Carson Smith  | |
|---|---|
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Carson Raymond Smith | 
| Born | January 9, 1931 San Francisco, California, U.S.  | 
| Died | November 2, 1997 (aged 66) Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.  | 
| Genres | Jazz | 
| Occupation(s) | Musician | 
| Instrument(s) | Double bass | 
| Years active | 1952–unknown | 
Carson Raymond Smith (January 9, 1931, San Francisco – November 2, 1997, Las Vegas) was an American jazz double-bassist.[1] Carson is the older brother of jazz musician and composer Putter Smith.[1]
Smith's early work was in West Coast jazz, playing with Gerry Mulligan (1952–53), Chet Baker (1953–55), Russ Freeman (1955–56), and Chico Hamilton (1955–57).[1] Smith also recorded with Clifford Brown (1954), Dick Twardzik (1954), and Billie Holiday at Carnegie Hall (1956).[2] In 1959, he toured with Stan Kenton, then recorded with Charlie Barnet in 1960.[2] In 1962, he moved to Los Angeles, playing with Charlie Teagarden (1962) and Lionel Hampton (1963).[1] He toured Japan with Georgie Auld in 1964.[2] Later in the 1960s, he played with Buddy Rich, Arno Marsh, and Carl Fontana.[2] He held a longtime residency at the Four Queens Hotel in Las Vegas, where he accompanied visiting musicians such as Art Farmer, Lew Tabackin, Zoot Sims, and Chet Baker.[1]
He died of cancer in Las Vegas at the age of 66.[3]
Discography
As sideman
With Chet Baker
- Sings and Plays with Bud Shank, Russ Freeman and Strings (Pacific Jazz, 1955)
 - Chet Baker Sings (Pacific Jazz, 1956)
 - The Trumpet Artistry of Chet Baker (Pacific Jazz, 1955)
 - Jazz at Ann Arbor (Pacific Jazz, 1955)
 
With Chico Hamilton
- Chico Hamilton Quintet (Pacific Jazz, 1955)
 - Chico Hamilton Quintet in Hi-Fi (Pacific Jazz, 1956)
 - Sweet Smell of Success (Brunswick, 1957)
 - Ellington Suite (World Pacific, 1959)
 - The Original Chico Hamilton Quintet (World Pacific, 1960)
 - Spectacular! (World Pacific Jazz, 1968)
 
With others
- Clifford Brown, Jazz Immortal (Pacific Jazz, 1960)
 - Lionel Hampton & Charlie Teagarden, The Great Hamp and Little T (Coral, 1963)
 - Fred Katz, Zen: The Music of Fred Katz (Pacific Jazz, 1957)
 - Dick Marx, Marx Makes Broadway (Omega Disk, 1958)
 - Gerry Mulligan, Gerry Mulligan Quartet (Pacific Jazz, 1955)
 - Gerry Mulligan, Mulligan and Baker! (Jazztone, 1957)
 - Jack Montrose Presents Bob Gordon Quintet, Clifford Brown Ensemble, Arranged by Montrose (Pacific Jazz, 1956)
 - Buddy Rich, Swingin' New Big Band (Pacific Jazz, 1966)
 - Dick Twardzik, The Last Set (Pacific Jazz, 1962)
 - Tommy Vig, The Tommy Vig Orchestra (Take V, 1965)
 
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 Colin Larkin, ed. (2002). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Fifties Music (Third ed.). Virgin Books. p. 405. ISBN 1-85227-937-0.
 - 1 2 3 4 Kernfeld, Barry (2003). "Smith, Carson (Raymond)". Grove Music Online (8th ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.J415000. ISBN 978-1-56159-263-0.
 - ↑ "Jazz bassist Smith dies at 66 - Las Vegas Sun Newspaper". 5 November 1997.
 
