Curly Smith
We are all inextricably woven into the sound fabric of this planet we have just forgotten how to listen. It is literally all around us. Our world is imbued with the spirit of music and the inspiration of creativity.
(Curly Smith 2001)
Curly Smith was born in Montana and raised in Arkansas. In Texarkana, his family lived next to the railroad tracks and Curly would listen to the rhythm of the rails at night while lying in his bed. He was so totally mesmerized by the relentless mechanical tempo emitted by the passing trains that he began beating on pots and pans as accompaniment to the rhythmic sounds of lumbering railroad cars. When he could, Curly would sneak across the tracks and listen to the vibrant gospel music coming from the black churchís in that part of the South. He freely admits that these wonderful childhood experiences with sound, rhythm and melody were the basis for his decision to pursue a lifelong career in music.
Curly got his first drum kit when he was 12, started to play the harmonica and sing at 14 and picked up the guitar and piano well before he was 20. He worked with local bands in Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana until joining the California band Jo Jo Gunne which was formed by Jay Ferguson and Mark Andes, two former members of the classic rock group Spirit. With Jo Jo Gunne, Curly recorded four albums released on Asylum Records, which were released in early 2001on the Rhino Record Label. After the breakup of Jo Jo Gunne Curly began doing session work and producing for a variety of artists in London and Los Angeles. Among those artists are the Whoís Keith Moon, Jeff Beck, John Waite, Bonnie Raitt, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Belinda Carlisle, Duran Duranís Andy Taylor, Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols, and Ian Hunter of Mott The Hoople. He credits this period with enabling him to fine tune his craft by playing varied styles of music from rock to rhythm and blues to pop and blues.
It was after leaving Los Angeles and discontinuing his session work that Curly got a call from the rock group Boston. A very short time later, he joined up with Boston and the band began touring in the early 90ís.
Cool Blue Cosmic Gem is Curlyís newest and first solo album. He says it has taken all of his life experience and musical influences to compose and record his own creation of cosmic instrumentals. Cool Blue Cosmic Gem is the culmination of many years of writing, producing and recording music and a marriage of orchestration, tribal percussion instruments and eclectic jazz. Curly also has a new rock album in the works, scheduled to be released in 2003.
© CSM Records 2000- 2004
web design by
