SCOTTISH NATIONAL JAZZ ORCHESTRA
Tommy Smith

Spartacus Records STS014
Release Date: 26th April 2010


Internationally renowned Scottish saxophonist Tommy Smith leads one of Europe's leading jazz orchestras in a personal and spiritual journey of discovery. Featuring the cream of Scotland's thriving jazz scene, Torah is orchestral jazz at its most powerfully expressive.

Originally written by Smith in 1999, for American saxophone giant Joe Lovano, the 2010 Torah recordings feature the composer as both lead soloist and director of an orchestra of outstanding talents. The music is robust, crisply written and beautifully detailed, using horns as commentators as well as supporters and a brilliant rhythm section as the dynamic base for Smith's by turns tender and rugged but always heartfelt improvisations on strong, memorable themes.

Encapsulating the first five books of the Bible in an extended jazz composition, Smith has taken the creation story common to the christian, jewish and islamic faiths and created music that, drawing on the jazz and blues traditions and without harbouring grand ambitions of healing spiritual division, is highly approachable, stimulating and ultimately rewarding.



tommy smith tenor saxophone
martin kershaw alto saxophone
paul towndrow alto saxophone
tommy smith tenor saxophone
konrad wiszniewski tenor saxophone
bill fleming baritone saxophone
ryan quigley trumpet
kevin ferris trumpet
cameron jay trumpet
tom macniven trumpet
chris greive trombone
phil o'malley trombone
kevin garrity trombone
michael owers bass trombone
steve hamilton piano
calum gourlay acoustic bass
alyn cosker drums

"Torah represents Smith's most exhilarating and relentlessly creative playing to date, couched in a sweeping series of compositions that position him as one of modern jazz's most intriguing and compelling large ensemble composers." ALLABOUTJAZZ

"Fashioning tenor sax lines of power and finesse, varying the approach and levels of lyricism according to the requirements of his own five movements, he emerges as a complete, major soloist." JAZZ JOURNAL

"Smith unleashed an exhaustive range of improvised ideas and covered the tenor’s every mood of expression. ★★★★ THE HERALD

"An awesome display of unflagging invention, endurance and virtuosity." The writing, with the SNJO handling its multiple demands with assured élan, is remarkable for its focused clarity and imaginative detail." ★★★★ THE IRISH TIMES

‘The orchestra deftly executes the flutter, riffs and stabs of big band tradition’ ★★★★ THE FINANCIAL TIMES

‘Another glowing testimony to the band and its Director Tommy Smith’ ★★★★ THE SCOTSMAN

‘a tremendous showcase for Smith and this wonderfully vital orchestra’ DARLINGTON & STOCKTON TIMES