Peter Smith
Biography
PETER SMITH (saxophonist, flutist, clarinetist, pianist, hand percussionist, composer, arranger) was born January 5, 1959 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He is a musician and educator with more than 25 years experience. He attended high school in Port Perry, Ontario, later completing the Jazz Studies program at Humber College in Toronto. He toured throughout North America and Europe with various popular bands through the ‘80s, returning to study at the University of Toronto in 1991 where he obtained degrees in both Jazz Performance and Music Education. Doubling on flute and clarinet, Smith has studied with luminaries Pat LaBarbera, Phil Nimmons, and Alex Dean.
A published composer and arranger, he primarily performs and records freelance or as leader of his own ensembles, also adjudicating and teaching master classes, at music camps, and private students, Coach to The Advocats, a pro-am big band, and facilitator of a regular jazz workshop. Smith is also on the part-time faculty at Upper Canada College in Toronto. He is interested in the historical evolution of Jazz and popular music and the ever-increasing influence of other musics such as Latin and World Beat.
His playing, compositions and arrangements can be heard on a number of recordings including his own three to date (Caliente & Cool, Yule Like This, and Blue & Green) as well as releases by vocalist Heather Bambrick, the Full Count Blues Band, Anita Perras, Freefall, Grace, Nazka, Cassava, the Tokyo Giants, and Adrian Luces. Peter Smith also performs live with Colin James, Heather Bambrick, and the Full Count Blues Band.
He appeared twice during the “Sound of Toronto Jazz” Concert Series at the Ontario Science Centre: with his own Peter Smith Quartet (guitarist Kevin Laliberte, Drew Burston on bass, drummer Davide DiRenzo) on November 1, 1999, and as part of the Heather Bambrick & Quartet concert which took place on January 13, 2002.
