5 FAMOUS DEATHS ON THE ROAD TO "STRANGE DAYS" (PART 5)

 

We have reached the final episode in this series of articles about the famous deaths happened during the recordings of "Strange Days", The Doors' second LP, released in September 1967.

The band's journey into the studio ends in the second half of August, with the ten songs ready to be mixed and marketed. On the same day that this wonderful record is released, September 25, 1967, Stuff Smith dies at the age of 58.

A sad coincidence, but also a significant one. For it reminds us of the fruitful connection between the Californian group and Jazz. A connection that flows through some instrumental parts of famous The Doors’ tunes and will last throughout their career.

Moreover, some of the quartet members have stated in several interviews that they sometimes attended Jazz concerts and how they tried to reproduce some elements of this musical genre in The Doors' music.

Stuff Smith lived through the most important and impressive part of Jazz history and became one of its leading figures. In fact, his career spanned from the late 1920s to the mid-1960s and was marked by the unusual (for Jazz) instrument he played: the violin.

Smith's relentless practice and innate qualities soon enabled him to play with the great musicians of the 1930s as well as with his own band, establishing himself primarily in the Swing style.

Later, in the 1940s and 1950s, he also had the opportunity to participate in concerts and studio recordings with such greats as Dizzy Gillespie and Coleman Hawkins.

His fiddle playing had a driving rhythm and dynamic attack, resulting in a clear, full sound that could easily engage and entertain anyone.

We recommend listening to the song "Upstairs" from the second half of the 1930s (Swing genre): Smith's solo starts at 2:00. To get a more complete idea of his artistic evolution over time, we also mention the tune "Undecided" from the 1959 LP "Cat On A Hot Fiddle" (Hard Bop genre).

The legacy of this musician runs through the best part of jazz history, a legacy we also find in the music of The Doors and especially in their live shows.