Biography of Nick Smart

Nick Smart is heavily involved in the jazz scene in a variety of diverse settings, he has recently been performing with artists including Michael Garrick, Hans Koller, Spring Heel Jack’s Ashley Wales and John Coxon, and the Stan Sulzmann/Gwilym Simcock 10 piece. As a much sought after educator, Nick is a core member of the faculty at the Royal Academy of Music and many of the country’s leading institutions and summer schools.


As his legend grows, more and more musicians find themselves drawn to the music of iconic singer/songwriter, Nick Drake. Black Eyed Dog celebrates a long-standing appreciation of this great artist with the exciting new album “Remembering Nick Drake”. New and distinctly original arrangements by trumpeter Nick Smart for an all-star 8-piece band, including the superb singer Christine Tobin, saxophonist Stan Sulzmann, guitarist John Parricelli, drummer Paul Clarvis and percussionist Dave Hassell. Written and recorded over the last two and a half years the album features a dramatic brass band/chorale finale as well as the poignantly reminiscent string quartet on “Way To Blue”. Original Nick Drake alto sax soloist Ray Warleigh is a significant connection being featured as he was on “Poor Boy”, the track he originally recorded for Nick Drake in 1970. Some arrangements are built round the use of samples and overdubs woven compositionally through the music, as well as an epic, beautiful, version of ‘River Man’.