Biography
About Jez Smith
Born in 1957, and based in Manchester, I have been playing piano and keyboards since the age of 7. I had a couple of years of piano lessons in my formative years but since the age of 10, I’ve had no formal music training and developed my piano skills by ear.
Shortly after leaving school, I took the plunge and decided to try and make a living as a musician. My first “pro” gig was joining Art Nouveau in 1977. They were a former winner of the TV show “New Faces” and were successfully working in the UK cabaret scene.
(Photo by Sara Porter)
After returning from a 4-month engagement in Dubai, I got the opportunity to join the ‘60’s stars Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders and spent an enjoyable few years in what was a great band. Wayne was a lovely guy and a hugely underrated singer who possessed a fantastic voice. A lot of fun was had and I’m still in touch with all of the guys, though sadly Wayne passed away in 2020.
The 80’s saw me playing in a couple of bands playing the cabaret circuit; firstly with Tapestry and later with Baktrak , playing alongside 2 of my former bandmates in the Mindbenders.
The ‘90’s saw me move in a more jazzier direction with a band called Tin Tin. This was a band playing quite complex jazz-oriented music, from which I would consider that I grew as a player. I still play occasional gigs with Tin Tin.
(Photo by Phil Smee)
I continued to be active in the local music scene throughout the '90's and 00's although mainly on an occasional basis with lots of different bands thrown together for the night amongst a circle of talented musicians, but without the full-on commitment of a regular band.
The next major turn in my musical life happened in 2008 when I was invited to join veterans of the UK and European progressive rock scene, John Lees’ Barclay James Harvest, with whom I continue to perform, write and record. Initially acting as second keyboard player supporting original member Woolly Wolstenholme with “the tinkly bits”, Woolly tragically took his own life in 2010, following which I stepped up as sole keyboard player. Woolly was a uniquely gifted player with a wonderful sense of musicality. I have a different style but I have always sought to ensure that we keep Woolly’s spirit in the sonic canvas and keyboard arrangements.
More recently I’ve been working with highly rated singer-songwriter Clive Gregson (formerly with, inter alia, Any Trouble, Richard Thompson Band, Gregson and Collister, Nancy Griffiths Blue Moon Orchestra). Our latest project, called The Guilty Men, is up and running with an album recorded to be released later in 2024 , hopefully to be followed by some live gigs.
I’m also regularly playing with the Spirit of Smokie show featuring Dean Barton (son of Smokie’s former lead singer Alan Barton, who was sadly killed in a road accident involving the Smokie tourbus) and with Nick Bold’s George Harrison show.
See the section on bands for further info
(Photo by Edith Kott)