Dick Smith “Some Rise”

About

When Dick Smith’s pro football career ended in 1968 he pivoted into becoming a tireless champion for the straight-ahead tradition of the D.C. jazz scene. A veteran singer who loves the ballads, but has also made funky pop with members of Zapp, Smith worked with Tony Taylor’s Lettumplay jazz-education program before he helped co-found Westminster Presbyterian Church’s “Jazz Night” series. The longtime curator takes center stage this Friday to celebrate the release of “Some Rise,” his first album in decades.