exciting probability of new frontiers. I guess sometimes you just have to open the door and walk inside.

Tom's IAJE Award

The International Association for Jazz Education presented Tom with the Jazz Ambassador Award, January 12, 2008, at the 35th IAJE Annual Conference, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The award honors a jazz educator who for at least 20 years has made a significant impact by developing a new and/or underdeveloped country, region, or unit. It is considered one of the premier awards in jazz education.

Tom Smith's Jazz Ambassador acceptance speech

Saturday, January 12, 2008

International Association for Jazz Education Convention

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Thank you so much. I am deeply humbled and honored to accept this award, because I can think of no prouder designation than to be called a jazz ambassador, a title for which I have always aspired. I would first like to thank my long suffering wife Sarah for being my greatest supporter, my son Matt for his remarkable and unlimited musical inspiration, my mom for teaching me how to think outside of the box, and to my totemicly underrated jazz musician father who at a very early age inflicted me with this wonderful disease called jazz.

Of course one could not spend three decades coordinating a menagerie of enchanted tasks without being surrounded by people far better than yourself. For me this began in 1978, when we were able to pull off a three day free jazz festival in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, albeit by the skin of our teeth. Then later as we were building those Appalachian ensembles (for which I am as proud as anything I was ever associated with) we were privy to a backwoods jazz and cultural revolution, [...] read more

Tom with Romanian President Ion Iliescu
Cotroceni Palace, May 2003

email to: tomsmithjazz@yahoo.com

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