by Phil Farnsworth

Barry Smith

Retired Assistant Professor
Affiliated Departments
Bass
Faculty Bio E-Mail

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Career Highlights
  • Performances with Al Cohn and Zoot Simms, Double Image with Dave Samuels and David Friedman, the Joe Hunt Group, and the Pat Metheny Quartet
  • Tours with the Lionel Hampton Orchestra, Woody Herman and the Thundering Herd, the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra, the Gerry Mulligan Big Band, the Gerry Niewood Quartet, and the Red Rodney/Ira Sullivan Quintet
  • Recordings with the Alfred Cardim Trio, Lionel Hampton, the Steve Rochinski Quartet, Red Rodney and Ira Sullivan, Ed Saindon, and Danny Weiner
Education
  • B.M., Manhattan School of Music
  • M.M., Juilliard School of Music
In Their Own Words

"One of the main things I see the students need is to be able to play the instrument well. Their improvising will be limited to what they can do as far as getting around the instrument, so I'm concentrating on making sure they can comfortably play whatever they need to play—all the different scales and chords, how to arpeggiate their way through chords, the inversion of chords, that kind of thing."

"I get them started on that, then try to apply it to their playing, whether they're playing bass lines or soloing. What's most rewarding is the rapport you can build up with a student, when you see them get really good. You can open up to them and see them grow. Some students will get in touch with you years later. That's pretty exciting."