Artist Info: Bill Smith

William Overton Smith (Bill), composer, clarinet; b. Sacramento, California, 1926. Clarinet at 10: theory, harmony at 16. To NYC; studied at Juilliard; later for several years with Darius Milhaud at Mills College in Oakland, California. While at Mills, met fellow-student Dave Brubeck ans formed octet with him. M.A. in music 1952; became teacher at colleges while continuing to play and write all kinds of music including jazz. Won Prix de Rome, later settled in Rome working on Guggenheim grant. [read more...]