Jazz Pianist, Paul Smith, has died at age 91.
Smith was a composer and arranger who helped with songs with Big Crosby, Nat “King” Cole, Dizzy Gillespie, the Andrews Sisters, and many others.
The Los Angeles Times reports Smith’s publicist Alan Eichler said Smith died Saturday of a heart failure at the Torrance Memorial Medical Center.
Smith was a pianist and music director for “The Steve Allen Comedy Hour” for more than 25 years. He also recorded more than five-dozen albums with his own group or as an accompanist. Many of his albums are still available.
Smith worked with Sammy Davis Jr. for four years and pianist and conductor with Ella Fitzgerald for 11 years.
He not only produced albums but as a studio musician he performed TV and movie scores according to theAssociated Press.
“Paul was a perfectionists and worked everyday to improve his art. When you worked with him, he expected the same from you,” jazz singer Lyn Stanley said.
Smith was born on April 27, 1922 in San Diego and began playing classical music at eight years old. In high school he had his own band and while still a teenager became a professional.
In 1994 Smith told The Times, “My father told me when I was younger that since I was going to have to work a very long time, choose something I enjoyed and I’d never have to work a day in my life. I’m 72 and I still enjoy playing.”