Central Coast Sax is co-owned by Greg Smith and Beverly
Dahlke-Smith. We are two multi-talented saxophone and woodwind
professional musicians, each having over 30 years professional
music industry experience in almost every genre of music ... classical,
pop, jazz, rock, R&B, country
... you name we have played it!
Both
Greg and Beverly are long time members of AFM - Professional Musicians'
Union - Local 47 (Hollywood, CA). Greg Smith is also a member
of A.S.C.A.P.
Please
also visit our "gallery" page to see pics and
listen to music snippits, and our online music "Store"
page for music, instruments, and accessories, that are
available for purchase.
Click
on our names below and scroll down to view our bios and industry
experience.
Greg
Smith
Baritone Sax (Primary Instrument),
Bass Sax, Tenor Sax, Alto Sax, Clarinet, Bass Clarinet,
Contra Alto Clarinet
|
My
name is Greg Smith and I began playing the saxophone
at the age of eight years old, in my home state
of Rhode Island. I started with an old Beuscher soprano sax that
had been willed to me by my Uncle Leland that my Dad and I put
together at the kitchen table. I don’t think Leland was
a real uncle but he was a great guy, good player and he didn’t
mind me standing there at such a young age watching him play.
I remember his saxophone was taller than me and I was totally
mystified by the whole process. This guy blowing on this really
cool hunk of metal and getting this cool sound and people were
having a great time listening and dancing.
A
lot of gratification there for a young soul to digest but digest
I did in big portions. So what to do with this kid and his saxophone.
I had played piano from about three years old with Mom so I could
read music but that got boring to me. I couldn’t carry the
piano around with me so I decided that I would take “group
lessons” on the saxophone at the local high school on Saturday
mornings.
I
wasn’t too thrilled about giving up Saturday mornings
... Sky King, cartoons, baseball. As an 8 year old I had a busy
schedule on the weekends. None the less that shiny hunk of metal
intrigued me and I always noticed the guys in the band had a lot
of fun and it sure looked like fun to me. So off to my group I
went with my sort of shiny saxophone only to get there to see
a group of shiny faces with equally shiny instruments and their
instruments actually were easy to play. It took an act of God
to even get a sound out of mine.
I
managed to keep up with them and by the end of the hour I was
well ahead of their level of proficiency. Mr. Swoboda pulled me
aside and asked that he speak to my parents. I was sure it was
over for me. I had played too well and was about to be booted
out. I am pleased to report there was a happy ending. He simply
suggested that I get a private teacher. I had shown true talent
and he was all for harvesting such talent.
Needless
to say, I continued my education in music, and was classically
trained on clarinet and saxophone, and after high school attended
college for a short while at North Texas State University, where
I studied with Tim Bell and Jim Riggs. My playing was strongly
influenced by musicians such as John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Gerry
Mulligan, Serge Chaloff, Buddy Rich and numerous others. I then
went on the road with Stan Kenton and a while after coming off
the road moved to Los Angeles and continued my professional career.
... and the rest is history.
I
have had the fortunate opportunity to perform and record with
some of the world's greatest artists, musicians, and performers.
The bulk of my music career has originated out of Los Angeles,
CA, where I have resided since the late 70's, as well as a dual
residence in San Luis Obispo County, on the beautiful CA Central
Coast.
In
addition to my playing skills, I am also a successful music arranger
and composer, with my works being featured on published studio
recordings and live performances and tours.
Below
is a list of my studio and live performance credits.
Performances
include:
Stan
Kenton, Buddy Rich, Harry James, N.T.S.U.- One O'clock Lab Band,
Stanley Clarke, Dave Edmunds, Glenn Frey, The Four Tops, The Temptations,
Joe Walsh, REO Speedwagon, Milli Vanilli, Joe Jackson, Arthur
Adams, Natalie Cole, Supersax, Bob Florence, Tex Beneke, Les Elgart,
Warren Covington, San Luis Obispo Symphony, Gladys Knight and
the Pips, Percy Sledge, James Brown, Eric Burdon, Jack Mack and
the Heart Attack, Michael Bolton, Amy Grant, Dwight Yoakam, Boz
Scaggs, Huey Lewis, Jerry Lee Lewis, Rita Coolidge, The Eagles,
Billy Idol, Bruce Willis, Dizzy Gillespie, Mel Torme, Delbert
MacClinton, Red Young and the Red Hots, Newport Jazz Festival,
Montreaux Jazz Festival, Newport Euro Jazz Festivals, North Sea
Jazz Festival, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, The Blues Foundation,
Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Tony Bennett, Sammy Davis, Jr.,
Ray Price, Little Anthony, Little Richard, Peggy Lee, Sy Zentner,
Ben Vereen, Richard Harris, Xavier Cugat, American Jazz Institute
Orchestra, & The Eagles (currently touring with them,
and have been since 2001 as horn section leader and saxophonist).
Recordings
include:
Stan
Kenton, Buddy Rich, Mel Torme, Aaron Neville, Glenn Frey, Dave
Edmunds, BB King, No Doubt, The Wallflowers, Yes, REO Speedwagon,
Eddi Money, John Hyatt, Ricky Lee Jones, Bruce WIllis, Bonnie
Raitt, Suzanne Vega, Crowded House, Bette Midler, Dwight Yoakam,
Ratt, Neil Sedaka, Beck, Green Day, Dan Fogelburg, Yutaka Osaki,
Neil Diamond, Red and the Red Hots, Smokey Robinson, Bill Medley,
Dr. John, Rod Stewart, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Kansas,
Elton John, Billy Preston, T-Bone Burnett, The Pointer Sisters,
The Eagles, and yours truly Greg Smith paired up with trombone
virtouso, Nick Lane, on our most recent CD, "Smile and Nod".
Film/Motion
Picture/TV/Radio dates include:
Beverly Hills Cop II, Calendar Girl, Chasers, Drew Carey Show,
Dukes of Hazzard, The Expert's, Fame L.A., First Family, Four
Weddings and a Funeral, Frankie and Johnny, Hope Floats, Jinxed,
Let's Get Harry, Little Big League, McHales Navy, Nothing to Lose,
Police Academy, Private Benjamin, A Smile Like Yours, Solar Crisis,
Spring Break Subzero, This Year's Blond, Xanadu, Yes Giorgio,
10 Things I Hate About You, Tuff Turf, Happy Days, Laverne and
Shirley, House band on Fox's Late Show with Ross Shaeffer, The
Tonight Show, David Letterman, Arsenio Hall, The Chevy Chase Show.
Also hundred's of radio spots for Holiday Inn, Mountain Dew, Budweiser,
Coors, Northwest Airlines, Super Cuts, Ford, Chevrolet, Blue Cross,
Direct TV, McDonalds, and Mattel, to name a few.
Greg
Smith has endorsements with Sax Rax
and Rico (since 1983).
Greg
Smith's Instrument setups:
| |
Baritone
Sax |
Tenor
Sax |
Alto
Sax |
Soprano
Sax |
Clarinet |
Bass
Clarinet |
Contra
Alto Clarinet |
Bass
Sax |
Model |
SR 90X-Gold Laquer |
Rheuben Allen |
Rheuben Allen |
Rheuben Allen |
Rheuben Allen |
Buffet "Low C" |
Bundy vintage wood |
Lyon & Healy |
Model |
SR 90X-Nickle Plate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mouthpiece |
Couf Superba - 8*B or 7*B |
Lawton 8* |
Lawton 7*B |
Lawton 8*B |
Portnoy |
Selmer |
Selmer |
Selmer |
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Beverly
Dahlke-Smith
Baritone Sax (Primary Instrument),
Bassoon, Bass Clarinet, Contra Alto Clarinet, Bass Sax,
Tenor Sax, Alto Sax, Clarinet, Flute
|
My
name is Beverly Dahlke-Smith. A native of Wisconsin,
I started studying woodwinds as a young child and continued on
with my music education and received a B.A. in Music Performance
at North Texas State University. I moved to Los Angeles,
CA in the late 70's to pursue my professional music career on
my primary instrument of baritone saxophone. Jumping right into
the music scene, I quickly became involved in the jazz/big band
scene in L.A., as well as diving into Hollywood studio recording
sessions, theatrical, and symphony performances.
My
primary instrument is baritone saxophone, and I have
been a busy doubler on bassoon, bass clarinet, tenor saxophone,
alto saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet, contra alto clarinet,
bass sax, recorder, and flute. I have performed and/or recorded
with such music industry heavyweights as Les Brown, Elton John,
Harry James, Kansas, Dwight Yoakum, Glenn Frey (in video Heat
is On), The LA Philharmonic, Bette Midler, Barry Manilow, The
Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, Tom Petty, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett,
and Michael Bolton, to name just a few. In addition to many live
performances and tours, I have performed on hundreds of recordings
for major motion picture film scores, television shows, radio
and television commercials, and major distibuted music albums
and CD's.
I
have had the distinction of being the only female instrumentalist
ever to be a member of the Les Brown Band of Renown. In addition,
I was also the first female instrumentalist ever hired to be a
part of the Harry James Band and also the first woman to be a
full time member of a studio band for a TV talk show, The Joan
Rivers Show.
I
retired from live performance in 2003, but am still actively involved
in the music industry as a music educator, private music instructor,
music mentor, and music contractor for special event performances
on the CA Central Coast. I teach beginning keyboards, as well
as woodwinds, and thoroughly enjoy working with both youth and
adults, whether they are pursuing music for pure enjoyment or
choosing the path of a professional music career.
Below
is a detailed list of my music career credits:
Broadway
Shows:
Cats, La Cage Aux Folle, Will Rogers Follies, Damn Yankees, Hello
Dolly, Westside Story, Guys and Dolls, Fiddler on the Roof, Sound
of Music, Music Man, Evita, Grand Hotel, Sweet Charity, Kiss of
the Spiderwoman, Peter Pan, Can Can, Man of La Mancha, Camelot,
Fosse, State Fair, Chorus Line, Me and My Girl, Annie Get your
Gun, How To Succeed in Business, Finian’s Rainbow, Dreamgirls,
The Producers and many more.
Live Performances - Multiple Times:
L.A. Philharmonic, Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, Ray Charles, Tony
Bennett, Johnny Mathis, Natalie Cole, Engelbert Humperdink, Harry
Connick Jr., Bob Hope, Jack Jones, Maureen McGovern, Marvin Hamlisch,
Steve Allen, Danny Gans, The Temptations, The Four Tops, Michael
Bolton, Bobby Caldwell, Phyllis Diller, The Mills Brothers.
Live Performances:
Tom Petty, Michael McDonald, Roberta Flack, Peabo Bryson, Melissa
Manchester, Jeffrey Osborne, Patti Austin, Brian Mcknight, Vanessa
Williams, Mary Wilson(The Supremes), Manhatten Transfer, Frankie
Valli, Pink Martini, David Sanborn, Patti LaBelle, Jubilant Sykes,
Kristin Chenoweth, Dionne Warwick, Doc Severinson, Rosemary Clooney,
Michael Feinstein, Lola Falana, Nancy Wilson, Joel Grey, Andy
Williams, Eddie Fischer, Lily Tomlin, Steve Lawrence & Edie
Gorme, The Spinners, Pat Boone, Hal Linden, Rich Little, Bob Newhart,
Patti Page, Tim Curry, Marilynn McCoo, Billy Davis Jr., Kenny
Rogers, Glen Campbell, Brasil 66, Howie Mandel, Diane Schur, Tony
Danza, Donald O’Connor, Mickey Rooney, Frankie Laine, Red
Buttons, Bernadette Peters, Angela Lansbury, Patti Lupone, Carol
Burnett, Jerry Van Dyke, Bonnie Raitt, T-Bone Burnett, Percy Sledge,
Audra McDonald, Sammy Davis Jr., Frank Sinatra Jr., Jack Mack
and The Heart Attack, Tommy Tune, Tex Beneke, Xavier Cugat, Long
Beach Symphony, Santa Barbara Symphony, South Bay Symphony and
many more.
Movie
Soundtracks:
Bulletproof Monk, Down With Love, Endless Summer 2, Houseguest,
Legally Blonde 2- Red, White and Blue, Solar Crisis aka Starfire,
The Tuxedo, Finding Nemo, He’s my Girl, Marci X, Analyze
This, Another Stakeout, Bingo, Bird on a Wire, Booty Call, Box
Office Bunny, Cats and Dogs, Dick, Dragonfly, Dream For An Insomniac,
The Emperor’s New Groove, Fantasia 2000, Flubber, Frankie
and Johnny, A Goofy Movie, Hocus Pocus, Inspector Gadget, The
Jetsons Movie, Little Big League, Little Giants, Memoirs of an
Invisible Man, Mumford, My Favorite Martian, Nothing To Lose,
The Out of Towners, Out on a Limb aka Welcome To Buzzsaw, Payback,
Return To Me, See Spot Run, Shout aka Midnight Rider, South Park:
Bigger, Longer, & Uncut, Striking Distance, Toys, What’s
Love Got To Do With It aka I, Tina, plus several movies for HBO
and general release.
Movies
on Camera:
For The Boys, Man With One Red Shoe, Something Wicked This Way
Comes, The Sting 2, Unfaithfully Yours.
TV
Shows:
Lois & Clark, Family Matters, The Flash, Alias, Knots Landing,
Full House, Step By Step, Perfect Strangers, Murphy Brown, The
Tom Arnold Show, Halloween Tree, Touched By An Angel, Police Academy-The
Series, Adventures of Batman and Robin, Superman, Freakazoids,
The Simpsons, The Critic, 101 Dalmatians, Tiny Toons, Hercules,
Family Guy, King of the Hill, Soul Train.
TV
Specials & Awards Shows:
Carol Burnett with Whoopi Goldberg and Friends, Disney’s
Greatest Hits on Ice, Champions on Ice, Ed Sullivan Christmas
Special, Tribute to Mohammed Ali, Frank Sinatra 80th Birthday
Special, Elizabeth Taylor 65th Birthday Special, Caesar’s
Palace 40th Anniversary Special, Comic Relief with Whoopi Goldberg,
Robin Wiliams and Billy Crystal, The Emmy Awrds, SAG Awards, TV
Guide Awards, American Television Awards, Comedy Hall of Fame,
Comedy Honors, AFI Awards, Golden Eagle Awards, PBS “unplugged”
special with Michael Bolton, Steve Allen 75th Birthday Special
for PBS, March of Dimes.
Live
TV Shows:
A Guest on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, The Tonight Show
with Jay Leno, Merv Griffin Show, Merv Griffin Coconut Ballroom-Pilot,
Joan Lunden Show-Pilot, Jerry Lewis Telethon (regular for 5 yrs.),
The Late Show-Fox-Joan Rivers,Arsenio Hall-regular in the house
band from Sept. 1986-Dec. 1987.
Records and CDs:
Elton John, Kansas, Jimmy Buffet, Dwight Yoakum, Barry Manilow,
Bette Midler, Prince, Robbie Williams, Michelle Shocked, Brian
Wilson, Bruce Willis, Diannne Reeves, Debbie Gibson, Michael Penn,
Steve Allen, John Pizzarelli, Terence Trent D’Arby, L.A.
All Stars, and Les Brown and the Band of Renown.
Radio & TV Commercials:
Coca Cola, McDonalds, Mazda, Plymouth, Honda, Sprint, Volkswagen,
Mitsubishi, Airtouch, AT&T, FHP, Pennzoil, Southwest Bell,
Jack in the Box, Quick Lube, Polaroid, Nike, Geico, Budweiser,
Bud Light, Levis, Chevron, Mattel, TWA, British Petroleum, Milk,
BMW, Cheetos, Pizza Hut, Lincoln Financial and many more.
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