In 1929 Jabbo Smith, who turned 21 that Christmas Eve, was arguably the second best trumpeter in jazz behind Louis Armstrong. While one could hold out for the fading Bix Beiderbecke, the up-and-coming Henry “Red” Allen or Bubber Miley, Smith was difficult to top.
His solos with his Rhythm Aces (a quintet often featuring clarinetist Omer Simeon and banjoist Ikey Robinson) were filled with excitement and high notes with lots of chances taken. One could imagine the young Roy Eldridge being inspired by Jabbo’s playing. Smith was also an expressive singer and (judging by his playing on two numbers) an excellent trombonist too.
During 1927-28 Jabbo Smith had made a strong impression on his recordings with Charlie Johnson’s Paradise Ten, the Georgia Strutters, Duke Ellington (subbing on a session that resulted in “Black And Tan Fantasy”), and the Louisiana Sugar Babes which found him in a quartet with James P. Johnson and Fats Waller (heard on organ). He was signed to Brunswick in 1929 as their answer to Okeh’s Louis Armstrong but his records failed to sell much.
After 1929, although just 21, Smith was essentially a has-been. Due to his drinking, he became unreliable and missed important opportunities. For reasons that make little sense, he settled in Milwaukee and worked at a used car lot for decades. Other than three songs for Charles Lavere in 1935, six cut with Cla
