Daniel Smith

Daniel Smith ranked among the foremost bassoon soloists of his era. Equally at home with established scores, freshly composed works, and jazz, he committed to disc the bulk of the classical bassoon canon along with numerous contemporary and improvisatory pieces.

Born in New York on September 11, 1939, he first concentrated on clarinet and flute at the Manhattan School of Music before switching to bassoon. Additional training followed at Columbia University and the Mannes College of Music. In his early professional years he played in orchestras while concentrating on the classical literature.

He became the first bassoonist to commit all thirty-seven Vivaldi bassoon concertos to disc, collaborating with the English Chamber Orchestra and I Solisti di Zagreb for the ASV label. The resulting set earned the Music Industry Association’s accolade for Best Concerto Recording of the Year, received the Penguin Guide’s rosette rating, and appeared on Fanfare’s annual “Want List.” Further sessions paired him with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the Caravaggio Ensemble.

Smith actively championed the composition of new bassoon concertos. He introduced Gunther Schuller’s Concerto for Contrabassoon and Orchestra on the U.S. West Coast and gave the world premiere of Steve Gray’s Jazz Suite for Bassoon with the Welsh Chamber Orchestra. Solo recitals took him to Lincoln Center and Carnegie Recital Hall in New York, Wigmore Hall, the BBC Concert Hall, and Tivoli Concert Hall in Copenhagen.

During the 1990s he began exploring crossover and jazz projects. Early efforts in this vein comprised Bassoon Bon Bons (1991) and Bravo Bassoon (1994). Later jazz releases included Bebop Bassoon (2006) and Swingin’ Bassoon (2007). His final recordings were Bassoon Goes Latin Jazz (2011), Smokin’ Hot Bassoon Blues (2014), and Jazz Suite for Bassoon (2015). Across his career he recorded for ASV, Zah Zah, and Summit. Smith died in Brooklyn on December 15, 2015.