"This Blue Before" , the new CD from SMILING JACK SMITH, has an interesting history. Originally conceived as a project to be recorded in Spain (home for Jack and his family) Jack extended his well known, well traveled trio to a five piece band and went looking for a horn arranger.
As things worked out, an old friend, Canadian Jazz guitar great Pat Coleman, came to Spain to do the arranging, working with Jack and the Spanish band in a series of pre-production sessions that were the basis for the horn arrangements and the basic band tracks.
While he was here, Pat convinced Jack to record the project in Canada using an all-star lineup of West Coast musicians and Jack's Spanish drummer, Quique Villafañe.
The result is a totally new sound for Jack, what he describes as the sound that always existed in his head, but that only he could hear.
It is Blues In The Big Box, using many of the classic forms of the blues without being restricted to any one style, seen through the eyes of a writer and performer that has lived and played through five decades of music, from Bobby Darin to Chill-out.
The Transatlantic nature of the project is one of its more interesting aspects, as there now exists two bands, one in Canada, one in Spain, ready and willing to tour in support of this CD, a real advantage in terms of reducing travel costs.
Here are the respective lineups:
Guitar and Voice: Smiling Jack Smith
Drums: Quique Villafañe
N. America
Lead Guitar: Dave Vidal
Piano, Keyboards: Miles Black
Double Bass: Ken Lister
Direction, Horns: Phil Dwyer
Europe
Lead Guitar: Antonio Toledo
Piano, Keyboards: Pepe Torres
Double Bass: Jesus Rodero
Direction, Horns: William Gibbs