Born in Edinburgh, Smith grew up in the housing schemes and began his prolific career at 14 when his quartet won Best Band, and he received Best Musician Trophy at the 1981 Edinburgh Jazz Festival. A year later, he was invited to appear on the TV show ‘Jazz at the Gateway’ with Niels Henning Ørsted Petersen and Jon Christensen; toured with the European Youth Jazz Orchestra, and recorded his quintet for BBC Radio. At 16, he released his first two albums, Giant Strides and Taking Off! and studied at Berklee with financial assistance from Sean Connery.

He joined Gary Burton’s quintet after a recommendation from Chick Corea at 18, toured worldwide, and recorded on ECM’s album Whiz Kids. Smith has documented over thirty solo albums for Blue Note, Linn, ECM and his own Spartacus Record label; toured 50+ countries, composed over 300 works, and collaborated with musicians, poets, and visual artists, including Arild Andersen, Scofield, MacCaig, Alan Davie, Kenny Munro, Jaco, Wheeler, DeJohnette, Liz Lochhead, Christine de Luca, Trilok, and poet Edwin Morgan who he developed a unique artistic relationship in 1996 collaborating on 55 works of poetry and music.

In 1995 he established the SNJO and ensured its progress until funding began in 1998. He founded the TSYJO in 2002 to provide an educational opportunity for the country’s best young jazz musicians and fought to establish the first full-time jazz course in Scotland. In 2009 Smith was appointed head of Jazz at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and became Professor in 2010.

Smith holds numerous jazz accolades: 2 BBC, 2 British, 2 UK Parliamentary and 9 Scottish – Jazz Awards. His contributions to Jazz were recognised nationally when in 1998, he became the youngest-ever recipient of an honorary Doctorate from Heriot-Watt University in recognition of his extraordinary artistic achievement. He subsequently received honorary doctorates from Glasgow Caledonian and Edinburgh Universities. In 2019 he was given an OBE for services to Jazz from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

facebook_logo_squaretwitter_bird3_squaresoundcloud1_s_webtreatsetc

Facebookprofessional Facebooksnjo

ProfessorDr TOMMYSMITHDMus, DUniv,DLitt, honFRIAS

ts@tommysmith.co.uk | www.tommysmith.scot/

Office:+44 (0) 141 270 8379 (direct)

  • EARLY CAREER:

Hired as sideman by Gary Burton, 1986-1988; Record deal with Blue Note, 1988-1992; Returned to live in Scotland, Paris and Copenhagen mid-1990s; Record deal with Linn Records 1993-2000; Established Spartacus Records 2000; Director and Founder of The Scottish National Jazz Orchestra since 1995 to present; Artistic Director and Founder of The Tommy Smith Youth Jazz Orchestra since 2002.

  • TOURED:

France, Argentina, Brazil, Turkey, North America, Switzerland, Azerbaijan, Malta, Bratislava, Romania, Ireland, Faroes, Austria, Hong Kong, China, Yemen, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Israel, Tunisia, Romania, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Canada, Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Bulgaria, Italy, Belgium, Sicily, Iceland, Netherlands, India, Pakistan, Czech Republic, Egypt, Abu Dhabi, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Sri Lanka, South Korea and Japan.

  • PERFORMED with:

Gary Burton, Joe Lovano, Chick Corea, John Scofield, Jack DeJohnette, Steve Gadd, David Liebman, Benny Golson, Al Cohn, Scott Hamilton, Bill Evans, Bobby Wellins, Joe Locke, Stan Tracey, Jason Rebello, Julian Joseph, Makoto Ozone, David Kikoski, Kenny Barron, Carsten Dahl, Joanne Brackeen, Nugyen Le, John Abercrombie, Reginald Veal, John Patittucci, Terje Gewelt, Peter Washington, Arild Andersen, NHøP, Eddie Gomez, Buster Williams, Steve Swallow, Trilok Gurtu, Gary Novak, Steve Smith, Gregory Hutchinson, Billy Hart, Idris Mohammed, Daniel Humair, Cleo Laine, Billy Drummond, Adam Nussbaum, Clarence Penn, Paolo Vinaccia, Randy Brecker, Gerard Presencer, Dizzy Gillespie, Kenny Wheeler, Marcus Stockhausen, Ruby Braff, Ingrid Jensen, Paolo Fresu, Gunther Schuller, Orchestra of St. John’s Square, Scottish Ensemble, Paragon Ensemble, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Iceland Symphony Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Symphony Orchestra, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Gerald McCrystal, Katherine Page, Murray McLachlan, Kurt Elling, Hue & Cry, Prepab Sprout and Karen Matheson.

  • RECORDINGS:
  1. Tommy Smith, GIANT STRIDES (Hep Records) 1983
  2. Tommy Smith, TAKING OFF (Head Records)
  3. European Community Jazz Orchestra, EUROJAZZ, Leverkusen
  4. Gary Burton Group, WHIZ KIDS (ECM Records) 1985
  5. European Community Jazz Orchestra, EUROJAZZ 2
  6. Hue & Cry, BITTER SUITE
  7. Tommy Smith/Forward Motion, PROGRESSIONS (Hep Records)
  8. Tommy Smith/Forward Motion,THE BERKLEE TAPES(Hep Records) 1986
  9. Tommy Smith, STEP BY STEP (Blue Note Records) 1988
  10. Blue Note 50th Anniversary (Blue Note Records) 1989
  11. Tommy Smith, PEEPING TOM (Blue Note Records) 1990
  12. Tommy Smith, STANDARDS (Blue Note Records) 1991
  13. Tommy Smith, PARIS (Blue Note Records) 1992
  14. Tommy Smith/Forward Motion, REMINISCENCE (Linn Records) 1993
  15. Calanais (An Lanntair Records)
  16. Tommy Smith, MISTY MORNING AND NO TIME (Linn Records) 1994
  17. Tommy Smith, AZURE (Linn Records) 1995
  18. Tommy Smith, BEASTS OF SCOTLAND (Linn Records) 1996
  19. Tommy Smith, THE SOUND OF LOVE (Linn Records) 1997
  20. Karen Matheson, THE DREAMING SEA (Survival Records)
  21. Mimori Yusa ECHO (EMI)
  22. Tommy Smith, BLUE SMITH (Linn Records) 1999
  23. Tommy Smith & Murray McLachlan, GYMNOPEDIÉ (Linn Records)
  24. Hue & Cry, JAZZ NOT JAZZ (Linn Records)
  25. COMPLICITY Movie Sound Track
  26. THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY Sound Track
  27. Prefab Sprout, ANDROMADA HEIGHTS (Sony)
  28. Tommy Smith Quartet, SPARTACUS (Spartacus Records) 2000
  29. Hue & Cry, NEXT MOVE (Linn Records)
  30. Tommy Smith, INTO SILENCE (Spartacus Records) 2001
  31. Tommy Smith Quartet, THE CHRISTMAS CONCERT (Spartacus Records)
  32. Clark Tracey, STABILITY (Linn Records)
  33. Tommy Smith, ALONE AT LAST (Spartacus Records) 2002
  34. Tommy Smith & Brian Kellock, BEZIQUE (Spartacus Records)
  35. Scottish National Jazz Orchestra/Ingrid Jensen, MILES AHEAD (Spartacus)
  36. Tommy Smith, EVOLUTION (Spartacus Records) 2003
  37. Tommy Smith & Brian Kellock, SYMBIOSIS (Spartacus Records) 2004
  38. Joe Locke, DEAR LIFE (Sirocco Records)
  39. Tommy Smith Quartet, FORBIDDEN FRUIT (Spartacus Records) 2005
  40. Renolds Jazz Orchestra, CUBE (Shanti)
  41. Pino Iodice, HIGH TENSION 2006
  42. Loic Dequidt Quartet, NOMADE (Kopasetic) 2007
  43. Tommy Smith Youth Jazz Orchestra, EXPLORATION (Spartacus Records) 2008
  44. Arild Andersen/Paolo Vinaccia/Tommy Smith, LIVE AT BELLEVILLE (ECM)
  45. Scottish National Jazz Orchestra, RHAPSODY IN BLUE LIVE (Spartacus) 2009
  46. Scottish National Jazz Orchestra, TORAH (Spartacus) 2010
  47. Gildas Bocle, CROSSFIELDS
  48. Tommy Smith, KARMA (Spartacus) 2011
  49. Tommy Smith Youth Jazz Orchestra, EMERGENCE (Spartacus Records)
  50. Karen Matheson, AT THE HEART OF IT (Vertical Records)
  51. Scottish National Jazz Orchestra, CELEBRATION (ECM) 2012
  52. Scottish National Jazz Orchestra, IN THE SPIRIT OF DUKE (Spartacus Records) 2013
  53. Michael Goldrick, AURORA (Vertical Records)
  54. Arild Andersen, MIRA (ECM) 2014
  55. Scottish National Jazz Orchestra, AMERICAN ADVENTURE (Spartacus Records)
  56. Tommy Smith & Brian Kellock,WHISPERING OF THE STARS(Spartacus Records)
  57. Scottish National Jazz Orchestra,CULLODEN MOOR(Spartacus Records)
  • PROFESSIONAL RECOGNITION:
  • Best Young Musician, Edinburgh Jazz Festival 1981
  • Best Band, Edinburgh Jazz Festival
  • National Big Band Competition; Outstanding Musician Award 1986
  • British Jazz Award 1989
  • Wavendon All Music Awards – Services to Music 1992
  • BT British Jazz Award 1996
  • Arts Foundation/Barclays Bank jazz composition fellowship prize
  • Scot Rail Award for Best Performance at the Glasgow Jazz Festival
  • Honorary Doctorate, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh 1999
  • Honorary Fellow of the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland 2000
  • Creative Scotland Award, Scottish Arts Council
  • Best Tenor Saxophonist, The British Jazz Awards 2002
  • Heart of Jazz Awards, BBC Jazz Awards 2008
  • Honorary Doctorate of Letters, Caledonian University, Glasgow
  • Best Woodwind, Scottish Jazz Awards 2009
  • Best Big Band for Scottish National Jazz Orchestra, Scottish Jazz Awards
  • Professorship from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland 2010
  • Best Educator, Best Big Band – Scottish Jazz Awards 2011
  • Best Educator, Best Album ”˜KARMA’ – Scottish Jazz Awards 2012
  • Best Big Band British Jazz Award
  • Honorary Doctorate of Music, Edinburgh University 2013
  • Best Live Performance, SNJO Scottish Jazz Awards
  • Creative Scotland Award 2014
  • JAZZ COMPOSITIONS:

1981; Sky Trane, Stephanie, Boring Up to Here, 1982; Chocolate Beans, Nebuloso 166, Steps & Ladders, 1983; Egg Plant, Meat Bag, The Fourth Quadrant, 1984; Justification, Trane-ing For Life, T.N.K., Wild Play, Venturing Into The Unknown, Beautiful, My Friend, Lonely People, After Sex Comes Seven, Winny The Pooh!, Little Flower, Quiet Portraits, Greatfruit Juice, Flame, The Nats At Nargate Street, Sunwind, 1985; Mooi, 1986; Ally The Wallygator, Slip Of The Tongue, Harlequin, Foggy Windows, You Without A Smile, Too Easy To Believe, Boats & Boxes, Moving Forward, Naked Air, Ghosts, Step By Step, H & J, The Last Clown, Biting At The Apple, Cheap Money, Sweet Suite, Scottish Breakfast, 1987; Affairs, Please, Time Piece, Will’o The Wisp, No, Thanks, Pillow Talk, Quiet Picnic, Sudden Notion, Love At First, The Painted Word, 1988; Key To The Door Work for Chamber Group & Jazz Ensemble, Ever Never Land, Black Jack, The New Road, Losing Sleep Over You, Free Time, Interval Time, Peeping Tom, Jazz Types Theme Tune for BBC TV Jazz Show, Simple Pleasures, Springtime, Merry Go Round, 1989; Time For Love, Dankworth & The Eighth Dwarfs Work for 8 Saxophones & Rhythm Section, Dream Scapes, Paper House, Why Not, Julia, Second Nature, Inner Space, 1990; Duffle Coat, Traquair Suite, Blacken & Blue, Eccentricity, Animal Welfare, Children Play, Silent But Deadly, Dokyology, 1991; Tick Tock, Queen Street Garden BBC, Theme/Artistic Views, 1992; The Traveller, ‘Paris’ Sextet Suite: Dance Of The Penguins, Day Light, Tear, Lost, Reflections, Occidentalisim, True Sobriety, Ideology, Fragments, Birth, Phraseology, Dischord, Ping Pong, 1993; Tribute Work for chordless Quartet: The Maze”¨inspired by the poetry of Valerie Gillies, Bed Of Stone, The Return Of The Swallow, The Heavenly Stones, Nude In A Fountain”¨inspired by the poetry of Norman MacCaig, On The Ocean Floor”¨inspired by the poetry of Hugh MacDiarmid, Dragons & Puffins, Mozart’s Cat Pussini, Scratch My Nose, Of Skunk And Men”¨inspired by the poetry of Maurice Lindsay, The Good Thief”¨inspired by the poetry of Tom Leonard, Crossing The Border”¨inspired by the poetry of Norman MacCaig, The Adventure Of The Chordless Band, Scotland’s Winter Suitefor Jazz Orchestra: The Labyrinth”¨inspired by the poetry of Edwin Muir, Scotland’s Winter, After The Warming, Swing That Thing, Gulf Stream, Bounce Upon A Thought, Rambo Mambo, Reminiscence, Old Times, 1994; Hair, Falling In, Misty Morning & No Time – Sextet Suite No. 2 – dedicated to Norman MacCaig, Intrusion, Estuary, Incident, Memorial, The Root of It, You Went Away, Dipper, Rag & Bone, Sounds of the Day, Country Dance, Misty Morning & No Time, Day Break, Two Friends, Trapped, 1995; The Gold of the Azure, Escape Ladder, Siesta, The Smile of Flamboyant Wings, Vowel Song, Constellation: the morning star, The Calculation, Dancer, Dialogue of Insects, Blue I, II, III, An Tobar”¨inspired by the poetry of Derick Thomson, 1996; Beasts of Scotland – Poetry by Edwin Morgan, Golden Eagle, Salmon, Midge, Wolf , Red Deer, Gannet, Conger Eel, Spider, Seal, Wildcat, 1997; Planet Wave – Poetry by Edwin Morgan – Commissioned by the Arts Foundation, In The Beginning, The Early Earth, End Of The Dinosaurs, In The Cave, The Great Flood, The Great Pyramids, On The Volga, The Mongols, Magellan, Copernicus, 1998; Kill The Old Torture Their Young Commissioned by the Traverse Theatre, Monte Cristo – Poetry by Edwin Morgan – Commissioned by the Paragon Ensemble, The Dungeon, Mercedes, The Abbe, The Plot, Father & Son, Monte Cristo, Four Men, The Puppet Master, The Revenge, Song For A City – Poetry by Edwin Morgan Commissioned by the Glasgow City Council, Searching For That Elling Tone, 1999; The Blues Blew Blue, Hubba Hubba, Touch Your Toes, El Nino, Rain Dance, Dr. Smith, Dr. Sco, Eany Mean Miny Mo, Miracle, There’s a Blues Loose aboot this Hoose, Tombs of the Kings – Commissioned by the SNJO, 7 short pieces for Solo Saxophone, 2000; ‘The Millennial Suite’ for Dame Cleo Laine & John Dankworth OBE – Poetry by Edwin Morgan, TORAH for JOE LOVANO , Genesis – Primordial History, Exodus – Journey Through The Wilderness, Leviticus Ritual, Numbers Settlement, Deuteronomy – The Three Discourses of Moses, The Sons and Daughters of Alba – Poetry by Edwin Morgan, The Glen Of Tranquility,Madeleine Smith, Mary Queen Of Scots, St Tenew, St Columba, John Muir, Robert Burns, Burke & Hare, Finella, Janet Horn, Helen Adam, John Knox, Jenny Geddes, William Wallace”¨Commissioned by the Glemorangie Glasgow Jazz Festival, When I’m All Alone, Spartacus, 2001; Alpine Rhapsody”¨Commissioned by the Swiss Youth Jazz Orchestra BEAUTY & THE BEAST for DAVID LIEBMAN – Commissioned by the SNJO, London to Edinburgh, Commissioned by the SNJO”¨inspired by the poetry of Norman MacCaig, The Scream, Alcor, Capella, Deneb, Polaris, Camelopardalis, Phoenix, Cassiopeia, Perseus, Ursa Minor, Alpha Centauri, Lynx, Indus, Vela, Draco, Arrangements for Quartet:Winter Wonderland, God Rest, Ye Merry Gentlemen, Silent Night, Auld Lang Syne, I’ll Be Home For Christmas, The Holy & The Ivy, Have Yourself A Merry Christmas, We Three Kings, The Christmas Song, 2002; For Solo Saxophone and Technology:Into Silence, Wolf, Mercury, Twin Towers, Robert Burns, In the Cave, In TheBeginning, Loch Ness Monster Song, Ring Of Brodgar, Jazz Hop, From The Video Box, 2003; Woodstock, Easter Island, Lisbon Earthquake, Siege Of Leningrad, Sputnik’s Tale, On The Way To Barnard’s Star, Darwin In The Galapagos, Juggernaut, 2004; For B.B., Round Midnight arranged for the SNJO, Spirit of the Fallen Angel, Eve, Tree of Knowledge, Within the Shadow, Forbidden Fruit of Fire, One Wish, 2005; Angel Of The North for Tim Garland’s Jazz Orchestra, Arranged Chick Corea’s Quartet No. 2 for Orchestra, Arranged RHAPSODY IN BLUE for SNJO, 2006; Revised TORAH; 2009; Arranged Jan Garbarek’s Molde Canticle for SNJO, 2010; Commissioned by Serious and the Glasgow International Jazz Festival and was made possible with funding through Beyond Borders from the PRS for Music Foundation, World of the Gods, Goddess of Dawn & Revelry, God of the Moon, God of Fire, God of the Wind, God of Storms, The Underworld, God of the Sea, Goddess of the Sun, God of War, God of Thunder & Lightening, 2011; Karma, Star, Cause & Effect, Land of Heroes, Good Deed, Tomorrow, Projection, Sun, Who Are You?, Revised Beauty & The Beast for Bill Evans, Commissioned by Glasgow International Jazz Festival, 25, 2012; Divinity, The Whispering Of The Stars, Chaos Theory, Orissa.

  • CLASSICAL COMPOSITIONS:

1988; Unirsi In Matrimonio/Saxophone, Concerto No. 1 for Tenor Saxophone and String Orchestra 25:00 Commissioned by the Scottish Ensemble, I. Segui Il tuo Cuore – Largo-Andante-Largo-Adagio, II. Ballando In Un Campo Di Rose Scherzo, III. I Bambini Intorno Alle Sue Ginocchia – Allegro con brio-Moderato, IV. Matrimonio Per Tre – Prestissimo-Largrimoso-Cantabile-Prestissimo, V. E scesa La Notte; Finalmente Pace – Largo sospirando-Largamente patimento, 1991; An Eccossais A Paris/Suite For Tenor Saxophone & String Orchestra 18:00”¨Commissioned by The Scottish Ensemble, I. Marchant Dans Les Rues – Tres moder, II. Vision De Memoire Allegro, III. Rencontre Passionee-La Belle Et La Bete – Adagio-tres douleur, IV. Bruits Parfumes-Barriere De La Langue – Tres modere-Emphatique Francaise, V. Faim D’Obscurite-Manque De Sommeil Andante, VI. Eternal Amour-Le Bonheur Uni – Tres lent, VII. Voyage A La Recherche Du Haggis – Tres Anime, 1992; Les Nouveaux Jeunes/12 Sketches for Saxophone & Piano 20:00 Written with assistance from The Scottish Arts Council, I. Lento, II. Calme, III. Allegro vivace, IV. Adagio, V. Allegro moderato, VI. Modere-Valse, VII. Tres anime et extrement egal, VIII. Andante-Allegretto molto agitato, IX. Grave, X. Scherzando, XI. Promenade du Cameleon, XII. Dallage irregulier, 1993; Sonata No. 1 for Piano & Tenor, Saxophone ‘Hall of Mirrors’ 25:00”¨Commissioned by Glasgow International Jazz Festival, I. Mirror Talk – Largo con moto-Andante-Marcato moderato-Ad libtum-Largo, II. Image – Prestissimo-Allegro strepitoso-Prestissim, III. The Looking Glass – Andantino dolce-Allegretto alla marcia-andantino Tranquillo, IV. Speculum Vivace, 1994; Marine (The Chamber Group of Scotland) 5:00 {Saxophones, Mezzo Soprano, Piano, Percussion & Cello}”¨inspired by thepoetry of Paul Verlaine & Music by Tommy Smith, Sequenza for Tenor Saxophone, 1995; Sonata No. 2 for Piano & Tenor & Soprano Saxophones ‘Dreaming With Open Eyes’ I. Call of the Shaman, II. The Promise and the Search, III. A Heap of Broken Images?, IV. Journeys Home, Destination Unknown, 1998; Hiroshima – 3rd Concerto for Orchestra & Saxophone – Commisioned by The”¨Orchestra Of St’ John Smith’s Square, I. The Morning, II. The Bombing, III. The Aftermath, 2001; Arranged Chick Corea’s Children’s Songs for saxophone and strings, 2002; Edinburgh – Commissioned by the Edinburgh Youth Orchestra, 4th Concerto for Orchestra & Saxophone, 2008; revised Edinburgh for the RSNO, 2010; revised Chick Corea’s Children’s Songs for the BBC Symphony Orchestra.

  • TEACHING:
  • Presented workshops with Gary Burton (Dean of Curriculum at Berklee College of Music) South America, North America, Canada, Europe 1986-1989
  • Presented Jazz Master classes at Berklee College of Music
  • Presented Jazz Master classes in Israel 1991
  • Presented Jazz Master classes in Paris Conservatoire 1992
  • Taught a jazz course in Edinburgh
  • Taught Jazz Improvisation at Napier University 1993-1994
  • Workshops & concert to special needs students, Glasgow
  • Taught a series of Jazz Workshops at Strathclyde Arts Centre
  • Gave a series of Jazz Workshops in India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka
  • Taught Jazz Improvisation Course at Strathclyde University 1994-1995
  • Taught Jazz Improvisation at RSAMD 1995
  • Gave Jazz Workshops in Ayr, Dundee, Edinburgh,
  • Established the National Jazz Institute,Director ofJazz 1995-1998
  • Presented Jazz Master classes in Aberdeen 1997
  • Presented Jazz Master classes in Kazakhstan 1998
  • Gave a workshop to special needs students, Cheltenham
  • Presented Jazz Master class at Salford College in Manchester 1999
  • Many other Jazz Workshops around Gloucestershire
  • Presented Jazz Master classes in Turkey
  • Taught on the Aarau Jazz Course, Switzerlandwith the world’s leading jazz musicians
  • Presented Jazz Master class at Berklee College of Music
  • Presented Jazz Master class in Glasgow w/SNJO
  • Taught on Jazz Course, Czech Republic
  • Presented Jazz Master classes in Tobermory & Stornoway 2000
  • Taught on the Rotterdam Jazz Course with the world’s leading figures
  • Taught Jazz Workshop at Invergordon High School
  • Taught Jazz Workshops in Bucharest, Romania
  • Taught on the Aarau Jazz Course, Switzerland 2001
  • with the world’s leading jazz musicians
  • Presented Jazz Master classes in Paris Conservatoire
  • Established the Tommy Smith Youth Jazz Orchestra 2002
  • Presented Jazz Master classes at Stockholm & Gothenburg Conservatories
  • Presented Jazz Master class at the Royal Academy of Music, London 2003
  • Presented Jazz Master class at Leeds College of Music
  • Gave a workshop to special needs students, Helsinki, Finland
  • Taught on the Aarau Jazz Course, Switzerland
  • Presented Jazz Master class in Yemen 2004
  • Presented Jazz Master class in Portland, Oregon, USA 2005
  • Taught on the Aarau Jazz Course, Switzerland
  • Presented Jazz Master classes in Cork, Ireland
  • Presented Jazz Master classes in Reims, France 2006
  • Taught on the Rotterdam Jazz Course with the world’s leading figures
  • Presented Jazz Master classes in Aberdeen & Glenrothes
  • Presented Jazz Master classes in Sweden
  • Taught Jazz Master classes at the Conservatory of Music-Guangzhou, China
  • Established the full-time degree course at the Royal Academy of Music & Drama, Glasgow 2009
  • Presented Jazz Master class at Hull University with KARMA
  • Presented Jazz Master classes whilst on tour in Nicaragua 2010
  • Taught Jazz Master classes in Rostov-on-Don, Russia 2011
  • Presented Jazz Master classes for SPIC MACAY in India
  • Presented master class at the Lincoln Center, New York City 2012
  • Workshops in Edmonton, Canada
  • Workshops in the Highlands and islands, Scotland
  • Presented Jazz Master classes for SPIC MACAY in India 2013
  • PRIVATE PUPILS:

Steve Hamilton, Paul Booth, Stuart Gorman, Graeme Scott, Konrad Wiszniewski, Tom MacNiven, Allon Beauviosin, Paul Towndrow, Theo Forrest, Fraser Campbell, Jo Fooks, Joe Wright, Alan Benzie, Patrick Kenny, Kevin Garrity and James Marr.

  • SELECTED QUOTES:
  • BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE ★★★★★His tone is tungsten-tough or tender and nostalgic,his improvisations stimulating and affecting.”“He makes ancient andmodern music soundstrangely compatible andin his ecstatic renderingsmakes Coltrane’s ”˜Naima’and even Rodgers & Hart’s“My Romance’ sound likeprayers. This is a uniquealbum.”
  • SCOTSMAN ★★★★★“His toughest and most creative quartet yet.”
  • IRISH TIMES ★★★★★“Smith’s tenor is now the uniquely personal voice of a great player”
  • JAZZWISE“It is quite possibly his finest recording yet.”
  • OBSERVERJazz CD of the week “An auspicious first release by Smith’s own label”
  • GUARDIAN“A rare splicing of rich-toned, pipe-like themes, fiercely gutturalup-tempo tenor improv, Arabic and Irish music.”
  • MOJO“Scottish saxophonist/composer’s 24th album, one of his best.
  • BIRMINGHAM POST“Since Stan Getz died,Smith must be one of thechief contendersfor mostbeautiful saxophone soundin the world.”
  • INDEPENDENT“Smith comes across asa true star, inhabiting thesound of his saxophonein a way very few playersanywhere in the world arecapable of.”
  • PLAYBOY MAGAZINE“Smith’s artful writingmakes the band soundlike a petite philharmonic.”
  • DOWNBEAT“Smith’s some sax-man.Possessing a shiningpowerful tone and masterful technique, hecreates melodies, notriffs, even if the tempo isoutrageous.”
  • LOS ANGELES TIMES“Smith’s soloing”¦ issuperb, never more so thanin a stunning,utterly solo rendering ofSolitude.”
  • ALL ABOUT JAZZ“Were Smith still living in the US, there’s every chance he’d bethe star there that he clearly is at home.”
  • SCOTSMAN“TommySmith is not one to do things by half measures.”
  • GUARDIAN Jazz CD of the week“A very elegant take on standard jazz materials”
  • JOHN SCOFIELD“Tommy is an incredible writer and a great, great player.”
  • GARY BURTON“Tommy Smith, the most talented tenor sax star to arrive on the world scene in years.”
  • CHICK COREA“Tommy has a unique sound and approach. I like it from when I firstheard him play as a student at Berklee.”
  • DAVID LIEBMAN“Tommy Smith is one of the best musicians around.”
  • JACK DeJOHNETTE“One of the important voices in the young tenor players of today.”