Lavay Smith
Encyclopedia
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer specialising in the Blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
and Jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, from Swing to Bebop
Bebop
Bebop differed drastically from the straightforward compositions of the swing era, and was instead characterized by fast tempos, asymmetrical phrasing, intricate melodies, and rhythm sections that expanded on their role as tempo-keepers...
. Smith tours internationally with her 8-piece "little big band", Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers
Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers
Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers is the full name of Lavay Smith's band. Smith is an American singer specialising in the Blues and Jazz, from Swing to Bebop...
. She is known as The Queen of Classic Jazz & Blues.
Biography
Lavay Smith hails from Southern California, and spent her teenage years in the PhilippinesPhilippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. When she moved back to Southern California, Smith began singing in local cafés, performing rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
, blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
and even country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
. After falling in love with the classic jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
and blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
of the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s, Smith moved to San Francisco, CA and started performing in the city's night clubs in 1989.
Smith performs her own original compositions as well as songs made famous by the great women of Jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
and Blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
, including Bessie Smith
Bessie Smith
Bessie Smith was an American blues singer.Sometimes referred to as The Empress of the Blues, Smith was the most popular female blues singer of the 1920s and 1930s...
, Billie Holiday
Billie Holiday
Billie Holiday was an American jazz singer and songwriter. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and musical partner Lester Young, Holiday had a seminal influence on jazz and pop singing...
, Helen Humes
Helen Humes
Helen Humes was an American jazz and blues singer.Humes was successively a teenaged blues singer, band vocalist with Count Basie, saucy R&B diva and a mature interpreter of the classy popular song.-Career:...
, Dinah Washington
Dinah Washington
Dinah Washington, born Ruth Lee Jones , was an American blues, R&B and jazz singer. She has been cited as "the most popular black female recording artist of the '50s", and called "The Queen of the Blues"...
, Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Jane Fitzgerald , also known as the "First Lady of Song" and "Lady Ella," was an American jazz and song vocalist...
, Sarah Vaughan
Sarah Vaughan
Sarah Lois Vaughan was an American jazz singer, described by Scott Yanow as having "one of the most wondrous voices of the 20th century."...
, Carmen McRae
Carmen McRae
Carmen Mercedes McRae was an American jazz singer, composer, pianist, and actress. Considered one of the most influential jazz vocalists of the 20th century, it was her behind-the-beat phrasing and her ironic interpretations of song lyrics that made her memorable...
, Big Maybelle
Big Maybelle
Mabel Louise Smith , known professionally as Big Maybelle, was an American R&B singer and pianist. Her 1956 hit single "Candy" received the Grammy Hall of Fame Award in 1999.-Biography:...
and Esther Phillips
Esther Phillips
Esther Phillips was an American singer. Phillips was known for her R&B vocals, but she was a versatile singer, also performing pop, country, jazz, blues and soul music.-Early life:...
.
Smith has toured extensively since 1998. She has performed in 43 states, has toured to Japan 3 times, and has performed in Canada, Mexico, Finland and Greece. Lavay has performed at many large Jazz and Blues Festivals including The Chicago Jazz Festival, The Monterey Jazz Festival, The Montreal Jazz Festival, The Ottawa Jazz Festival, The Playboy Jazz Festival at The Hollywood Bowl, The Salt Lake City Jazz Festival, The San Francisco Blues Festival, The San Francisco Jazz Festival, The Toronto Jazz Festival, Jazz Aspen/Snowmass and Midsummer Night’s Swing at Lincoln Center in New York City.
Smith regularly appears at jazz and blues clubs around the country, including Dizzy's Coca Cola Club at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York, Sculler's in Boston, The Green Mill in Chicago, The Dakota in Minneapolis, Jazz Alley in Seattle and The Jazz Kitchen
Jazz Kitchen
The Jazz Kitchen is a prominent jazz club and restaurant in Indianapolis, Indiana. The club showcases local, regional and national jazz acts. Opening in 1994 at the former location of The Place to Start at 54th Street and College Avenue, the Jazz Kitchen resides in Broad Ripple Village, Indianapolis...
in Indianapolis. When not on tour, she appears regularly at festivals and night clubs in the San Francisco Bay Area, including Biscuits & Blues, The Cafe du Nord, Club DeLuxe
Club DeLuxe
Club DeLuxe is a nightclub located on Haight Street in San Francisco. Opened by Jay Johnson in 1989, it was the nesting ground for the swing revival of the 1990s, and hosts a wide array of jazz bands and DJs as well as a monthly burlesque show. The bar was designed in 1949.Monday nights are...
, Enrico's, Ashkenaz, Rancho Nicasio and Moe's Alley.
Lavay Smith has won numerous awards, including the San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco Chronicle
thumb|right|upright|The Chronicle Building following the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake|1906 earthquake]] and fireThe San Francisco Chronicle is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, but distributed throughout Northern and Central California,...
reader's choice poll for best band. American dance legend and Lindy Hop pioneer Frankie Manning
Frankie Manning
Frankie Manning was an American dancer, instructor and choreographer. Manning is considered one of the founding fathers of the Lindy Hop.-Early years:...
chose Lavay Smith and her band to perform on a Caribbean cruise for his 90th birthday in May, 2004. Ms. Smith is an independent artist and owns her own record label, Fat Note Records
Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers
Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers
Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers is the full name of Lavay Smith's band. Smith is an American singer specialising in the Blues and Jazz, from Swing to Bebop...
" in San Francisco, CA in 1989. The group originally consisted of Trumpet, Piano, Guitar, Bass and Drums. The band grew in size over time, and since 1996, Lavay has performed and toured with an 8-piece lineup (4 horns and 4 rhythm) consisting of Trumpet, Trombone, Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Piano, Guitar, Bass and Drums. Occasionally, Lavay expands the band to 10 pieces (6 horns and 4 rhythm) by adding a second Trumpet and a Baritone. Lavay also performs with a full 16-piece big band.
Today, the band consists of Allen Smith (Trumpet); Bill Ortiz (Trumpet); Mike Olmos (Trumpet); Danny Armstrong (Trombone); Jules Broussard (Alto and Tenor Saxophones); Charles McNeal (Alto and Tenor Saxophones); Ron Stallings (Tenor and Baritone Saxophones); Howard Wiley (Tenor Saxophone); Robert Stewart
Robert Stewart
Robert Stewart may refer to:* Robert II of Scotland , King of Scots* Robert III of Scotland , King of Scots, son of the above* Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany , Scottish royal, regent to three Scottish monarchs...
(Tenor Saxophone); Pete Cornell (Alto, Tenor and Baritone Saxophones); Charlie Siebert (Guitar); David Ewell (String Bass); Darrell Green (Drums) and Chris Siebert (Piano, Arranger, Bandleader). The band's arrangements are written by Chris Siebert and noted New York arranger David Berger.
Lavay's band members have performed with many famous musicians:
Trumpet player Allen Smith has performed with Duke Ellington
Duke Ellington
Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was an American composer, pianist, and big band leader. Ellington wrote over 1,000 compositions...
, Quincy Jones
Quincy Jones
Quincy Delightt Jones, Jr. is an American record producer and musician. A conductor, musical arranger, film composer, television producer, and trumpeter. His career spans five decades in the entertainment industry and a record 79 Grammy Award nominations, 27 Grammys, including a Grammy Legend...
, Benny Goodman
Benny Goodman
Benjamin David “Benny” Goodman was an American jazz and swing musician, clarinetist and bandleader; widely known as the "King of Swing".In the mid-1930s, Benny Goodman led one of the most popular musical groups in America...
, Nat King Cole
Nat King Cole
Nathaniel Adams Coles , known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American musician who first came to prominence as a leading jazz pianist. Although an accomplished pianist, he owes most of his popular musical fame to his soft baritone voice, which he used to perform in big band and jazz genres...
, Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Jane Fitzgerald , also known as the "First Lady of Song" and "Lady Ella," was an American jazz and song vocalist...
, Sarah Vaughan
Sarah Vaughan
Sarah Lois Vaughan was an American jazz singer, described by Scott Yanow as having "one of the most wondrous voices of the 20th century."...
, Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
and Tony Bennett
Tony Bennett
Tony Bennett is an American singer of popular music, standards, show tunes, and jazz....
.
Trumpet player Bill Ortiz has performed with Tito Puente
Tito Puente
Tito Puente, , born Ernesto Antonio Puente, was a Latin jazz and Salsa musician. The son of native Puerto Ricans Ernest and Ercilia Puente, of Spanish Harlem in New York City, Puente is often credited as "El Rey de los Timbales" and "The King of Latin Music"...
, Herbie Hancock
Herbie Hancock
Herbert Jeffrey "Herbie" Hancock is an American pianist, bandleader and composer. As part of Miles Davis's "second great quintet," Hancock helped to redefine the role of a jazz rhythm section and was one of the primary architects of the "post-bop" sound...
and Wayne Shorter
Wayne Shorter
Wayne Shorter is an American jazz saxophonist and composer.He is generally acknowledged to be jazz's greatest living composer, and many of his compositions have become standards...
and has been Carlos Santana
Carlos Santana
Carlos Augusto Alves Santana is a Mexican rock guitarist. Santana became famous in the late 1960s and early 1970s with his band, Santana, which pioneered rock, salsa and jazz fusion...
's Trumpet player for over 7 years.
Trumpet player Mike Olmos has performed with Etta James
Etta James
Etta James is an American blues, soul, rhythm and blues , rock and roll, gospel and jazz singer. In the 1950s and 1960s, she had her biggest success as a blues and R&B singer...
and Rosemary Clooney
Rosemary Clooney
Rosemary Clooney was an American singer and actress. She came to prominence in the early 1950s with the novelty hit "Come On-a My House" written by William Saroyan and his cousin Ross Bagdasarian , which was followed by other pop numbers such as "Botch-a-Me" Rosemary Clooney (May 23, 1928 –...
.
Trombone player Danny Armstrong has performed with Johnny Otis
Johnny Otis
Johnny Otis is an American singer, musician, talent scout, disc jockey, composer, arranger, recording artist, record producer, vibraphonist, drummer, percussionist, bandleader, and impresario.He is commonly referred to as The Godfather Of Rhythm And Blues.-Personal life:Otis, the son of Alexander...
, Rufus Thomas
Rufus Thomas
Rufus Thomas, Jr. was an American rhythm and blues, funk and soul singer and comedian fromMemphis, Tennessee, who recorded on Sun Records in the...
, Ann Peebles
Ann Peebles
Ann Peebles is an African American singer-songwriter who gained celebrity for her Memphis soul albums of the 1970s on the Hi Records label...
and Archie Bell & The Drells
Archie Bell & the Drells
Archie Bell & the Drells was a R&B vocal group from Houston, Texas, and one of the main acts on Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff's Philadelphia International Records...
.
Alto and Tenor Saxophone player Jules Broussard has performed with Ray Charles
Ray Charles
Ray Charles Robinson , known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records...
, Esther Phillips
Esther Phillips
Esther Phillips was an American singer. Phillips was known for her R&B vocals, but she was a versatile singer, also performing pop, country, jazz, blues and soul music.-Early life:...
, Big Mama Thornton
Big Mama Thornton
Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton was an American rhythm and blues singer and songwriter. She was the first to record the hit song "Hound Dog" in 1952. The song was #1 on the Billboard R&B charts for seven weeks in 1953. The B-side was "They Call Me Big Mama," and the single sold almost two million...
, Earl Grant
Earl Grant
Earl Grant was an American easy listening pianist, Hammond organist, and vocalist popular in the 1950s and 1960s.-Career:...
, Santana
Santana (band)
Santana is a rock band based around guitarist Carlos Santana and founded in the late 1960s. It first came to public attention after their performing the song "Soul Sacrifice" at the Woodstock Festival in 1969, when their Latin rock provided a contrast to other acts on the bill...
, Steve Miller
Steve Miller (musician)
Steven H. "Steve" Miller is an American guitarist and singer-songwriter who began his career in blues and blues rock and evolved to a more popular-oriented sound which, from the mid 1970s through the early 1980s, resulted in a series of successful singles and albums.-Early years:Born in Milwaukee,...
, Van Morrison
Van Morrison
Van Morrison, OBE is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and musician. His live performances at their best are regarded as transcendental and inspired; while some of his recordings, such as the studio albums Astral Weeks and Moondance, and the live album It's Too Late to Stop Now, are widely...
and Boz Skaggs.
Tenor Saxophone player Ron Stallings has performed with Joe Williams
Joe Williams (jazz singer)
Joe Williams was a well-known jazz vocalist, a baritone singing a mixture of blues, ballads, popular songs, and jazz standards.-Early life:...
, Big Joe Turner
Big Joe Turner
Big Joe Turner was an American blues shouter from Kansas City, Missouri. According to the songwriter Doc Pomus, "Rock and roll would have never happened without him." Although he came to his greatest fame in the 1950s with his pioneering rock and roll recordings, particularly "Shake, Rattle and...
, Jimmy McCracklin
Jimmy McCracklin
Jimmy McCracklin is an American pianist, vocalist, and songwriter. His style contains West Coast blues, Jump blues, and R&B. Over a career that has spanned seven decades, he says he has written almost a thousand songs and has recorded hundreds of them...
, Ruth Brown
Ruth Brown
Ruth Brown was an American pop and R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, composer and actress, noted for bringing a pop music style to R&B music in a series of hit songs for Atlantic Records in the 1950s, such as "So Long", "Teardrops from My Eyes" and " He Treats Your Daughter Mean".For these...
, Louis Bellson, Gladys Knight
Gladys Knight
Gladys Maria Knight , known as the "Empress of Soul", is an American singer-songwriter, actress, businesswoman, humanitarian, and author...
, Otis Rush
Otis Rush
Otis Rush is a blues musician, singer and guitarist. His distinctive guitar style features a slow burning sound and long bent notes...
and Dr. John
Dr. John
Malcolm John "Mac" Rebennack, Jr. , better known by the stage name Dr. John , is an American singer-songwriter, pianist and guitarist, whose music combines blues, pop, jazz as well as Zydeco, boogie woogie and rock and roll.Active as a session musician since the late 1950s, he came to wider...
and has been a long-time member of Huey Lewis and the News
Huey Lewis and the News
Huey Lewis and the News is an American rock band based in San Francisco, California. They had a run of hit singles during the 1980s and early 1990s, eventually scoring a total of 19 top-ten singles across the Billboard Hot 100, Adult Contemporary and Mainstream Rock charts...
.
Alto and Tenor Saxophone player Charles McNeal has performed with John Faddis, Wynton Marsalis
Wynton Marsalis
Wynton Learson Marsalis is a trumpeter, composer, bandleader, music educator, and Artistic Director of Jazz at Lincoln Center. Marsalis has promoted the appreciation of classical and jazz music often to young audiences...
, Leslie Drayton, McCoy Tyner
McCoy Tyner
McCoy Tyner is a jazz pianist from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, known for his work with the John Coltrane Quartet and a long solo career.-Early life:...
, Barbara Morrison
Barbara Morrison
Barbara Morrison is an American singer of jazz music.Born in Ypsilanti, Michigan and raised in Romulus, Michigan, Barbara Morrison recorded her first appearance for radio in Detroit at the age of 10. Well known in the Los Angeles area for her duo and trio dates Ms...
, Junior Mance
Junior Mance
Julian Clifford Mance, Jr. is an American jazz pianist and composer.-Biography:...
, Roberta Flack
Roberta Flack
Roberta Flack is an American singer, songwriter, and musician who is notable for jazz, soul, R&B, and folk music...
, The Temptations
The Temptations
The Temptations is an American vocal group having achieved fame as one of the most successful acts to record for Motown Records. The group's repertoire has included, at various times during its five-decade career, R&B, doo-wop, funk, disco, soul, and adult contemporary music.Formed in Detroit,...
and Ruth Brown
Ruth Brown
Ruth Brown was an American pop and R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, composer and actress, noted for bringing a pop music style to R&B music in a series of hit songs for Atlantic Records in the 1950s, such as "So Long", "Teardrops from My Eyes" and " He Treats Your Daughter Mean".For these...
.
Tenor Saxophone player Howard Wiley and Bassist David Ewell toured with Lauryn Hill
Lauryn Hill
Lauryn Noelle Hill is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress.Early in her career, she established her reputation as a member of the Fugees. In 1998, she launched her solo career with the release of the commercially successful and critically acclaimed album, The Miseducation of...
throughout 2007. David Ewell also tours with Piano player Marc Cary
Marc Cary
Marc Cary is a post bop jazz pianist based out of New York City. Cary has played and recorded with several well-known musicians, including Dizzy Gillespie, Betty Carter, Arthur Taylor, Abbey Lincoln, Erykah Badu, Meshell Ndegeocello, Stefon Harris, Lauryn Hill, Ani DiFranco, Jackie McLean, and...
.
Tenor Saxophone player Robert Stewart
Robert Stewart
Robert Stewart may refer to:* Robert II of Scotland , King of Scots* Robert III of Scotland , King of Scots, son of the above* Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany , Scottish royal, regent to three Scottish monarchs...
has performed and recorded with Wynton Marsalis
Wynton Marsalis
Wynton Learson Marsalis is a trumpeter, composer, bandleader, music educator, and Artistic Director of Jazz at Lincoln Center. Marsalis has promoted the appreciation of classical and jazz music often to young audiences...
& The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. He recorded for Quincy Jones
Quincy Jones
Quincy Delightt Jones, Jr. is an American record producer and musician. A conductor, musical arranger, film composer, television producer, and trumpeter. His career spans five decades in the entertainment industry and a record 79 Grammy Award nominations, 27 Grammys, including a Grammy Legend...
' Qwest Records
Qwest Records
Qwest Records is the American record label started by Quincy Jones in 1980 as a joint venture with Warner Bros. Records, and owned byWarner Music Group. although Quincy was still under contract with A&M records through 1981. George Benson's 1980 Give Me the Night LP was the first release on Qwest,...
and tours the world under his own name.
Drummer Darrell Green has performed with Dr. Lonnie Smith, Marlena Shaw
Marlena Shaw
Marlena Shaw is an American singer. Shaw began her singing career in the 1960s and is still singing today. Her music has often been sampled in hip hop music, and used in television commercials.-Biography:She was first introduced to music by her uncle Jimmy Burgess, a jazz trumpet player...
, Jeremy Pelt, Stephon Harris and Tony Monaco. He has toured to Europe several times with Sherman Irby
Sherman Irby
Sherman Irby , was born and raised in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. He found his calling to music at age 12. In high school, he played and recorded with gospel immortal James Cleveland. He graduated from Clark Atlanta University with a B. A. in Music Education. In 1991, he joined Johnny O’Neal’s...
, Alto Saxophone player with The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra.
Lavay Smith released her third album, "Miss Smith To You!" for her independent record label, Fat Note Records on September 8, 2009.
Discography
- One Hour MamaOne Hour MamaOne Hour Mama is the first album by Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers.- Track listing :#"Oo Poppa Do" #"Blue Skies" #"New Blowtop Blues"...
(1996) (Fat Note Records) - Everybody’s Talkin’ ‘Bout Miss Thing!Everybody’s Talkin’ ‘Bout Miss Thing!Everybody’s Talkin’ ‘Bout Miss Thing! is the second album by Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers.- Track listing :#"The Busy Woman's Blues"...
(2000) (Fat Note Records) - Miss Smith To You!Miss Smith To You!- Track listing :#"Miss Brown to You" #"It Don't Mean a Thing " #"Daddy" #"With My Man"...
(2009) (Fat Note Records)