Terry Smith

by Richie Unterberger While he might be best known as a guitarist in the British jazz-rock band If, Terry Smith started in the 1960s London jazz scene, though he also gained experience outside jazz by touring with soul singer J.J. Jackson and recording with Georgie Fame. In 1967 he was named Best Jazz Guitarist by a Melody Maker poll, and shortly afterward, he formed a ten-piece band to back pop singer Scott Walker on tour. Walker was also responsible for enabling Smith to record a solo album in 1968, Fall Out. Although Walker produced the LP as well, it was straight-ahead instrumental modern jazz with no strong similarity to the music Smith played as part of his band. Instead, it featured Smith in both big band and small combo settings, playing high-grade post-bop guitar on a combination of pop standards and (with the small combo) organ-guitar-drums groove-oriented original compositions. Smith then formed If with saxophonist Dick Morrissey, and was with the group for several albums in the early '70s.