CHRIS SMITH QUARTET + MARK LEGGETT

Chris Smith Quartet

An evening of standards (Stadust, Autumn Leaves, All the Things You Are) and classic blues gems featuring the fabulous Chris Smith on Chromatic Harmonica rather than the usual trumpet or sax.
Smith started playing harmonica in about 1978 when he borrowed a friend’s blues harp on a surfing trip. He fell in love with it and started playing LOTS !!!. Eventually that lead to recording session work including his first big name artist, Sammy Hagar on his debut Fillmore Shuffle album. His first very successful local band Hot Lips and Fingertips established a 10 year residency at Santa Monica Irish Pub O’Mahony’s that they packed 4 nights a week.
After leaving that band to pursue his solo career he met Lee Oskar of War who recommended him to Michael Jackson who was recording a duet with Paul McCartney, ” Say, Say, Say”. Chris played the soulful solo on the tune and it went on to sell 4.6 million copies. Other credits include playing on a duet with Smokey Robinson and Dolly Parton, several songs with Rickie Lee Jones produced by Walter Becker of Steely Dan; Art Garfunkel, Regina Belle, Queen Latifah, and many others. He has also done a ton of TV /film work including Murphy Brown,In The Heat Of The Night end credits, all episodes of The Oldest Rookie.
He did two blues rock albums for the German label Herman “Down But Not Out ” and “Livin’ On My Own”. Played the Waterfront Blues festival in Portland OR and got a standing ovation. He has performed live on stage with Albert King, Johnny Winter, Bonnie Raitt, Joe Turner and Mick Taylor.
Chris Smith—Chromatic Harmonica
Stu Elster—Piano
Ahmet Turkmenoglu—Bass
Charles Ruggiero—Drums

Mark Leggett

Plus on the same bill Mark Leggett, an artist who spends most of his time doing film scoring, making a rare appearance performing his original tunes and arrangements. Mark will be playing his fingestyle/slide arrangements of original and classic tunes. Twice Emmy nominated for his composing work, Mark has written music for Levon Helm and The Band, Dolly Parton’s films, the tv show My Name is Earl, and many others. We recently saw Mark perform at the Wiltern Theatre opening the show performing 3 songs solo for a screeening of Easy Rider done with a fabulous live band performing the original songs and incidental music accompanying the dialogue instead of the pre-recorded original songs and music. Mark’s arrangements of the three songs lead to the inevitable, this guy needs to be heard and discovered by more people. A fantastic tasteful player. Don’t  miss him.

http://www.markleggett.com

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