hyper magnum sound
A jazz pianist noted for his versatility and elegance, Derek Smith, originally from London, has been playing professionally in the U.S. since 1957. Like Eddie Higgins - another star pianist on the Venus roster - Smith remains relatively unknown in the U.S. but is strongly admired by fellow musicians and ardent fans. For his debut for Venus Records, Smith - who was 76 years old at the time of the recording - was paired with a very strong rhythm section: Peter Washington on bass and Joe Ascione on drums. In a program of well-known standards, Smith impresses the listener with his swinging, dynamic and even fiery pianism on fast tunes and beautiful touch and harmonic elegance on slow numbers.