Tribute concert honors Freeport musician Hale Smith

Hale Smith was fluent in classical and jazz music, composed pieces performed by jazz legends and the New York Philharmonic, and left behind audiotapes and scores preserved by institutions such as the Smithsonian and the Library of Congress.

As his widow, Juanita Smith, summed it up, "Hale was and remains an American composer."

The Freeport musician, who died in November at 84, was honored Sunday at a Black History Month tribute by the Long Island Composers Alliance. The event took place at the South Nassau Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Freeport. Amid a wide-ranging program that included performances of Smith's works, the Village of Freeport presented Juanita Smith with a lifetime achievement award for her husband. The village and Nassau County also declared Sunday Hale Smith Day.

"I miss him," Smith said. "It's an honor. He was an outstanding musician, scholar, composer and pianist."

The concert's eclectic selection of music touched upon the many musical forms influenced by various African traditions, including Smith's work and Brazilian composer Antonio Carlos Jobim. And the tribute showcased a number of works by members of the Long Island Composers Alliance as well as performances of the congregation's choir and African Drum Ensemble.

"It's been a challenge and a stretch for our choir and African drum group," said the Rev. Catherine Torpey, also a member of the church's choir and drum ensemble. "These pieces by local composers are extraordinary. There's something very right about this event."

Jane Leslie, a member of the composer's alliance, wrote music, sung by vocalist Tara Nova, that accompanied the poetry of Langston Hughes. Paul Hefner, who helped produce the concert, arranged Smith's piece "Mount'in Oysters," which was played by his ensemble. The finale, composed by the alliance's Herbert A. Deutsch, was based on the Ugandan folk tale of creation.

Like Smith's diverse musical disciplines, it was fitting that the program presented such a broad swath of musical forms and styles, Hefner said.

"He played concert music and he played jazz," he said of Smith. "He's what I want to be when I grow up."

And the life of Smith's music will continue, said internationally known drummer Victor Jones, who performed in Hefner's ensemble.

"I'm learning the music of Hale Smith and I'm going to delve into his compositions," Jones said. "I love his work."