Al Smith

Al Smith (born May 10, 1936) is an American jazz/blues and gospel singer based in Brooklyn, New York.

Life and career

Al Smith was born Albert Alan Smith on May 10, 1936, in Columbus, Ohio. He was an orphan since childhood. When he was 10, he moved from Columbus to New Orleans and remained there until the he was 17. For the next seven years in New Orleans, he learned to sing the gospel and play the piano. He even decided to become a priest, though never followed his wish.

Smith left New Orleans and moved to new foster parents in North Carolina, where he attended Lutheran College and Seminary.

In 1955, he relocated to New York and performed in various gospel choirs in New York and New Jersey. He sang in choirs for several years, and then went on tour in the United States as part of Newark, New Jersey-based musical group Gospel Clefs.

Around that time, during a jam session at the Key Club in Newark, New Jersey, Smith caught the attention of tenor saxophonist Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, who invited him to join his band for a performance in Washington. 

In 1959, when Smith was 23, he released his debut album Hear My Blues on Bluesville Records (a subsidiary of Prestige) with bassist Wendell Marshall, drummer Arthur Edgehill, organist Shirley Scott, and saxophonist Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis. The album was recorded at Rudy Van Gelder's famous recording studio Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. Alex Henderson of AllMusic reviewer commented: "Both of Smith's Bluesville albums are well worth owning, but if you had to pick one of the two, Hear My Blues would be the best starting point".

In 1961, Smith released a jazz/blues album named Midnight Special (also on Bluesville.) The album featured bassist Leonard Gaskin, drummer Bobby Donaldson, guitarist Jimmy Lee, organist Robert Banks, and tenor saxophonist King Curtis .

In 1964, Smith's debut album, Hear My Blues, was reissued as Blues Shout! under Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis's name on Prestige. On the album were Davis and organist Shirley Scott, along with bassist Wendell Marshall and drummer Arthur Edgehill.

In 1983, Smith's performed Jimmy Reed's "Meet Me" on Rainer Baumann's album Adoring Jimmy Reed.

Discography

• Hear My Blues (Bluesville Records, 1959)
• Midnight Special (Bluesville Records, 1960)
• Blues Shout! (Bluesville Records, 1964) with Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis and Shirley Scott