Some rare footage today featuring Terry Gibbs on vibes and Charlie Smith on drums with the Benny Goodman Quintet circa. 1950:
I don't know much about Charlie Smith except that he's also the drummer on this rare footage with Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie:
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There is an interview with Max Roach and Dizzy Gillespie on the CD "Max + Dizzy: Paris 1989," and during it the interviewer plays the Bird footage for Max and Dizzy and gets their reactions. The interviewer asks Max what he thinks about the drummer, and Max says something like (I paraphrase from memory), "He's very good. In fact, Charlie Smith is now an attorney. He doesn't play music anymore." I once perused the Penguin Jazz Guide for listings of records that Smith was on, and they all were around the early to mid-50's. So I'm guessing he may have left the scene shortly after that time period. Incidentally, at one point during the interview Max chides Dizzy and says, "Hey Diz, how come *I* wasn't on that gig?!"
ReplyDeleteCharlie Smith was my drum teacher in New Haven CT from 1961 till this passing in 1966. Her eould sometimes have me travel with him to local gigs and let me sit in. He was a great man.
DeleteJohn D
Up until now I'd thought that the drummer WAS Max Roach. Isn't there some resemblance? Schooled!
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