"Misfits II: Pop,"
3rd CD by Pianist/Composer Enoch Smith Jr.,
Due for Release by Misfitme Music
May 19
Like 2011's "Misfits,"
New CD Features His Working Band of
Bassist Noah Jackson, Drummer Sangmin Lee, &
Vocalist Sarah Elizabeth Charles
The Smith original "Everything's Alright"
showcases his gifts as both melodist and lyricist. Expanding on an idea
from the song "It's Alright to Swing" by gospel-influenced jazz pianist
Eric Reed, the backbeat-driven new composition serves for Smith as
something of a declaration of independence from the opinions of some
jazz purists.
"Whatever you choose
to do, however you do it, it's alright," the pianist explains. "Don't
hate me for what I'm doing, and I certainly won't hate you for what
you're doing."
Whereas Smith's 2011 Misfits CD emphasized his own writing, Misfits II
delves into some of the pop and R&B songs he grew up with, shining
new light on hits associated with Joan Osborne, Amerie, the Roots, and
-- a special favorite -- the Beatles. (The disc opens with a haunting
version of "Yesterday.")
Misfits II also contains two arrangements of "Sweepin through the City,"
a staple of gospel superstar Shirley Caesar's repertoire for more than
50 years. "I grew up hearing that song at least three or four times
every week," Smith says. "It became an anthem for the church I grew up
in. There's a huge emotional connection to that song and the concept of
moving on to something better."
Smith's tight-knit working group of vocalist Sarah Elizabeth Charles, bassist and
former Detroiter Noah Jackson, and drummer Sangmin Lee, a Seoul, South Korea-born Berklee colleague, are at the core of the music on Misfits II: Pop, as they were on its predecessor, which DownBeat called "soulful and melodious" and "an original album full of ideas."
Enoch Smith Jr.,
36, was raised in Rochester, New York in the Church of God by Faith, a
Pentecostal denomination, where he began singing at age 3 in the
children's choir. He later played drums for services, then got a chance
to sub for the regular pianist, making his way through trial and error.
"Growing up and playing mostly in church, you get a whole different side
of what music is all about," he says. "For me, it was always more of a
spiritual connection than a connection of the head."
Although he had
originally intended on becoming a lawyer and had done several
internships at Rochester law firms while still in high school, Smith
decided to interview for admission at Berklee at the suggestion of his
high school choir director. He was accepted on the spot. "It was amazing
and intimidating and exciting all at the same time," he says of his
classes at Berklee. "How much of it I'd gotten didn't sink in until five
or six years later. It was a really great experience -- probably the
best experience of my life."
Smith continues
playing piano in church. For the past two and a half years, he's worked
full time as Director of Music and Worship at Allentown Presbyterian
Church in Allentown, New Jersey, where he lives with his wife and two
daughters. In 2014 he started a monthly January-though-June jazz vespers
program at the church that has combined worship services with
performances by his own quartet, as well as by such musicians as bassist
Mimi Jones, saxophonist Stantawn Kendrick, drummer Reggie Quinerly, and saxophonist Camille Thurman (all of whom he's recorded with as a sideman).
Smith has composed music for independent filmmaker Nefertite Nguvu's short I Want You in 2007 (he included his version of the title song on Misfits) and her 2014 feature In the Morning. The latter film won the audience award when it debuted last month at the Urbanworld Film Festival in Manhattan.
Also on the film front, Smith has tried his hand at acting, portraying Thelonious Monk in Nica,
a 20-minute thesis film by an NYU student about the friendship between
Monk and the Baroness Pannonica de Koenigswarter. "It was awesome," says
Smith. "I was able to use 'A Misfits Theme' in the film. It was great to play the role of a true 'Misfit' and legendary icon."
The theme for Enoch's next project is suggested by "One of Us" (a hit for Joan Osborne in 1995) on Misfits II.
"As technology improves, our humanity just kinda declines and our value
for each other is depreciating," he notes. "This record embodies that
concept: What if you look at everyone like that person is a reflection
of God, then how would we treat each other?" A question Enoch Smith Jr. intends to ponder.
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Enoch Smith Jr. - "Sweepin Through The City" Official Video
Directed by Gustavo Arteaga
Featuring the Face Sculpts of Johan Van de Kar
Photography/Animation by Gustavo Arteaga
Assistant Animator: Josephine Enders
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Web Site: MisfitMe.com
Media Contact:
510-234-8781
hudba@sbcglobal.net
www.terrihinte.com
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