Category: Paul Tilman Smith

When your father hands you a pair of drumsticks at the age of four, chances are you’ll wind up a drummer. Paul Tillman Smith’s father, George Smith (Kansas City Smitty) played drums during the big band era with many well-known bands including Count Basie, Trummer Young and the Harlem Aces. He was also a mentor to singer Pearl Bailey‘s husband drummer Louie Bellson. At age fifteen at the urging of his mother Della, Paul began playing the piano. It was soon after that he began to write simple three chord songs like the ones he would hear on the radio. This love has lasted a lifetime.

Paul Tillman Smith

The History of Paul Tilman Smith, so far…

When your father hands you a pair of drumsticks at the age of four, chances are you’ll wind up a drummer. Paul Tillman Smith’s father, George Smith (Kansas City Smitty) played drums during the big band era with many well-known bands including Count Basie, Trummer Young and the Harlem Aces. He was also a mentor to singer Pearl Bailey‘s husband drummer Louie Bellson.

At age fifteen at the urging of his mother Della, Paul began playing the piano. It was soon after that he began to write simple three chord songs like the ones he would hear on the radio. This love has lasted a lifetime.

Paul has published over a hundred songs to date including the Pharaoh Sanders and Phyllis Hyman jazz pop classic “As You Are”, the Norman Connors and Jean Carne hit “Stella” featuring guitarist Lee Ritenour, and the tender love ballad “ Heavenly”, recorded by pianist Webster Lewis featuring vocalist DJ Rogers, saxophonist Benny Maupin. “Heavenly” also featured strings by Herbie Hancock and was performed by the Boston Pop Symphony for nationally syndicated TV. Paul’s album “Sharing” from his middle seventies Buddha Records recording group Vitamin E., featured The Sly Stone & Frank Zappa vocalist Lady Bianca and saxophonist Jules Broussard’s vocalist David Gardener.
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6th January 2026
Paul Tilman Smith

The History of Paul Tilman Smith, so far…

A lot of people don’t realize why myself and drummer record producer Norman Connors are dear friends today. Firstly, he was with me on my gig when he met his first wife. His self don’t even remember. I remember cause he was lucky to catch her,lol. I was sitting back with nobody. Also, we were the youngest drummers on the New York Jazz scene right after John Coltrane died. I knew all of John’s drummers and was gonna try and steal their job if John hadn’t died.

They were both my buddy’s and helped take care of my broke ace. My buddys drummers Rasheed Ali and Sonny Murry were the last drummers to play with John Coltrane. Well at least I got to play once with John’s wife Alice Coltrane. I don’t know if I could have whipped Elvin Jones ever though,lol. I did sit in on his drums one time. Also, I did get to play and record with many of Johns predecessors including Pharaoh Sanders, Sonny Simmons and Albert Ayler. I wrote Pharaohs biggest song ever. Norman’s name is on the tune also because he made me write the hook. “AS YOU ARE” written for John Coltrane.
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26th March 2025
Paul Tilman Smith

The History of Paul Tilman Smith, so far..

THIS IS A PHENOMENAL CD BUT NOT ONE PERSON HAS PURCHASED IT FROM MY HOMETOWN OF OAKLAND AND LIKE THE MUSIC WRITER FROM EUROPE SAID”
Most records he has ever heard that a hundred percent of the money goes into a fund to help struggling ARTISTS is usually the most raggedy record you could ever find. Then he turned and stated in his article “The Higher Power Project is a collectors item”.

Some have called Higher Power the national anthem of recovery. Higher Power was recently named the inspirational song and video of the year by a national contest sponsored by Tyler Perry, B.E.T, Lions Gate Films and Pastor Marvin Winan’s. Pastor Winan’s proclaimed that Higher Power “was the winner by far”. The video was produced by BAJAZZS founder/drummer Paul Tillman Smith, Braxton Brothers bassist Nelson Braxton and longtime Prince sideman guitarist/Bassist Levi Seacer Jr.

Donnie inspired my production team including my friend Norman Connors to do this record when Donnie got kicked off of the American Idol TV program because he made the mistake of informing the program that he got stopped by the police the night he celebrated with friends, making the final 32 and got a DUI while driving up Highway 580 in Livermore on the way to his home. He was on the same year as Fantazia and Jennifer Hudson. The singer they bought in to take his place George Huff came in sixth. Donnie should have won. Norman Connors is featuring three of Donnie’s new songs on his forthcoming record entitled “ROYALTY”. Donnie’s song Magazine Girl will be first on Normans new record, lol. Donnie finally won 1st. OOPPSS! I forgot, Donnie’s sister Terrill Carter Williams to me has the best song on the record called “Please Don’t Run Over Me”.

Every certain type of woman in America is gonna want a copy of this song. It’s a domestic violence song. Me , late vocalist Freddie Hughe’s and pianist Robert Collier wrote it. Lastly, world famous vocalist Nora Jones told Norman she loves four of the songs from the Higher Power Project and that she could maybe see doing them herself. That would a blessing if she even chooses to do one.
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16th October 2024
Paul Tilman Smith

History of – Paul Tilman Smith……So Far

The Norman Connors days.
Me and Norman were the young Jazz drummer up-and-comers in the sixties in New York. Normans momma was in Philadelphia and mine was in California. Norman could run to his momma’s house to eat while I starved to death,lol. We were best friends but god obviously had different intentions for the both of us. Norman had no idea I had a love for writing silly little songs on the piano from the age of fifteen.

After I left the Jazz Avant Garde John Coltrane era and came back to Oakland I kept playing but started writing again. In the mean time Norman became one of the best show-men Jazz drummers around and people started noticing him and the right record producer gave him a shot and making records and he then started making great records. We had made a pack that if either one of us could ever help the other we would so the band Vitamin E was born. His wife named the band and I at first hated that name but now ironically I use Vitamin E everyday, hahahahahahaha!

This is a song I wrote for my very young wife in the seventies when we were just learning how to get along called “LISTEN”. The first lyrics start off like this, “Listen to Me, Your hearts Not Free”. Of course today I’m the one who’s discovered I ain’t free, she free! Norman Connors version below features John Coltrane’s pianist McCoy Tyner’s sax man Gary Bartz who now lives in Oakland. Good luck Gary!
Norman had the bomb band in those days. Norman’s got a great new album coming soon and guess what, he say. (Paul can I have 3 of your songs?, U got hits! ) No I don’t Norman, them Hip Hoppers & Rappers got hits, all we got is, “Can’t Quit”. Uh Oh Norman I forgot! I like me and Freddie Hughes version of “Listen” better,lol. By the way, this is the song that Donny Hathaway was on the way to the studio to record for Norman when Donnie’s manager called and demanded twice as much money.
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22nd July 2024