Putter Smith

Putter Smith
Smith in 1971
Background information
Birth name Patrick Verne Smith
Born (1941-01-19) January 19, 1941
Bell, California, U.S.
Genres Jazz, cool jazz, bebop
Occupation(s) Musician, music teacher, author, actor
Instruments Double bass
Years active 1960s–present
Website puttersmith.net

Patrick Verne "Putter" Smith (born January 19, 1941) is an American jazz bassist, music teacher, author, and actor.

Early life

Smith was born in Bell, California,[1] and began playing the bass at the age of eight, inspired by his older brother Carson Smith.[2] He made his performing début aged 13 at the Compton Community Center.[3]

Career

He went on to perform with Thelonious Monk, Art Blakey, Duke Ellington, Billy Eckstine, Diane Schuur, Lee Konitz, Bruce Forman, Jackie and Roy, Carmen McRae, Gary Foster, Art Farmer, Blue Mitchell, Erroll Garner, Gerry Mulligan, Art Pepper, Mason Williams, Percy Faith, Burt Bacharach, Ray Charles, The Manhattan Transfer, and Johnny Mathis.[2] He also works as a session musician, playing on recordings by Sonny and Cher, The Beach Boys, The Righteous Brothers and many others.[2]

Smith has also taught at the Musician's Institute,[1] and at the California Institute of the Arts.[4]

Smith was playing with Monk at the Los Angeles jazz club Shelly's Manne-Hole when he was spotted by director Guy Hamilton, who cast him as the assassin "Mr. Kidd" (alongside Bruce Glover as "Mr. Wint") in the 1971 James Bond film Diamonds Are Forever.[2][3] He went to have several other minor acting roles on film and television.[5]

Filmography

References

  1. 1 2 "Smith, Putter (Patrick Verne)". Encyclopedia of Jazz Musicians. 2013. Archived from the original on December 17, 2007. Retrieved May 20, 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Putter Smith: Jazz Wolverine". All About Jazz. May 12, 2008. Retrieved May 20, 2016.
  3. 1 2 Duersten, Matthew (May 9, 2007). "Putter Smith". L.A. Weekly. Retrieved May 20, 2016.
  4. ↑ "Putter Smith". puttersmith.net. 2014. Retrieved May 20, 2016.
  5. ↑ "Putter Smith". IMDb.com. 2016. Retrieved May 20, 2016.
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