JAMISON SMELTZ

510-672-0409

 

Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Baritone Saxes

Clarinet and Bass Clarinet

Bass Guitar

Lead and Backing Vocals

Transcriptions and Lead Sheet Prep

 

Private Lessons on

Sax, Clarinet, Bass, Recorder

Music Works, 11225 San Pablo Ave, El Cerrito CA 94530

510-232-1000

 

Director/ Conductor,

Winds Across the Bay

www.WindsAcrossTheBay.org

 

Grade School Band and Recorder Instructor,

Kensington Hilltop School

 

 

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I am a native Californian by way of New Jersey. Edgewood HS (Atco, NJ) Class of '82, I college'd at Stanford University (BA Psychology '86), finally back in CA after a 17 year absence. I played with the D*FeX and The Stanford Band while there.  And yes, the rumors are true: I was on the field for The Play in 1982 (see photo).  

 

I spent a year in Europe after college, busking with my Italian girlfriend Livia; we got married, and split a few years later.  I went to Brasil for a year in '94-95, and met my English girlfriend Lianne. We got married, and split a few years later too. 

 

In 2002 I reconnected with Karla Downey, local rock chick and cat lover; I used to date one of her keyboard players back in '90 when she fronted her band Lash.  Karla and I got married in 2005, and 7 of our bands played at the reception.  Still very happy in our 8th year married.

 

So: married, 4 cats, no kids, bought a house in 2006, happy in the El Cerrito area.

 

I play saxes, clarinets, bass guitar, I sing​, teach music to kids, play in a bunch of bands, run a non-profit kids' musical group called Winds Across the Bay, and generally love my life.  I try to keep things positive!

 

I also teach private sax and clarinet lessons at Music Works in El Cerrito CA (510-232-1000), and teach school band programs locally, currently Hilltop Elementary  in Kensington, CA.  And I do lots of transcription work and lead-sheet prep with SIBELIUS, which I love.

 

My Jersey heritage can be rough on my CA brothers and sisters, but deep down I'm an okay guy.