Jocelyn B. Smith was born in Queens, New York in 1960. Recognising their young child's passion for music early on, Smith's parents sent her to classical piano lessons at the age of five. Through her classical training, Smith discovered her lifelong passion for soul music.
JOCELYN B. SMITH
Jocelyn quickly grabs your attention and brings the song to life with her interpretation.
Track: When I Need You (A. Hammond/C. Bayer Sager)
Album: Live in Berlin (1997)
Label: Blondell CD
Appears on: DALI CD Vol. 1
Through her classical training, Jocelyn B. Smith discovered her love for soul music. In the early 1980s, Smith started performing and touring with artists such as ELO, James Brown, Ellen Foley, Rick James and many others. Then in 1984, while touring in Europe, she decided to stay in Berlin, as "Berlin is such a large multicultural city like New York, and first of all alive."
Around the turn of the century, Smith worked on projects with classical orchestras, most notably with Sir Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra in 2001.
However, jazz and popular music still held her attention and in 2003, Smith received an IFPI Jazz award for her CD Blue Light & Nylon, a fictitious meeting of Weill and Gershwin.
When I Need You
When I Need You is a live recording and a musical experience. The well-known ballad begins with an extended piano intro, setting the mood for what's to come. With her warm voice, Smith quickly grabs your attention and brings the song to life with her interpretation.
The emotional impact of Smith's amazing intonation has been known to give tough men goosebumps and bring tears to the eyes of strong women.
At DALI, we often use this track when demonstrating our loudspeakers to visitors.
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