Antipodean Riffs - Essays on Australasian Jazz - Bruce Johnson
11. Examining the Legend and Music of Australian Saxophonist, Frank Smith
Antipodean Riffs - Essays on Australasian Jazz - Bruce Johnson
Ralph Whiteoak [+]
Sir Zelman Cohen School of Music-Conservatorium, Monash University
Description
The reputation of Frank Smith as one of the most talented, influential and original-sounding musicians of his time has been legendary in Australian jazz circles.This chapter briefly sketches out Smith’s career before critiquing certain stories and claims about his life, career, talent and contribution to jazz in Australia in an attempt to clarify uncertainties that have so far shrouded his past. Three primary questions are addressed in this process: why did Smith gain a reputation for originality in an era in which sounding like white or black American modern jazz legends was the benchmark of success? What was it about his approach to music (in particular his engagement with Hindemith’s theories) and saxophone playing that created so much peer respect and ‘legend’ status and what was the special nature of the influence he is said to have exerted over many talented musical colleagues of his era?