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Julian Smith (saxophonist)

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This article is about the British saxophonist. For other people with the same name, see Julian Smith.

Julian Smith
Also known asJoolz Gianni
Born (1969-04-21) 21 April 1969 (age 55)
Birmingham, Worcestershire, England
GenresClassical, jazz, soul, blues, funk, pop, reggae
Occupation(s)Musician, songwriter
Instrument(s)Saxophone, clarinet, bassoon
Years active1993–present
LabelsSony Music
Websitejuliansmithsax.co.uk

Julian Smith (born 21 April 1969 from Birmingham) is an English saxophonist and music teacher from Birmingham, England. He is also known by his stage name Joolz Gianni.[1] He has made guest appearances alongside artists such as Tony Hadley (Spandau Ballet), Gwen Dickey (Rose Royce), Hamish Stuart and Steve Ferrone (Average White Band), and has performed on national television together with Chris Rea, M People, and Dina Carroll. In 2003, he released a solo album, Chilled 2 the Sax, which features Acker Bilk, Dina Carroll, and Ola Onabule.[citation needed] Smith became better known after appearing on the third series of Britain's Got Talent in 2009 and finished in third place behind singer Susan Boyle and winning dance troupe Diversity.[2]

Early life and education

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Julian Smith is a native of Birmingham, England.[3] His father was a music teacher, which allowed Smith to learn a variety of instruments as a child, including the clarinet.[4] He attended the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire (then Birmingham School of Music / Birmingham Conservatoire) where he studied bassoon as his first study instrument with second study saxophone.[4] He graduated with distinction in 1991.[5] After graduating from the Conservatoire, Smith focused more on the saxophone.[4]

Career

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Early career

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Early in his career, Smith held teaching jobs with both Sandwell College and Cheltenham College.[6] He also made guest appearances on records for Tony Hadley, and Hamish Stuart and performed live on national television with acts like Chris Rea, M People, and Dina Carroll.[7][8] In 1993, Smith formed a band[9] and eventually began operating under the stage name Joolz Gianni. Some of his tracks were featured on Sony Music's Classic Chillout compilation series from between 2001 and 2003.[10][11][12][13] In 2003, he released a solo album as Joolz Gianni entitled Chilled 2 the Sax,[7] which featured Acker Bilk, Dina Carroll, and Ola Onabule.[14] After releasing his album Throughout This Time, he continued teaching music privately[3] and playing small gigs.[3][15]

Britain's Got Talent

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In April 2009, Smith first appeared on an episode of the third series of Britain's Got Talent.[16][17] During the audition round, he performed a version of "Somewhere" from the musical, West Side Story, on soprano saxophone.[18][19] The audition received a standing ovation from the audience and praise from judges Simon Cowell,[20] Piers Morgan, and Amanda Holden.[18][20][21] Smith was subsequently chosen to be among the 40 semi-finalists who would perform live in May 2009.[15][22][23] During his semi-final performance, Smith played a rendition of "All by Myself" and advanced to the final round by winning the public vote.[24] For the final round on 30 May 2009,[25] he played another rendition of "Somewhere,"[3] receiving around 700,000 votes[6](16.4% of the total vote) and placing as the second runner-up behind singer Susan Boyle and winning dance troupe Diversity.[3][5][25] Smith later performed alongside the other 9 finalists on the nationwide Britain's Got Talent live tour in June 2009.[26][27]

Post-Britain's Got Talent

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In the ensuing years, Smith released several albums through Big Bear Records,[28] including Somewhere[7] and Christmas Songs and Lullabies (both in 2010).[28] That year, he played a headlining gig at the Birmingham International Jazz and Blues Festival,[10] was featured on the charitable single "The Prayer" for Classical Relief for Haiti,[10][29] and toured with The Stylistics.[10][30] He also performed a duet with Kenny G at the Royal Albert Hall and played for Prince Charles at Clarence House.[28][31] In 2011, he went on a 48-date tour throughout the United Kingdom,[28] and in 2012, he toured with Diversity on their "Digitized" tour.[32] Smith continued touring throughout 2013,[33] including a show with the winner of the first series of The X Factor, Steve Brookstein.[34]

In 2015, he independently released a new album, Wonderful World.[5] In 2017, he toured the United States and Canada before returning to England where he performed a new concert series at St. Stephen's Church in Redditch.[35] On New Year's Eve in 2020, Smith started a Zoom-based concert series. The shows, which are virtual due to the COVID-19 pandemic, feature various young performers playing multiple genres of music. Proceeds from the events were donated to the National Health Service.[36]

Personal life

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Smith has two children with his wife Iraz[3] and said that he entered Britain's Got Talent to "make life better for them".[37]

Discography

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Studio album

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Name Year Label
Chilled 2 the Sax (as Joolz Gianni) 2003 (UK) Sony
Take a Breath[38] 2009 (UK) Big Bear Records
Somewhere[39] 2010 (UK) Big Bear Records
Ibiza Summer Sax[38] 2010 (UK) Big Bear Records
Christmas Songs & Lullabies[40] 2010 (UK) Big Bear Records
Wonderful World[39] 2015 (UK) Independent
At The Movies[41] 2017 (UK) Independent

Compilation appearances

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Name Year Label
The Classic Chillout Album 2001 Sony Music Entertainment
The Classic Chillout Album 2 2001 Columbia Records
The New Classic Chillout Album 2002 Sony Music Entertainment
Open Space - The Classic Chillout Album 2 2002 Columbia Records

References

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  1. ^ "Joolz Gianni". Platinum Live. Archived from the original on 11 June 2009. Retrieved 1 June 2009.
  2. ^ "Birmingham sax player Julian Smith comes third in Britain's Got Talent". Birmingham Post. 31 May 2009. Archived from the original on 13 March 2012. Retrieved 31 May 2009.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "Britain's Got Talent finalist Julian returns to hometown Halesowen". Halesowen News. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
  4. ^ a b c "Julian Smith: Sax sensation". ITV. 23 May 2009. Archived from the original on 26 January 2010. Retrieved 31 May 2009.
  5. ^ a b "Halesowen Britain's Got Talent star performing in Bilston". Halesowen News. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
  6. ^ a b "Halesowen Britain's Got Talent star performing in Bilston". Halesowen News. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  7. ^ a b c "Julian Smith on Britain's Got Talent: Where is he now 10 years later?". Smooth. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  8. ^ "Britain's Got Talent star to play in Bromsgrove". Worcester News. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  9. ^ "This sax man has got talent". Echo. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  10. ^ a b c d Live, Birmingham (16 July 2010). "Music: Festival has sax appeal". BirminghamLive. Retrieved 12 May 2021.[permanent dead link‍]
  11. ^ The Classic Chillout Album (A Collection Of Classics For A Modern World) (2001, CD), retrieved 12 May 2021
  12. ^ Open Space - The Classic Chillout Album 3 (2003, CD), retrieved 12 May 2021
  13. ^ "Various - The Classic Chillout Album 2". Discogs. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  14. ^ Joolz Gianni – Chilled 2 The Sax (2003, CD), retrieved 12 May 2021
  15. ^ a b Tyler, Jane (22 April 2009). "Britain's Got Talent saxophonist Julian Smith from Birmingham wows judges". BirminghamLive. Retrieved 19 May 2021.[permanent dead link‍]
  16. ^ Tyler, Jane (22 April 2009). "Britain's Got Talent saxophonist Julian Smith from Birmingham wows judges". BirminghamLive. Retrieved 22 May 2021.[permanent dead link‍]
  17. ^ Julian Smith (Saxophone Player) - Audition #1 - Britains Got Talent 2009 HIGH QUALITY, archived from the original on 20 December 2021, retrieved 22 May 2021
  18. ^ a b Fletcher, Alex (17 April 2009). "Saxophone player reduces Holden to tears". Digital Spy. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  19. ^ "Boyle beat the odds, but can she beat oddities?". TODAY.com. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  20. ^ a b "Julian Smith: Sax sensation - Britain's Got Talent - Story". 26 January 2010. Archived from the original on 26 January 2010. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  21. ^ Joolz Gianni – Chilled 2 The Sax (2003, CD), retrieved 22 May 2021
  22. ^ "Julian's sax appeal on Britain's Got Talent tonight". www.expressandstar.com. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  23. ^ Live, Birmingham (28 May 2009). "Britain's Got Talent: Birmingham saxophonist Julian Smith in semi final". BirminghamLive. Retrieved 22 May 2021.[permanent dead link‍]
  24. ^ French, Dan (28 May 2009). "Julian Smith, 2 Grand make 'BGT' final". Digital Spy. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  25. ^ a b Collett-White, Mike (31 May 2009). "Diversity "gobsmacked" by UK TV talent show win". Reuters. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  26. ^ "The 26 show dates of Britain's Got Talent – The Live Tour 2009". www.telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  27. ^ Double, Oliver (2012), "Britain's Got Talent", Britain Had Talent, London: Macmillan Education UK, pp. 7–10, doi:10.1007/978-1-137-26564-7_2, ISBN 978-0-230-28460-9, retrieved 22 May 2021
  28. ^ a b c d "See sax star Smith - Matlock Mercury". 1 May 2017. Archived from the original on 1 May 2017. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  29. ^ "Classical Relief for Haiti". Classic FM. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  30. ^ Live, North Wales (11 February 2011). "Former Britain's Got Talent star Julian Smith comes to Rhyl". North Wales Live. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  31. ^ "BGT saxophonist comes to Blakedown for VE Day celebration". Kidderminster Shuttle. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  32. ^ "All Street Dance Diversity Digitized DVD: Trapped In A Game Live Tour 2012 released 19 November [Trailer] - All Street Dance". 6 July 2018. Archived from the original on 6 July 2018. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  33. ^ "This sax man has got talent". Echo. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  34. ^ Sawangjirawit, Kantapong (2018). "Image Building of the Durian Mask Singer Winner in the First Year of the Mask Singer Show". SSRN Electronic Journal. doi:10.2139/ssrn.3103487. ISSN 1556-5068.
  35. ^ "Top saxophonist launching concerts in Redditch". Redditch Standard. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  36. ^ "Mixcloud". Mixcloud. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  37. ^ "Britain's got sax appeal - Britain's Got Talent - Story". 2 February 2010. Archived from the original on 2 February 2010. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
  38. ^ a b "Take a Breath". music.apple.com. Archived from the original on 13 May 2021. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
  39. ^ a b "Julian Smith on Britain's Got Talent: Where is he now 10 years later?". Smooth. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
  40. ^ Gibbons, Brett (11 December 2010). "Simon Cowell accused of almost killing the career of Britain's Got Talent star Julian Smith". BirminghamLive. Retrieved 13 May 2021.[permanent dead link‍]
  41. ^ "Shop | Julian Smith". Retrieved 13 May 2021.
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