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Mike Smith is now friends with Ken McPherson and Nick Calandrino

May 27, 2009

Lou Carfa and Mike Smith are now friends

Feb 24, 2009

Thomas Tedesco left a comment for Mike Smith

"Hay Mike, impressive resume, thanks for the invite. Next time I'm in Chicago I'll look you up."

Feb 21, 2009

Profile Information

First Name: Mike

College/University:: University of North Texas

I am here for:: Gigs, Job Inquiries, Educational Purposes, Meet Players

Employment Status: Employed

Occupation:: Musician

About Me:: A Chicago native, Mike Smith first became enthralled with jazz as an eleven-year-old beginning band student. And his dedication to the art form was so great that eight years later he won the coveted Charlie Parker Scholarship to North Texas State University. There Mike roomed with future notables Bill Evans and Jim Snidero, and earned a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Education.

Mike has performed and recorded with over a hundred jazz greats, including Nat Adderley, Clark Terry, Art Farmer, Tony Bennett, Jimmy Heath, Natalie Cole, Linda Ronstadt, Diane Schuur, Gloria Morgan, Kurt Elling, Nancy Wilson, and Frank Sinatra. He is featured as lead altoist on the Harry Connick, Jr. album Come By Me on CBS Columbia.

After spending time with the bands of Maynard Ferguson and Buddy Rich, Mike joined Frank Sinatra’s core band as lead altoist and music contractor. His stint with Sinatra included television performances and CD recordings, and the Diamond Jubilee and Come Swing With Me tours (with performances in Japan, Australia, the U.S. and Europe--including a gala in Monte Carlo for the Princess Grace Foundation.) Those years on the road inspired Mike’s third recording for Delmark Records, The Traveler. Mike has continued on as the lead altoist for Frank Sinatra, Jr., touring Europe and the United States.

In his travels Mike has done numerous radio interviews featured on jazz stations nationwide. The Mike Smith Quintet has opened the Chicago Jazz Festival, and Mike is a recipient of the Cannonball Adderley Award for Outstanding Alto Saxophonist in Jazz and a winner of a National Endowmentfor the Arts award. He has receive critical acclaim for his album, Sinatra Songbook, which features liner notes by Frank Sinatra and Frank Sinatra, Jr. Mike has performed as a guest soloist and lecturer, giving master classes and concerts at the Eastman School of Music, the University of North Texas, the Berklee School of Music, Pepperdine University, the University of Miami, and University of Colorado, Boulder, to name a few. Mike has also performed with and workshopped the Navy and Air Force bands in Washington, D.C.

Sonare Winds Inc. is proud to have Mike Smith on board as a Product Manager and designer for the company’s new saxophone line that is in development. As product manager, Mr. Smith’s responsibilities include quality control, product development, instrument set-up, and packaging. Mike is also a saxophone artist, giving clinics and performing concerts world-wide for the company. His tours have taken him to Southeast Asia, Scandinavia, France, Germany, and the World Saxophone Congress in Spain, in addition to the entire North American market. He is currently active in the Chicago recording scene, doing national spots for radio and television, Professor of Saxophone at the Chicago College of the Performing Arts at Roosevelt University and performing with his group, the Mike Smith Quintet.

Website:: http://mikesmithsaxophone.com

Website:: http://myspace.com/mikesmithsaxophone

Top 5 Desert Island Discs:: Cannonball Adderley "SharpShooters
John Coltrane "Crescent"
Miles Davis "Four and More"
Wayne Shorter "Ju Ju"
Frank Sinatra "Only the Lonely"

Comment Wall (7 comments)

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At 9:34am on May 18, 2012, Sotia Teneh said…: Good day,
How is everything with you, I picked interest on you, after going through your
short profile and deemed it necessary to write you immediately. I have something
very vital to diclose to you, but I found it difficult to express myself here,
since it's a public site.Could you please get back to me My E-mail address
(sotia_teneh2@hotmail.com) for the full details.
Have a nice day.
thanks
Sotia Teneh.

At 12:20pm on February 21, 2009, Thomas Tedesco said…: Hay Mike, impressive resume, thanks for the invite. Next time I'm in Chicago I'll look you up.

At 4:38am on January 14, 2009, Anita said…: Hi Friend,

How are you today?I will like to be your friend.

Send me an email to anita_wilson_cool@yahoo.com

Waiting to hear from you possitively.

Regards,
Anita.

At 4:42pm on December 15, 2008, Marta Graciela Bressi said…: Thanks for accepting my invitation. You´ve played with some of my favourite performers and my daughter´s got several of the albums of which you´ve taken part so we could say... we´ve met before. The world is such a small place, isn´t it?

At 5:39pm on May 14, 2008, Sparky Koerner said…: Hey Mike hope all is going well with you. All is great here in Texas.

At 7:38pm on April 24, 2008, dan duran said…: I read today that you play test all Julius Keilwerth saxophones. Is this true?? I own an amazing SX90 alto. Did you ever play test the non-rolled-tone-holed models of Keilwerth?

At 7:23pm on April 23, 2008, dan duran said…: HEY! I'VE HEARD YOUR ALBUM BEFORE!! You and Joshua Redman are the only two contemporary saxophonists/jazz musicians that I actually listen to and appreciate.