Organ Ism

Organ IsmHowie Smith saxophonesBob Ferrazza - guitarDavid Thomas Hammond organBill Ransom drums & percussionSaxophonist/composer Howie Smith has worked with musicians, composers and ensembles as varied as Anthony Braxton, Gary Burton, Dizzy Gillespie, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Elvis Presley, John Cage, Pauline Oliveros, the Cleveland Orchestra and the Tone Road Ramblers. His recorded performances are equally diverse and his extensive catalogue of compositions includes works for conventional big bands and combos; for string, wind and percussion ensembles; for electronics; and for mixed media. Recordings of his work may be heard on the Philips, Polydor, Albany, Optimism and Sea Breeze labels.

J. Johnson, Joe Lovano, Jack McDuff and David Fathead Newman. His first recording as leader, Personal, was followed by The Way I Like It and Rare Beauty: Intimate Gems of Duke Ellington on Koch Records.

All have all garnered enthusiastic reviews. Mr. Ferrazza has also served as director of the Jazz Studies program at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music.

David Thomas, a native of Youngstown, Ohio, is a graduate of Case Western Reserve and Cleveland State University. He toured with Dizzy Gillespie, recorded with jazz saxophonist Phil Woods, and has performed with most of Clevelands finest jazz musicians. As an educator he has been an instructor at the Cleveland School of the Arts, Cuyahoga Community College, Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland State University.

Organ Ism, formed as a trio in early 2007, was transformed into a quartet with the addition of Bob Ferrazza in 2011. Its repertoire comes from original compositions by members of the group, and new takes on popular songs of the past 50 years by composer/performers such as John Lennon/Paul McCartney, Freddie Mercury, Willie Nelson, and Paul Simon.