Sean O’Bryan Smith has always been a true artist. From his longtime career in jazz to his highly successful career as a recording and live bassist to the stars, Sean is recognized for bringing his signature sound and approach to every single project. Known for his fluent bass skills on fretted, fretless, and upright basses coupled with high energy live performances, Smith is historically known for owning audiences all over the World both as a solo artist and as a sideman. Having performed for over 1,000,000 people, Sean has proven himself to fans and peers alike for nearly three decades.
Sean’s story starts in Chattanooga, TN where he was born into a jazz and blues household. His mother, singer BeBe Hannon, was herself an accomplished jazz and blues singer working alongside legendary greats like Jack Teagarden. In his early years as a bassist his aptitude for the instrument gave him the opportunity to work with notable jazz artists like Dominic Serpico, Brent King, and Glenn Martin. Over the next decade these opportunities increased with performances from coast to coast opening for Roy Haynes, Jamie Cullum, Michael Brecker, Kevin Mahogany, Eddie Palmieri, Kermit Ruffins, Jonathan Butler, and Fattburger.
Upon relocating to Nashville in 1999, Sean began to juggle his jazz career with a highly successful role as sideman and session musician. This brought Sean’s signature sound to a number of stages and studios for a large number of artists outside the realm of jazz including Keith Urban, Sara Evans, Billy Ray Cyrus, Kenny Rogers, and countless others. He could also be seen on stages with artists from other genres including Christian superstar Rebecca St. James and even The Mississippi Mass Choir.
Sean’s contribution to the world of jazz has remained a constant. For example, his role as bassist for Billboard Chart Topping jazz artist Anna Wilson has kept him touring and recording for nearly a decade opening for artists ranging from Christian McBride and Joshua Redman to even private performances for former President Jimmy Carter. He has even had the joy to record or perform with a wealth of Grammy winning and legendary jazz artists like Larry Carlton and Rick Braun.
2008 saw the release of Sean’s highly anticipated first solo CD entitled Tapestry. Tapestry was met with an incredible amount of critical acclaim all over the world. Players, fans, and critics all hailed Sean’s ability as a bassist, composer, and producer. Tapestry even gained the notoriety of being the Most Recommended CD of All Times at All About Jazz.com. With the success of his solo CD, Sean continued to perform across country to an overwhelming response. These performances landed him alongside artists like Esperanza Spalding, Brian Bromberg, Poncho Sanchez, Nicholas Payton, Denny Jiosa, and Frank Catalano.
2010 and beyond prove to show nothing but a successful and continuingly blessed career for Sean O’Bryan Smith. He is balancing a busy schedule of composing, recording, and performing along educating and freelance writing. His follow up CD to the highly acclaimed Tapestry is in final production now and includes guest performances by Gerald Albright, Randy Brecker, Chuck Loeb, Jeff Franzel, Frank Catalano, Jack Pearson and Malcolm Jamal-Warner. The CD is entitled “Reflection” and is tentatively scheduled for a summer release. In addition, Sean will be bringing his influence to projects for major and independent artists on a regular basis.