Johnny Smith - What Are You Doing For The Rest Of Your Life?

[m42martin]

He walks in beauty.

[chasebjazzguitar]

just beautiful!



[AcousticMax]

Legend, the greatest.

[SIRONEDRAGON]

beautiful : )

[nellgit]

not to many live vids of Johnny...what a superb player ...so fluid & pure-moonlight in vermont is a tremendous disc...sounds like lots of guitars sped up!

[dsfield]

@friendlytecy Dude, this is YouTube! Any dummy can see it was obviously captured on home video or recorded from a TV with substandard quality. Most of us appreciate the fact that someone took the effort to upload this great performance regardless of quality. If you want sound quality, buy a DVD. Your picky whining won't change anything.

[SIRONEDRAGON]

Fabulous : ) 

[JDJDJD154]

A True Master at Work, Johnny will always be one of the Best!

[mickeycrist]

I grew up in Colorado Springs where Johnny had a music store for years....what a wonderful and humble gentleman he was....turns 89 tomorrow!

[TheFPeter1]

Can't get enough of this music...such tasteful playing. I have recordings of two Smith tunes on my youtube channel...Walk, Don't Run and I'm Old Fashioned...anyone who knows this music well would like to take a look and give me a quick critique? Would much appreciate it! Just like @gjfanatique, would love to meet this man one day!

[gjfanatique]

He taught me most of what I know about how to play the guitar. I spent the most memorable hours of my youth moving the needle back a groove at a time learning one note, one chord at a time. I sure would love to meet him some day.

[Leopardsand]

I was playing this video for my mom at the Apple Store and she absolutely fell in love with his playing. I did too =) Johnny Smith is amazing!

[guerillajazz]

Johnny and Django are the absolute finest for jazz guitar.

[MrJameo17]

Beautiful and melodic guitar player

[tptgtr5280]

My father took lessons from Johnny Smith back in the 80's. He still lives in our town (Colorado Springs) but he is 100% retired from playing. An absolute legend.

[naia737]

WOW!

[ghess1000]

Johnny Smith is, and always will be one of my heroes. He was an incredible musician, but more importantly to him, a fine human being.

[adsvx]

OMG, seeing this just gave me chills. Johnny Smith, what a god.

[joebandana]

I recall reading Charlie Parker himself used to watch Johnny's band's play from front row seats at Birdland - what a phenomenal fan for Johnny to have!

[civilfailure111]

@pizza351 I would agree. his rhythm is so free yet everything is right on. saw him up at smalls in new york. one of the young guys that's really pushing jazz forward.

[TheDeiliciousVenyl]

i cry

[pizza351]

@50CJAZZ don't agree with your "youngsters coming up" statement. there are good and not so good "real book generation cats" as well as the ones from whichever generation it is that you came from. That part of your post just isn't necessary. I like the rest the he is incredible.

[50CJAZZ]

@pizza351 Please point me to the something this good from the last 5 years. If you can, I thank you. If not, we have these fond memories. Sorry for the negativity. I will erase my post. All the best. 50C

[razzledingle]

LEGEND.

It's silly to try to rate the great ones, isn't it?. They each conveyed their own unique voice through the guitar. We all have our favorites, for whatever reasons.

When you see and hear something this good--when the playing and technique disappear and you hear only beautiful music--you know you are in the presence of someone who has mastered the instrument.

[lazur1]

Now 88, Mr.Smith was one of the first, & is the last, of the original jazz guitar greats. 'Only' age 62 here, he retired from touring to take care of his daughter when he only 38 years old .

[BeatBay]

awesome i luv it

[Gminor7]

I come back to see this every once in a while. The rippling arpeggios, the close voicings, the crystalline sound. I've loved Mr Smith since first hearing him in 1975, when I was 19.

[boowannabe]

Hey Larry Lapin! So good to see you in this video. I went to Uof M and played in the jazz vocal ensemble. (1979-83?) I was a terrible reader! Thanks for putting up with me. I always thought you were a world-class musician. I still remember the cool bridge changes you showed me to "Have You Met Miss Jones?" E-7b5, Ebsus/ D-7b5, Dbsus/...etc!!!! Hope all is well! You played with Johnny Smith a few years before this too, IIRC?

[jazzflutist]

He definitely rocks. I mean "jazz-es". Very nice.

[G7flat5]

I agree that MC was a goof and disrespectful. Johnny was the main player up there .A class player .Interesting that he's using a D'Angelico instead of his Gibson Johnny Smith.

[Gary1497]

A guitar master, up there with Wes, Howard Roberts, George Van Eps, Joe Pass and the rest of the jazz masters.

[fram8yourmum]

unreal =]

[johngolden]

Wow!

[mattleemattlee123]

Aside from the bozo MC and that woman with the tee-shirt, this was great. Johnny Smith is one of the classiest musicians around. While this was obviously after his prime, you can still here the precision and elegance in his playing. His tone was like velvet and his phrasing was always cool, smooth and sophisticated. Johnny Smith...one of the all-time giants of music. Thanks for posting.

[Guitarslingersoloist]

He was a great chord lead guitar soloist, who didn't need a band to play a song. I had records and a song book of Johnny Smith that I practiced from and man it was hard, he made it look easy. One of the best jazz guitarists ever. Looks like he is playing a D' Angelico guitar in this video, sweet axe!

[MikeJohnstonguitar]

Johnny's tone, sound, chords, lines etc are second to none, thank god he's still alivew unlike the rest of the 'greats' (Herb Ellis just died recently)...who is that silly MC ?..geetar ?..where's the respect for Johnny?...doesnt he know how gr8 Johnny is ?...pronounce the word correctly, clown

[MikeJohnstonguitar]

Johnny's tone, sound, chords, lines etc are second to none, thank god he's still alivew unlike the rest of the 'greats' (Herb Ellis just died recently)...who is that silly MC ?..geetar ?..where's the respect for Johnny?...doesnt he know how gr8 Johnny is ?...pronounce the word correctly, clown

[trosstye]

muy bella musica, transmite muy bien el sentimiento, excelente guitarrista, supe recientemente q era uno de los mas respetados guitarristas de sesion de su tiempo y hacia musica para programas de television

[robertwbecker]

Thanks for this post, and I am so happy to see all these wonderful, adoring comments acknowledging his greatness. Not long ago I thought that he might have been forgotten in this day of fast and furious,,,,, made my day!!!!!

[ninebreaker21]

I'm very interested, would you be so kind as to share?

[mr12note]

tone meister of all time

the feeling that came out of his hands!

to all... please listen and learn

[strings52]

One of the only guitar masters i know of that could play root postion chords w/o drop 2 and 3 voicings. What a beautiful sound he created. What rare footage this is. Thank you so much for posting it.

[bernieholland775]

This is real quality - delivered by a true gentleman and consummate musician. Thank you for allowing a bit of dignity in the crass world we now have to inhabit.

[sitarnut]

We saw him in 1959 in Arlington,TX. His tone is so destroyer it will make wallpaper peel

[superbeavo]

@sitarnut Is that a complement?

[sitarnut]

@superbeavo You bet- if you think his tone is gorgeous beyond belief on LPs - well, to hear Johnny live is even more incredible- his tone & sound fill up the entire hall ... yes, devastating... even to the wallpaper.

[rayjr62]

@sitarnut

or cement melt. 

[JezzesKaresz2]

mester!!!!!

[ElComadreja777]

"Moonlight in Vermont" is a bitch to play.

[stogies3]

I've tried that and others.

A life time wouldn't be enough for me

to learn them to play fluently not to mention playing it at the speed and with

the feeling he used to play them.

Barney Kessel got it right:

Nobody plays the Guitar better than

Mr.Johnny Smith.

(and i;m a joe pass montgomery,martino etc.what have you freak)

[Guitfiddlejase]

You got that right!

[heidegger101]

A true master. I got to see him twice back in the late 70's when I lived in Denver.

[b5b9]

Rare footage of a rare talent. Thanks so much for posting it. I was an eleven year old kid when 'Moonlight in Vermont;' was in all the jukeboxes. It seems like I have spent my whole life trying to play that tune the way Mister Smith played it.

[pekoe67]

Among the most high and supreme music masters

[TheDeiliciousVenyl]

He is The Best ... His Sound is amazing

[Tototwice]

Just a greatttt guitarist one that I aspire to play like... What a shame that he does not play out anymore, I wonder why?.........? We are missing so much :( DALLAS

[HaeJude]

I'm pretty sure that he is in his mid 80's, so he probably doesn't hit the road so much any more. He is truly one of the greats.

[En3usiast]

Great playing from Johnny here, very tasteful. He knows his guitars too...one or more signature models including an oval hole ES175 type.

[redrabbitjazzbox]

No one on this planet played the guitar better than Johnny Smith.

[stogies3]

that one is from Barney Kessel,

but he was pretty close

[f0ckt]

flawless.

[zarchy55]

A master at his best. Beautiful guitar too. I see it doesn't have the typical D'Angelico tailpiece. Interesting.

[robstagno]

That's a Gibson tailpiece. It was made to allow adjusting tension of individual strings. It never really caught on, but is still available on guitars such as the Gibson Howard Roberts.

[ParthofthePigeons]

beautiful. absolutely. i feel like i am melting.

[NickPycks6]

The greatest jazz guitarist ever?maybe-maybe not---the greatest "musician" that ever played jazz guitar- ABSOLUTELY!!!!

[GuitarLegend327]

@NickPycks6 That was a contradiction..lol

[jamesmfleming]

@NickPycks6 If you like Johnny Smith, you may like Louis Stewart; who formerly played with Benny Goodman. ;-)

[sweenus]

This is a rare clip indeed, as you just don't see much JS stuff around. Too bad it's not from his prime. Johnny seems nervous here. Smith was most comfortable when everything in the band was more worked out not winging it. There are several errors here. The song is titled "What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life" even tho' the announcer says it differently. Johnny Smith did not win any jazz polls as a trumpeter.

[4578a]

sounds like strangers in the night

[bobareebop]

My dad played a DA for years. He bought it from a private party on Long Island in the late 1940's. It fell off its stand one night at a gig and the neck was damaged. Dad took it to John D'Angelico's shop in New York. JD said "I'll fix it, but you know what, this guitar would look good in a blonde finish. Let me refinish it for you". So it became blonde and was dad's trademark instrument for many years.

[bobareebop]

That's a D'Angelico he's playing, no?

[RobMackenzie]

yes it's a DA

[Byrdmanguitar]

Wow!! Great - thanks so much for sharing this clip. Johnny Smith - an American Icon!!

[brothaman34]

this man is a master of the guitar

[32251]

Maybe the greatest pick virtuoso ever. He is in his last phase on this video, but you can still hear the Johnny Smith of yesteryear in his playing. He is amazing.

[edcerc]

i love johnny smith but his lines can be a little stiff. He doesnt really swing like wes and kessel and some of the other guys. His tone and chord melody however are pretty much unparalleled.

[f0ckt]

Him not swingin like Wes and the others is what makes his sound so unique and identifiable. He's got his own thing goin on with an unparalleled tone (like you said) and precision. As far as his lines feeling stiff, I guess that's a subjective thing. I find his lines to be as close to perfect as I've ever heard.

[Gminor7]

If I make it to heaven can I sit and listen to Johnny as long as I want?

[flat9design]

I took guitar lessons from Johnny and his brother Ben in the 1960's. He was a wonderful person, very kind and patient with his know-nothing teenage students.

[joebandana]

wow Johnny Smith is of such an exceptionally high standard of skill and mastery on the guitar. I read that he used to dream of chords whilst asleep and then try them out on a real guitar when he woke up - practicing 24/7! Pure genius!

It's fascinating to see how he plays the guitar in video - to see him do things like his trademark vibrato is for me something very special. Thanks so much poster - 20 stars!

[jongreek]

Awesome!

[gunthypunthy]

so beautiful

[fredhale]

I'm stunned to see this after so many years admiring Johnny Smith as the epitome of jazz guitarists. Thank you very much for posting this video.

[Tototwice]

GREATNESS CAPTURED ON FILM!

[steinsteel]

Wow Im A BIG fan of Jazz.But the guitar has never been a first choice,cause so many overplay.But after hearing johnny Smith im completely blown away.Hes got so much singing quality to his playing.Its not alot of notes.He make it sing like heaven.

[kencc4791]

OMG!! Thought I'd never see a video of him.

Thanks so much!!!!

[joebandana]

I'm Johnny's biggest fan. I'm currently in tears at watching my favourite musician ever play for the first time ever. Thankyou so much for adding this video

[johnnyguitarcarson]

"George Benson" is Johnny Smiths biggest fan, he has said so,

that makes you his second biggest fan

[carvetop01]

I transcribed 16 of Johnny's chord solo arrangements. That makes ME his biggest fan :o)

[4578a]

is there anyway i can get copies of those songs?. I can play a little of his stuff but the chords he uses are more difficult than most players, so i really need to practice that. Respect to you for writing those out. That's a real talent to be able to do that.

[johnnyguitarcarson]

carvetop01

your not biggest fan until you post those chord solo arrangements , for inquiring minds

[carvetop01]

Check out my channel. I have posted several of my attempts to play his arrangements.

Cheers,

allen

[iamJROD]

Johnny Smith is the King of Jazz Guitar.

[intouchrecords]

It's so good to see Johnny in these rare video clips. I visited Johnny several years ago down in Colorado Springs. We had a great lunch at his local Mexican restaurant. And after lunch, we headed to his home where he pulled out his Gibson Johnny Smith model guitar from underneath his bed and dazzled me with an unbelievable medley of guitar wizardry. It must have been all the Margarita's we drank.

[easguitar]

Johnny Smith-of the crystalline arpeggio, splendor of tone, and impeccable taste. A treasured album of mine is "Johnny Smith" on the Verve label.

[lionlr1]

You have no idea what this means to me ,my grandfather used to talk about him, and when I first heard him years ago I was speech less, once agian thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Lyagushka]

Lost for words - utterly outstanding!

[lexo30]

Although he is one of the very few guitarists of his generation who can truly be said to shred (albeit quietly), he's also one of the very few jazz guitarists who can make me cry. Masterful stuff. I could sit and watch his hands for hours.

[Arikisei]

god bless mr.smith...,god bless mr.smith...,god bless japan...,god bless the u.s.a

[newriko2]

Chet Atkins admired him tremendously. He is amazing.

[dwellbo]

Absolutely great, but they left out a bar on the 9th bar of his improvised solo, when the piano player plays a C# instead of a C natural at 3:19, implying an A major chord instead of an A minor chord.

Smith gulps,and plays a G and B double stop implying the 10th bar.

Thankfully, they all pickup on this and get back together. Notice JS never used his RH fingers once here and he NEVER used them EVER- even when he played those Spanish classical guitar pieces on the CD w/ Geo. Van Eps!

[VanHoorelbeke]

How awesome is this? Wonderful!

[rickcee]

Nobody, but absolutely NOBODY touches Johnny Smith for chord melody. Brilliant, incredible--so fluid, so impeccable. BRAVO, maestro!!!

[anitadavideduo]

I love Johnny Smith!!

This is the first time I saw him on video, thank you very much!!

Yes, he's really great!!!

[yagamei]

One thing I love about Johnny is that in his prime he was just as good as any player around today. Don't get me wrong -- of course jazz has changed and the accepted vocabulary is much broader (Holdsworth/Monder fans, I know you're hating this) -- but at the end of the day this guy's creativity and technique are unbeatable.

[mikeg888]

The Legendary Johnny Smith doing what he does best! Stunning us with his amazing guitar technique and uncomparable sound. He's so clean and yet quick but always tasteful. The best of the best. Thanks for posting this!

[rotarysounds]

it's amazing!!!

I've been seaching his movie.

this is the first time I saw him!

he's guitar tone is the most beautiful of jazz scene.

Very thanks,uploading!

[tenorbanjoguy]

What an amazing clip! My favorite video on youtube!!! Thanks!

[daffer53]

an older friend turned me on to johnny smith,and tal farlow, and barney kessel,in the early 70's as i tried to turn him onto hendrix, clapton,and we met at b.b.king,and muddy waters and went from there.r.i.p.buck. he also taught me about bird&diz.johnny and tal are my favorites if you want chord work. but it is a matter of taste. there's joe pass, barney,herb,mundell lowe,billy baure,etc. i play so well, i drive a truck for a living, but we jam like hell at the house with the kids.

[GP4T]

Beautiful....

Thanks for posting this

RIP Allan Dawson

[transtremm]

Fantastic! Rare indeed thanks!

[rhinebeckacupuncture]

Thanks so much for posting this. I have the mosaic set and saw Smith live twice in the 70's . I have transcribed 2 of his tunes with the help of a TR1000 -Smith was one of our greatest guitarists -thanks again -you have made my year !!!

[jzgtrguy]

Wow!That was magic!

[Emrad1]

To have this film clip, you must have direct line to God. Thank you so much for posting it. I can't tell you how much it means to me to be able to finally watch Johnny Smith playing, after all of these years of studying and listening to his music. Thanks again. Best wishes.

[campocat]

my two favorite people J. Smith and J. D'angelico

[Shinmeiryu]

'Beyond superlatives, if you ask me. I love that tone.

[jazzorgan]

I had the great pleasure of playing with Johnny Smith while I was in service in Colorado Springs. My all-time favorite guitarist. He can play fast & clean and then play a ballad with the greatest voicings ever on the guitar.

[bechet12]

What a treat that must have been.

I truly wish that he had never retired! I would have loved to see him play live!

[TNGuitarandUke]

How wonderful! I've been a Johnny Smith fan since I was introduced in the early 70's when I studied guitar with Stacy Mckee in a little studio in downtown Denver. Stacey McKee toured with Les Brown, played with Louie Armstrong and, was friends with Johnny Smith whom I hadn't heard about. Stacy showed me how to play several JS chord melodies, I saw Johnny play at Shanners and at a women's college and I was hooked. Your video just made my day. I'll put down the uke and pick up the arch top.

[kobym]

This is wonderful.

I've missed him in Colorado Springs 3 different times, as well as the Tribute to the Man with the Blue Guitar in Wash DC

A real treat!

Thank you very much

[crushingfist]

Impeccable!! What a wonderful experience to see and hear Johnny playing live!! Much thanks to you Bob for sharing this rare video!

[deangelico]

What a treat this is. thank you so much for posting.any more clips from the concert?

[steveykeeffe]

How wonderful to see the Great Johnny Smith. Thanks for Posting.

[jepa68]

J. Smith is the best ever. Period. The most thoughtful - articulate - sensible player ever. Way ahead of his time. His technique - flawless - but most of all - what he plays is recognizable - unlike most jazzers who feel they must play so "out" to be cool.  Thanks to the poster of this clip.

[veeshead]

No one is the best period.I love Johnny Smith as well as many others.People like you make me feel sad.Dan

[bechet12]

You are certainly right! No one is the best ever! All of greats play so differently and beautifully. One thing is for sure though. Johnny Smith had one of the most outstanding plectrum techniques in the history of jazz. He is certainly flawless at any tempo. The only person who is in the same league is Django.

Lastly, I only wish that Johnny would have recorded a duo session with Joe Pass. Could you imagine what those two could have done together.

[mikeg888]

There are many great players, past and present. Johnny combines all the best features and meshes them into his own unique, unequalled style. And he is an originator. Guild, Gibson, Heritage and other top makers all named their TOP of the line guitar after him. Django knew him and loved his playing and other legendary players like Tal Farlow and Chuck Wayne said that they were inspired by him. That says volumes.

[veeshead]

mikeg888,no offense,but why do you keep going on?No one is arguing with you.Johnny is great.I couldn't stop listening to him play "Wait Till You See Her"today.Dan

[mikeg888]

Dan, no offense taken. Jazz is great and jazz guitar is just so exhilirating. Johnny has been my favorite since I was 13! Guess I just can't get enough. Enjoy all the great

players! :)

[carvetop01]

I transcribed "Wait Until You See Her" It's a bitch to play. Johnny is first and formost a gentleman. He plays a mean trumpet, Violin and piano as well. In fact he won "downbeat" magazine's best jazz trumpet two years in a row.

[veeshead]

Carvetop,I was thinking of learning it too most of it seems possible for me,but those descending chromatic things sound really tricky.Johnny is really an inspiration.Dan

[carvetop01]

I have transcribed 16 of his solo guitar arrangements. Shoot me your email address and I will send them to you in PDF format.

[carvetop01]

Veeshead,

I have transcribed that tune if you want it. It's a bitch to play.

cheers,

allen

[mdhakr]

What a treat. Johnny is one of the greatest ever...

[NyJazzGuit]

The one and only Johnny Smith! What a treat!