Hal Smith

Hal Smith is an Arkansas-based drummer and writer. He leads the New Orleans Night Owls and the
Mortonia Seven and works with a variety of jazz and swing bands. Visit him online at
halsmithmusic.com

Ain’t Cha Got Letters?

Jeff Barnhart: Hal, last month I mentioned we’d continue with an exploration of the seminal early jazz classic, “Copenhagen.” Let’s postpone that for a month

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Focus on The Missourians

Jeff Barnhart: Hal, we’re taking a month break from our exploration of Moten to concentrate on the music of the band we compared to early

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The Bix Beiderbecke Story

Origins of a Passion for Music

JB: Hal, over the past several columns, we’ve explored obscure musical heroes, dissected seminal early jazz pieces, and celebrated iconic ensembles. Let’s take a break

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Panama, Pt. 2

In the previous issue of The Syncopated Times, we explored the similarities and (copious) differences between recordings of “Panama” made during the 1920s and 1930s.

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Panama, Pt. 1

Hal Smith: Jeff, when you think about the traditional jazz “warhorses”—like “At The Jazz Band Ball,” “That’s A Plenty” or “Fidgety Feet”—traditional jazz musicians usually

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