Zachary Smith and the Dixie Power Trio

Zachary Smith is a graduate of the jazz studies program at the University of North Texas in Denton, TX where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Jazz Performance (1986). He is the leader and manager of the Dixie Power Trio, in which he plays cornet, accordion, harmonica, and washboard, sings lead vocals, and writes most of their original material. While working as a freelance musician in the late 80’s and early 90’s, he performed with musicians such as Harry Connick, Jr., Wynton Marsalis, Wycliffe Gordon, Stanley Turrentine, Steve Allen, the O’Jay’s, Hot Jazz, Junior Cline and the Recliners, and many others. He also spent a season as music director for Sitmar Cruises. Zachary’s compositions have been performed and recorded by a number of jazz groups in the D.C. area, and he has published a method book (“Jazz Essentials”) for high school and college jazz bands. Along with performing, writing, and arranging, Mr. Smith spent much of his free time in the 1990's directing the award-winning jazz program at James Madison High School in Vienna, VA. His most recent project was a collection of jazz-oriented Christmas songs arranged for brass quintet (which can be heard on the CD, "Holiday Drive" and purchased at trumpetunes.com).