Jerome Smith plays Martha Salt 19 Feb 2022. Jerome Smith will conjure up a mess of good times when he features at Martha Salt on Feb 19th out front of the fabulous Blow Out blues band. Jerome has worked with groups like The Manhattans, The Persuaders, Eddie Floyd, and Rufus Thomas. A member of the New York rock group “Body Bag” which led to work with Mick Jagger, followed by duties with Australia’s Divinyls and Keith Richard’s X-Pensive Winos. Blues rock royality, right here in Mt Martha.
Jerome, born in New York City, grew up in Harlem. Raised on soul and country & western music by his father T.J; a sax player from South Carolina. Steeped in gospel music by his mother Lenora. From the age of seven Jerome knew he was destined to play music. He has worked with groups like The Manhattans, The Persuaders, Eddie Floyd, and Rufus Thomas. A member of the New York rock group “Body Bag” which led to work with Mick Jagger, followed by the Divinyls and then Keith Richard’s X-Pensive Wino’s. Jerome moved to Sydney Australia 1996 where he worked with Bridie King, Billy Thorpe, Jackie Orsaczky, Jimmy Barnes and Ian Moss.
Smith started playing guitar at 16, and in the 1980s his band Body Bag were part of the New York funk metal scene alongside Living Colour and Funkadelic. It was in the ’80s that he was asked to join the Divinyls, with whom he toured for five years, as well as playing on their last album, Underworld. “Chrissie was incredible. Exciting and scary and you’ve got to really pay attention to what you’re doing because if you watch Chrissie you’ll lose your concentration. She’s was on fire on stage. You didn’t know what she was going to do next. I loved being on stage with her.”
Having played bass on Jagger’s Wandering Spirit album, Keith Richards got wind of Smith’s fluid playing and invited him to join the X-pensive Winos for a US tour.
“Keith put together a band of people with similar tastes and intensity who are very origin-driven about their music. Keith has such a great scope for all of the elements of rock – from ska to the old blues and old rock. Steve Jordon, one of the producers (who also) plays drums and bass, is as intense, and then there’s Ivan Neville, Aaron Neville’s son, on keyboards – he’s a monster as well – and then Charlie Drayton – his family’s royalty – and Bobby Keys was on horns.”
Fresh air dancing on the balcony! Don’t miss out on this one!
You are welcome to bring your own snacks and nibbles.
