Putter Smith
{{short description|American jazz bassist}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Putter Smith
| image = Putter Smith as Mr. Kidd (1971).jpg
| image_size =
| landscape =
| alt =
| caption = Smith while filming Diamonds Are Forever in 1971
| background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
| birth_name = Patrick Verne Smith
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1941|01|19}}
| birth_place = Bell, California, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| genre = Jazz, cool jazz, bebop, pop, blues
| occupation = Musician, music teacher, author, actor
| instrument = Double bass
| years_active = 1960s–present
| label =
| associated_acts = Carson Smith
| website = {{URL|http://puttersmithmusic.com}}
}}
Patrick Verne "Putter" Smith (born January 19, 1941) is an American jazz bassist, music teacher, author, and actor.
Early life
Smith was born in Bell, California, near Los Angeles,{{cite encyclopedia |url=http://www.jazz.com/encyclopedia/smith-putter-patrick-verne |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071217065312/http://www.jazz.com/encyclopedia/smith-putter-patrick-verne |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 17, 2007 |title=Smith, Putter (Patrick Verne) |encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Jazz Musicians |year=2013 |accessdate=May 20, 2016 }} and began playing the bass at the age of eight, inspired by his older brother, jazz musician Carson Smith.{{cite web |url=http://news.allaboutjazz.com/putter-smith-jazz-wolverine.php |title=Putter Smith: Jazz Wolverine |work=All About Jazz |date=May 12, 2008 |accessdate=May 20, 2016}} He made his performing debut aged 13 at the Compton Community Center.{{cite web |url=http://www.laweekly.com/la-life/putter-smith-2148753 |title=Putter Smith |first=Matthew |last=Duersten |work=L.A. Weekly |date=May 9, 2007 |accessdate=May 20, 2016}}
Career
He went on to perform with Thelonious Monk, Art Blakey, Duke Ellington, Billy Eckstine, Diane Schuur, Lee Konitz, Bruce Forman, Jackie and Roy, Carmen McRae, Gary Foster, Art Farmer, Blue Mitchell, Erroll Garner, Gerry Mulligan, Art Pepper, Alan Broadbent, Bob Brookmeyer, Warne Marsh, Ray Charles, Patrice Rushen, Jorge Rossy, John Mayall, Jimmy Wormworth, Mason Williams, Percy Faith, Burt Bacharach, The Manhattan Transfer, and Johnny Mathis. He works as a session musician, and has played on recordings by Beck, Smokey Hormel, Sonny and Cher, The Beach Boys, and The Righteous Brothers, among many others.
Smith taught at the Musician's Institute, and at the California Institute of the Arts.{{cite web |url=http://puttersmith.net/Putter_Smith_Official_Website/Home.html |title=Putter Smith |work=puttersmith.net |year=2014 |accessdate=May 20, 2016}}
Smith was playing with Monk at the Los Angeles jazz club Shelly's Manne-Hole when he was spotted by director Guy Hamilton, who cast him as the assassin Mr. Kidd (alongside Bruce Glover as Mr. Wint) in the 1971 James Bond film Diamonds Are Forever. He went on to have several other minor acting roles on film and television.{{cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0809623/?ref_=nmbio_bio_nm |title=Putter Smith |work=IMDb.com |year=2016 |accessdate=May 20, 2016}}
Filmography
- Diamonds Are Forever (1971) – Mr. Kidd
- Win, Place or Steal (1974) – Kangaroo
- In the Mood (1987) – Minister
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- {{IMDb name|id=0809623}}
- {{discogs artist|306588|Putter Smith}}
- {{Allmusic |id=putter-smith-mn0000375153 |label=Putter Smith}}
- Putter Smith{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Putter |date=March 2021 |title=Putter Smith Music |url=https://puttersmithmusic.com |website=Putter Smith Music}} [https://Puttersmithmusic.com puttersmithmusic.com]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Putter}}
Category:People from Bell, California
Category:20th-century American male actors
Category:Male actors from California
Category:American jazz double-bassists
Category:American male double-bassists
Category:American male film actors
Category:Jazz musicians from California
Category:21st-century American double-bassists
Category:21st-century American male musicians