Erik Smith

Erik Smith Started out banging on pots and pans at age 3 and joined his father´s band at 12. From his base in Oslo, Norway he works in all imaginable genres of music from jazz via big band to fusion, pop and rock. Erik has worked with the majority of artists and entertainers on the Scandinavian scene as well as many well known artists passing through Norway including Michael Bolton, Art Garfunkel, Neil Sedaka, Josh Groban, Donna Summer, Engelbert Humperdinck, John Miles, Boney M, Johnny Logan, Lisa Nilsson and Randy Crawford.

In the jazz idiom Erik has provided the groove for among others Frank Gambale, Bobby Shew, Andy Sheppard, Eddie Daniels, Niels Landgren, Bart Van Lier, Phil Woods, Putte Wickman, Ed Palermo, Django Bates, Bob Mintzer, Hector Bingert, DeeDee Bridgewater and Gerald Wilson.

Erik is a pioneer doing clinics and is known for his powerful and virtuosic style of soloing. He is the first Norwegian drummer to tour extensively in support of his endorsing companies to inspire and teach. He is a long time endorser of Yamaha Drums , Pro Mark Drumsticks , Evans Drumheads and most recently Istanbul Mehmet Cymbals.

In 2003 he appeared at the NAMM Yamaha Groove Night and also held a clinic at the prestigious PASIC convention in Nashville in 2004, both a first for a Scandinavian drummer. Erik has also done duo clinic tours with Yamaha colleagues John "JR" Robinson and Akira Jimbo.

"A Clinic with Erik Smith is worth its weight in gold" - Sound1 Magazine / Norway

Erik leads his own bands; the "Erik Smith Trio" and a 9 piece Funk/R&B band "Smiths Venner"(Smith's Friends) featuring first call session players of Norway. He has also made appearances with his own big band paying tribute to Buddy Rich.

Erik teaches privately in Oslo when his schedule permits and also has concepts available for big bands, drumming masterclasses and lectures for schools, universities and private firms.
He is a recipient of the Spellemanns prize, Norway's "Grammy" and has his own regular column on drumming in Norway's leading music magazine, Musikkpraksis.

You can get in touch with him here on myspace or through email: [email protected]

ERIK HAS PERFORMED WITH THE FOLLOWING ARTISTS:

JAZZ / FUSION

Rolf Smith, Harald Gundhus, Andreas Skiold, Egil Kapstad, Vidar Johansen, Halvard Kausland, Henrik Lysiak, Laila Dalseth, Karin Krogh, Bjørn Alterhaug, Arild Andersen, Bjørn Johansen, Frode Thingnæs, Jens Wendelboe, Knut Riisnæs, Bugge Wesseltoft, Elisabeth Moberg, Rune Nicolaysen, Roy Nicolaysen, Lars Erik Gudim, Helge Sunde, Frank Brodahl, Geir Lysne, Jan Gunnar Hoff, Morten Halle, Knut Værnes, Roy Powell, Frode Berg, Kjell Karlsen, Hans Mathisen, Petter Wettre, Frode Nymo, Atle Nymo, Jonny Sjo, Jørn Øien, Terje Gewelt, Bjørn Kjellemyr, Eckhard Baur, Nora Brockstedt, Even Andersen, Jens Winther, Nils Landgren, Putte Wickman, Svante Thuresson, Lars Jansson, Chris LanDoky, Olga Konkova, Haakon Graf, Ulf Wakenius, The Original Bullshit Band, EBU JazzOrchestra, NRK RadioBigBand, OsloGrooveCompany, Aydin Esen, Staffan William Olsson, Georg Wadenius, Frank Gambale, Phil Woods, Eddie Daniels, Andy Sheppard, Bob Mintzer, Django Bates, Hector Bingert, Daniel Bingert, DeeDee Bridgewater, Gerald Wilson, Nils Petter Molvær, Olav Dale, Terje Rypdal, Eric Marienthal, Neil Stubenhaus, Will Lee, Nick Lane, Adolfo Acosta, Ralph McDonald, Danny Wilenski, Andy Middleton, Stein Austrud, Benny Waters, a.o.

POP / ROCK / ENTERTAINMENT

Jahn Teigen, Morten Harket, Sigvart Dagsland, Tor Endresen, Rune Larsen, Lisa Nilsson, Elisabeth Andreassen, Hanne Krogh, Thorild Sivertsen, Trine Rein, Lage Fossheim, Eivind Rølles, Olsen Brothers, Jan Werner Danielsen, Marianne Antonsen, Øyvind Blunck, Sissel Kyrkjebø, Peter Jøback, Carola Häggkvist, Anders Eljas, Knut Reiersrud, Jan Eggum, Jørn Hoel, Steinar Albrigtsen, Benedicte Adrian, Ingrid Bjørnov, Christer Sjøgren, Leif Anders Wentzel, Trond Nagell Dahl, Knut Anders Sørum, Jorun Erdal, Øystein Wiik, Ole Børud, Rene Andersen, Rolf Graf, Guri Schancke, Svein Dag Hauge, Johnny Logan, Mike Sherrard, Engelbert Humperdinck, Michael Bolton, Neil Sedaka, Carlene Carter, Art Garfunkel, Arlene Wilkes, Ole Edvard Antonsen, Donna Summer, Oslo Gospel Choir, Robert Wells, Wenche Myhre, Lil Babs, Lill Lindfors, Kåre Konradi, Mariann Aas Hansen, Dame Edna, Tommy Steine, Ole Evenrud, Harald Heide Steen Jr., Yngvar Numme, Thomas Numme, Grete Kausland, Brit Elisabeth Haagensli, Nissa Nyberget, Egil Monn Iversen, Einar Schancke, Arve Opsahl, Geir Langslet, Mia Gundersen, Sputnik, a.o.

DRUMMERS

Akira Jimbo, John JR Robinson, Dave Weckl, Per Hillestad, Svein "Chrico" Christiansen, Stein Inge Brækhus, Gary Husband, Steinar Krogstad, Jon Christensen, Paulo Vinaccia, Rune Arnesen, Ernst Viggo Sandbakk, Joakim Nordin, a.o.