* En anglais uniquement
A talented alto saxophonist and an arranger/composer who probably wrote "One O'Clock Jump" (although
Count Basie received the credit),
Buster Smith's contributions to jazz are difficult to assess because he was under-recorded throughout his career.
Charlie Parker often acknowledged
Smith's influence on his tone, and the few early recordings of the older altoist do show some similarity (although Bird's style would become much more advanced);
Parker played in
Smith's band in 1937.
Buster Smith was a fixture in Kansas City for the bulk of his most significant years. He was with
Walter Page's Blue Devils from 1925-1933 (the band only made two recordings) and
Bennie Moten's orchestra during its last period (1933-1935), and co-led the Barons of Rhythm with
Count Basie. Unfortunately, he chose not to accompany
Basie to New York. When
Smith finally went East, he contributed arrangements to several orchestras (including those led by
Gene Krupa,
Count Basie, and
Benny Carter) and had short stints with
Don Redman,
Hot Lips Page,
Eddie Durham, and Snub Mosley.
Buster Smith returned first to Kansas City and then finally to Texas for the remainder of his life. He recorded one very obscure (and long out-of-print) Atlantic album in 1959. ~ Scott Yanow