egroj world: Stuff Smith Quartet Featuring Svend Asmussen • Hot Stuff

Monday, July 18, 2022

Stuff Smith Quartet Featuring Svend Asmussen • Hot Stuff

Biography
by Scott Yanow
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.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/stuff-smith-mn0000919618/biography

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Biografía
por Scott Yanow
Stuff Smith fue uno de los tres grandes violinistas pre-bop junto con Joe Venuti y Stephane Grappelli. Muchos de sus fans decían que podía superar a todos sus competidores, y ciertamente Stuff era una fuerza importante en el escenario. Smith, que citó a Louis Armstrong como su principal influencia, estudió música con su padre y tocó con la banda familiar cuando era niño. Su primer trabajo importante y sus primeras grabaciones fueron con la banda territorial de Alphonse Trent en la década de 1920, pero no fue hasta 1936 cuando dio el salto a la fama. Al frente de un quinteto en el Onyx Club con el trompetista Jonah Jones, la voz cómica de Smith y su enfoque duro hicieron que el grupo fuera un éxito en la calle 52 durante varios años; su novedad "I'se a Muggin'" se convirtió en un éxito. Smith trabajó regularmente con sus tríos en la década de 1940, pero corría el riesgo de caer en el olvido en los años 50 cuando Norman Granz le grabó ampliamente para Verve; Stuff también participó en las sesiones de After Midnight de Nat King Cole para Capitol. El violinista se trasladó a Copenhague en 1965 y estuvo en activo hasta su muerte dos años después.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/stuff-smith-mn0000919618/biography