Tab Smith

Talmadge "Tab" Smith ( born January 11, 1909 in Kinston, North Carolina, † August 17 1971 in St. Louis, Missouri ) was an American swing and rhythm and blues saxophonist ( alto and tenor saxophone).

Life and work

Tab Smith began in 1929 as a professional musician with the Carolina Stompers play at the beginning of the 1930s with Fate Marable, Dewey Jackson and Eddie Johnson for several years, was then a member of the band of Lucky Millinder and the Blue Rhythm Band and also worked as a freelance musician and arranger so guested with Red Allen, Billy Kyle and Frankie Newton, with whom in 1939 in Cafe Society and Billie Holiday accompanied. Tab Smith worked this year to four sessions with Holiday with, including the legendary Strange Fruit Session on 20 April 1939. Between 1940 and 1942 he played in the Count Basie band, then again at Millinder. During this time he also took records with Coleman Hawkins and Charlie Shavers, Rex Stewart, Leonard Feather, and under his own name ( Mornin 'Blues, 1940) on. 1946 also played Smith at Sandy Williams ' Big Eight.

After the Second World War, he led his own rhythm and blues formations. His biggest R & B hit was Because of You, which reached the # 1 position in the R & B charts and position 20 in the pop charts in 1951. His former shooting in 78mm format on premium ( "Spider Rock", 1951) and United were re-released by the jazz label Delmark. These recordings are stylistically to those of Earl Bostic from the same time in close proximity ( Cook & Morton ).

At the beginning of the 1960s, Tab Smith withdrew from the music business.

Disco Graphical Notes

As a leader

  • Jump Time ( Delmark 1951 /52)
  • Ace High ( Delmark, 1952 /53)
  • Crazy walk ( Delmark, 1955 /56)

As a sideman

  • Henry Red Allen Henry Red Allen 1937-1941 ( Classics )
  • Count Basie: Count Basie 1939-1940 ( Classics )
  • Coleman Hawkins: The Complete Coleman Hawkins ( Mercury, 1944)
  • Billie Holiday: The Quintessential Billie Holiday Vol 8 1939-1940 (Columbia )
  • Billie Holiday: The Complete Commodore Recordings ( Commodore, 1939-41 )
  • Frankie Newton Frankie Newton 1937-1939 ( Classics )
  • Dinah Washington: The Complete 1943-1951 Mercury Master Takes ( Mercury )
  • Sandy Williams ' Big Eight: Giants of Small Band Swing ( Riverside / OJC, 1946)
Eddie Johnson (musician) Mills Blue Rhythm Band Café Society Premium Records United Records Delmark Records Columbia Records Richard Cook (journalist) Brian Morton (Scottish writer) Yesterdays (1933 song) Fine and Mellow (song) Integrated Authority File
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