Carson Raymond Smith (January 9, 1931, San Francisco – November 2, 1997,

Las Vegas Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-l ...

) was an American

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

double-bassist. Carson is the older brother of jazz musician and composer Putter Smith. Smith's early work was in West Coast jazz, playing with Gerry Mulligan (1952–53),

Chet Baker Chesney Henry "Chet" Baker Jr. (December 23, 1929 – May 13, 1988) was an American jazz trumpeter and vocalist. He is known for major innovations in cool jazz that led him to be nicknamed the "Prince of Cool". Baker earned much attention and ...

(1953–55), Russ Freeman (1955–56), and Chico Hamilton (1955–57). Smith also recorded with Clifford Brown (1954), Dick Twardzik (1954), and

Billie Holiday Billie Holiday (born Eleanora Fagan; April 7, 1915 – July 17, 1959) was an American jazz and swing music singer. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and music partner, Lester Young, Holiday made significant contributions to jazz music and pop ...

Carnegie Hall Carnegie Hall ( ) is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It is at 881 Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh Avenue, occupying the east side of Seventh Avenue between 56th Street (Manhattan), 56th and 57th Street (Manhattan), 57t ...

(1956). In 1959, he toured with

Stan Kenton Stanley Newcomb Kenton (December 15, 1911 – August 25, 1979) was an American popular music and jazz artist. As a pianist, composer, arranger and band leader, he led an innovative and influential jazz orchestra for almost four decades. Though ...

, then recorded with Charlie Barnet in 1960. In 1962, he moved to Los Angeles, playing with Charlie Teagarden (1962) and

Lionel Hampton Lionel Leo Hampton (April 20, 1908 – August 31, 2002) was an American jazz vibraphonist, percussionist, and bandleader. He worked with jazz musicians from Teddy Wilson, Benny Goodman, and Buddy Rich, to Charlie Parker, Charles Mingus, an ...

(1963). He toured Japan with Georgie Auld in 1964. Later in the 1960s, he played with Buddy Rich, Arno Marsh, and Carl Fontana. He held a longtime residency at the Four Queens Hotel in Las Vegas, where he accompanied visiting musicians such as

Art Farmer Arthur Stewart Farmer (August 21, 1928 – October 4, 1999) was an American jazz trumpeter and flugelhorn player. He also played flumpet, a trumpet–flugelhorn combination especially designed for him. He and his identical twin brother, doub ...

, Lew Tabackin,

Zoot Sims John Haley "Zoot" Sims (October 29, 1925 – March 23, 1985) was an American jazz saxophonist, playing mainly tenor but also alto (and, later, soprano) saxophone. He first gained attention in the "Four Brothers" sax section of Woody Herman's big ...

, and Chet Baker. He died of cancer in Las Vegas at the age of 66.

Discography

As sideman

With

* '' Sings and Plays with Bud Shank, Russ Freeman and Strings'' (Pacific Jazz, 1955) * '' Chet Baker Sings'' (Pacific Jazz, 1956) * '' The Trumpet Artistry of Chet Baker'' (Pacific Jazz, 1955) * ''

Jazz at Ann Arbor ''Jazz at Ann Arbor'' is a live album by jazz trumpeter Chet Baker which was recorded at the Masonic Temple in 1954 and released on the Pacific Jazz Records, Pacific Jazz label.Chico Hamilton * '' Chico Hamilton Quintet'' (Pacific Jazz, 1955) * '' Chico Hamilton Quintet in Hi-Fi'' (Pacific Jazz, 1956) * '' Sweet Smell of Success'' (Brunswick, 1957) * '' Ellington Suite'' (World Pacific, 1959) * '' The Original Chico Hamilton Quintet'' (World Pacific, 1960) * ''Spectacular!'' (World Pacific Jazz, 1968) With others * Clifford Brown, ''Jazz Immortal'' (Pacific Jazz, 1960) *

& Charlie Teagarden, ''The Great Hamp and Little T'' (Coral, 1963) * Fred Katz, ''Zen: The Music of Fred Katz'' (Pacific Jazz, 1957) * Dick Marx, ''Marx Makes Broadway'' (Omega Disk, 1958) * Gerry Mulligan, ''Gerry Mulligan Quartet'' (Pacific Jazz, 1955) * Gerry Mulligan, ''Mulligan and Baker!'' (Jazztone, 1957) * Jack Montrose Presents Bob Gordon Quintet, Clifford Brown Ensemble, ''Arranged by Montrose'' (Pacific Jazz, 1956) * Buddy Rich, ''Swingin' New Big Band'' (Pacific Jazz, 1966) * Dick Twardzik, ''The Last Set'' (Pacific Jazz, 1962) * Tommy Vig, ''The Tommy Vig Orchestra'' (Take V, 1965) * Emily Remler, ''Cookin at the Queens: Live in Las Vegas 1984 & 1988'' (Resonance, 2024)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Carson 1931 births 1997 deaths American jazz double-bassists American male double-bassists Jazz musicians from San Francisco 20th-century American double-bassists 20th-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians