BIO Jack Smith was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, and grew up in Staten Island, New York. Starting out as a tap-dancer and a singer, he traded in his tap shoes for a guitar at the age of twelve and began writing and composing his own songs almost immediately. He spent the sixties as a folk singer, working with a vocal group called The Smith Brothers (there was one woman singer in the group, but what the heck), that reached its peak when they made a demo for CBS with the legendary John Hammond, Sr. The decade drew to a close with the formation of the now mythical band Orville Dorp, which migrated to Vancouver in the early seventies. The band had it's share of fame with a song called "Jesus Marijuana" which they released as a 45 rpm single, and then passed into history around the time that Jack was given the name Smiling Jack by some friends from a band called Stallion Thumbrock. The name stuck, and Jack stayed in Vancouver for 20 years, becoming a Canadian citizen and raising a son, MacKenzie. During this 20 years Jack formed a number of interesting groups, from Smiling Jack and the Sparklers through Delta Airtight and ending up with a four piece vocal group called Party Fever, which released an album titled "Ah!... Capella!" in 1988. Then Jack moved back to the States for a while, singing a bit of country music in Florida and then living in New Jersey again where his focus finally settled on the blues. His first solo album, "Direct To Dat Jack", was recorded in Hoboken in 1993. A visit to Spain opened up a world of new possibilities and later that year Jack moved his blues to Madrid, where he has been living for the last 12 years with his wife Carmen and their daughter Maria. During this period Jack released 3 CDs in Spain, "First Night With The Blues" in 1996, "Second Chance" in 1997 and "Three Seconds to Love Me" in 2002 He has just finished recording his fourth CD, "This Blue Before", in Canada, using an all-star line-up of Canadian musicians as well as his Spanish drummer, Quique Villafañe. The recording was produced by the internationally famous jazz guitarist Pat Coleman and features a brilliant horn section led by Phil Dwyer. Over the course of some 40 years as a working musician, Jack has had the great fortune to work as an opening act for some of the biggest names in show business, including B.B. King, John Mayall, Bonnie Raitt, Charlie Musselwhite, Johnny Clyde Copeland, John Hammond, Jr, and the Reverend Gary Davis. Smiling Jack Smith Jack Smith nació en Jersey City, New Jersey y creció en Staten Island, New York. Empezó como cantante y bailarín de claqué, pero cambió sus zapatos de claqué por una guitarra cuando tenía 12 años y comenzó a escribir y componer sus propias canciones casi inmediatamente. Pasó los años sesenta como cantante de folk, actuando con un grupo llamado The Smith Brothers (aunque había una cantante en el grupo), que llegó a su nivel mas alto al grabar una demo con el legendario John Hammond, Sr. por CBS Records. Al final de los sesenta formó el ahora mítico grupo Orville Dorp, con el que se trasladó a Vancouver, Canadá. Este grupo alcanzó cierta fama con la canción "Jesús Marijuana", que editó como single en formato 45rpm, y pasó a la historia mas o menos al mismo tiempo que unos amigos del grupo Stallion Thumbrock bautizaban a Jack con el mote "Smiling". Smiling le pegó, y Jack se quedó en Vancouver por 20 años, cogiendo nacionalidad Canadiense y criando un hijo, MacKenzie. Durante estos 20 años Jack formó algunos grupos interesantes como Smiling Jack and The Sparklers y Delta Airtight, y al final un grupo de cuatro voces llamado Party Fever, con quien editó un disco titulado "Ah...Capella" in 1990. Después, Jack volvió a los EEUU por un tiempo, experimentando con la música country en Florida, y mas tarde en New Jersey comenzó a concentrarse en el Blues. Su primer disco en solitario, "Direct To Dat Jack", fue grabado en Hoboken en 1994. Una visita a España le abrió un mundo nuevo de posibilidades y al final de ese mismo año Jack se trasladó a Madrid con sus Blues, donde ha estado viviendo los últimos 12 años con su mujer Carmen y su hija, María. Durante este tiempo Jack ha editado tres CDs en España, "First Night With The Blues" en 1996, "Second Chance" en 1997 y "Three Seconds To Love Me" en 2003. Jack acaba de grabar su cuarto CD, "This Blue Before", en Canadá, trabajando con unos músicos Canadienses muy conocidos y su batería Español, Quique Villafañe. El proyecto fue producido por el internacionalmente famoso guitarrista de jazz, Pat Coleman y goza de una sección de vientos brillante dirigida por Phil Dwyer. A través de sus 40 años de trabajo como intérprete, Jack ha tenido la fortuna de trabajar como telonero para algunos de los mas grandes del mundo del espectáculo, incluyendo B.B. King, John Mayall, Bonnie Raitt, Charlie Musselwhite, Johnny Clyde Copeland, John Hammond, Jr, y the Reverend Gary Davis. --------------- REVIEWS STAN JAY, Pres., Mandolin Brothers, Ltd. What I think of it is that IT'S GREAT! Your voice has certainly matured quite a bit, sounding like a wholly idealized, aging, eroded yet feisty, not-entirely-Caucasian, blues person who spends most of his time(to avoid the nattering of his spouse) on the wooden front porch, with a rusty National prewar Style O guitar. Needless to say, we do love the self-effacing, wry humor, especially of the title track. Nobody could have written that song but you. It is_too_ funny. I've only, so far, heard the album once, but I will be re- and re-re listen in order to revisit the groaning board of slightly off-balance stories that it imparts (you don't play an album like this all at once). The band is tight and hot, like a recently-poured Starbucks black coffee with a lid that won't come off. In this CD, it all comes off clean, commanding, and with powerful practiced professionalism. And you can quote me. Stan Jay, Pres., Mandolin Brothers, Ltd. 629 Forest Ave., Staten Island, NY 10310 Reg. Bus. Hours: 10 AM to 6 PM Monday thru Saturday Tel: 718 981 8585 or 718 981 3226 Fax: 718 816 4416 email: mandolin@mandoweb.com website: http://www.mandoweb.com FRED XAVIER, Peerless Records Just listening to your CD for real this time, but on my computer, up close and personal. Some very fine music on here and it's wonderful to hear you sing and play again. Some mighty mellow and righteous tunes jack. keep smilin'. De Vicente Zumel, La Hora Del Blues, Barcelona "Disco producido por el propio Jack en unas grabaciones efectuadas en los estudios Lagar 74 ubicados en el pueblo madrileño de Chinchón. El cd suena fresco y muy ameno, las canciones están compuestas en su totalidad por nuestro protagonista, un cantante y guitarrista americano afincado en España con un buen bagaje musical y gran experiencia. Músico personal y carismático que conjuga con buen criterio estilos bien definidos de blues, r&b, algo de pop y escuela de New Orleans que se reflejan en algunas de sus composiciones. El disco es muy agradable y personal. Smith está acompañado por músicos españoles que captan con rapidez lo que de ellos se espera. Jack Smith se nos revela como un compositor competente y eficaz. Un espléndido disco que nos aporta nuevas perspectivas a tener en muy en cuenta. MUY BUENO."