About

Bio

Dr.  William E. Smith (W.E.S.) is an active musician, producer, composer, author and educator who has released four albums with his group, The W.E.S. Group, and has produced and recorded music for many notable artists. He is a published author (Hip Hop as Performance and Ritual and How to Be an MC – CLS Publications,) and is the online ethnomusicology program coordinator at North Carolina Central University.  He also teaches classes at Howard University.  Prior to that, he was an assistant professor of music and the jazz ensemble director at American University in Washington, DC. 

He has recorded and performed with a number of musicians in a variety of genres: Gospel Artists: Hezekiah Walker and Fred Hammond, Jazz Artists: Donald Byrd, James Moody, Kenny Burrell, Gary Thomas, Antonio Hart, Antoine Rooney, Wynton Marsalis, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Mike Phillips, Cynda Williams, and Malcolm Jamal Warner, Ethiopian Artists: Wayna, Aster Aweke, Gigi. Dr. Smith has also opened for: DMC from Run DMC, McCoy Tyner, Ravi Coltrane, Jon Henricks, Cassandra Wilson. 

Aside from performing at many jazz festivals and events in Anguilla, Bonaire, St. Lucia, California, New York, United Kingdom, Morocco, India, and South Africa, Dr. Smith is an avid composer.  He has written music for TV and film and has composed music for multimedia performances such as theater performances and fashion shows.

Published Works

Recordings: