Jeffery Smith

Jeffery Smith came to jazz somewhat later than most, waiting until nearly age 40 before issuing his debut album under his own name. A singer drawn to ballads and blessed with a warm baritone, he had spent many years playing cello, performed in a youth choir during his teens, and began acting in television and films at eighteen. Occasional club singing remained secondary to his primary work as an actor until 1985, when he relocated to New York and appeared in stage productions. Between 1991 and 1998 he resided in Paris, shifting his professional focus by performing regularly with Claude Bolling’s orchestra and recording in studios. After meeting Shirley Horn in 1992, he gained an immediate mentor; her influence led him to sign with Verve in 1995, where she both produced his first album and played piano alongside him. Returning to New York in 1998, Smith has since collaborated with Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra on Louis Armstrong tribute concerts as well as with Dee Dee Bridgewater, while maintaining his own appearances at local clubs and festivals. His three Verve releases comprise Ramona, A Little Sweeter, which showcases pianist Kenny Barron, and Down Here Below, the last of these featuring guest contributions from Dianne Reeves and Regina Carter.