The Smarts
From Minnewiki
The Smarts were originally formed as an offshoot group from the popular Twin Cities swing/jazz/lounge band, the Jaztronauts.
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History
Exact dating of the band’s formation is difficult, as much of the Smarts early material was originally performed by the Jaztronauts. Eventually, the original pop-jazz material being composed by keyboardist Jim Kennedy and bassist Joe Weismann was deemed unsuitable for the Jaztronauts’ primarily dance-based format, so the trio (including drummer Morris Engel) spun off sometime in 2004/05, leaving the Jaztronauts as a quartet intact. Soon thereafter Weismann’s acoustic bass was replaced by an electric bass, and occasionally an acoustic guitar. Freed from the confines of the jazz quartet template, the band’s compositions turned poppier still, and any resemblance between the two bands faded into oblivion.
Shortly after the spin-off, The Smarts began recording their debut album, "A Tribute To," and found themselves whittling a backlog of more than 30 original compositions into a 12 song CD. However many of the songs had originally been arranged for a quartet, so the band turned to their many connections in the local music scene to fill the solo breaks with impressive sidemen. The result is an eclectic collection of sounds, if not an entirely cohesive whole, but is not representative of the band’s stripped-down live performance sound. On its own merits, the CD garnered several very favorable local reviews.
In October of 2006, The Smarts first performed as house band for MPR’s “In the Loop” broadcast. The show’s format required the band to compose and perform a new, topical song based on the show’s theme each month. The topics covered have ranged from a solstice-meets-seasonal-affective-disorder love song, to a cry for attention by North Korea’s Kim Jong Il.
Members
The Smarts are:
Jim Kennedy – Keyboards and Guitar, Vocals
Joe Weismann – Acoustic and Electric Bass, Guitar, Vocals
Morris Engel – Drums, Percussion, Vocals
Jim Kennedy has a long, storied career in the MN music scene, as lead guitar and vocalist in the Glenrustles, as keyboard monster in the Hot Heads, the Jaztronauts and Tina Schlieske’s Lola and the Red Hots, as well as being an in-demand, on-call jazz keyboardist. Jim once held a 3 night-a-week gig doing original acoustic folk material on guitar in a Duluth coffee house.
Joe Weismann is a founding member of the Jaztronauts and the Christensen Sisters Band. A fixture on the local bluegrass scene, he spent several years accompanying local folk diva Becky Schlegel, and has appeared on A Prairie Home Companion.
Morris Engel hails from Madison, WI. His impressive resume includes the Straw Dogs, Hot Heads and Jaztronauts, Reverse Cowgirl, the Vibro Champs and Al Sibola band, and work with local legend, Chan Poling.
Releases
A Tribute To — 2006
Related Web Sites
http://www.myspace.com/thesmartsband
Related Bands
The Jaztronauts
The Hot Head Fiasco
The Glenrustles
