Johnny Smith - The Last Night at Shaner's (Live) (2024)

This is one of Johnny Smith’s last live performances, recorded on December 18th, 1971, and his final gig ever at his favorite haunt, Shaner's, in Denver. It was captured on tape by Dick Patterson, bass player for the Neil Bridge Trio, Johnny's go-to live combo. This gig took place right at the time Johnny had decided to hang up his professional playing, feeling that maintaining the level of perfection he demanded of himself had simply become too onerous. He would be more happy, he reasoned, running his music store in Colorado Springs, and being with his family. When asked years later whether he had regretted this decision, he simply said “Not for a second.”

The quartet plays in front of a live audience, but has the fun and sparkle of a casual get-together. The four had been friends for quite some time, and enjoyed playing together more than a typical session. Though there are no second takes here, there is still a sense of experimentation, with endings cued by Johnny and followed by the band, sometimes resulting in chuckles and wrapup riffs that wouldn’t be common in a studio setting. This is truly a fun evening, and the audience knows it.

Join us in welcoming Johnny as he lays down the smoke with the Neil Bridge Trio, featuring Neil on piano, Dick Patterson on bass, and Derryl Goes on drums. It was an unforget- table evening of ballads, uptempo soloing, and a true Masterclass in guitar technique. -Mark and Craig Patterson