Jesse Smith was born into a musical family and grew up in Baltimore immersed in the thriving Irish music tradition of that city.  His mother Donna Long has recorded and performed with Brendan Mulvihill and Cherish the Ladies.  His dad John sings and plays the guitar.  He started playing the fiddle at an early age, studying with Mulvihill a renowned fiddle player and teacher.  In 1998 his love for the music took him to Ireland to stay, where he made his mark as a fiddler touring with the great Irish band Danú for three years, recording two CDs with them, consequently receiving an award from the BBC in 2001.  His well received 2002 debut solo fiddle CD Jigs and Reels was among the top ten Irish traditional music CDs cited by music columnist Earle Hitchner in America’s largest Irish weekly, “The Irish Echo”.  This was followed by a collaborative release (with Belfast flute player Harry Bradley and London guitarist/pianist John Blake) entitled The Tap Room Trio, simply one of the best recordings of Irish traditional music in recent years.  His 2010 release, The Ewe With The Crooked Horn (2010), recorded with button-accordionist Colm Gannon and John Blake on flute, guitar, and piano, received high praise.  He has also appeared as a guest musician on albums by Harry Bradley, Cherish the Ladies, Colm Gannon, Alan Kelly, Sharon Shannon, Enda Scahill, Tim Dennehy and Donna Long.  He teaches at many of the Irish music summer and winter festivals including the Frankie Kennedy and the Willie Clancy schools.

From his Baltimore roots to his research thesis on Sligo’s Michael Coleman, completed while obtaining a Master of Arts degree from Dundalk Institute Technology, Jesse brings a level of skill, confidence and artistic judgement to his playing.  He learned well in his younger days, absorbing the music that was around him, and his travels and experiences in Ireland have rounded out his musical education and helped develop his individual approach.  His fiddle playing is understated and tasteful; his bowing, remarkable.  A passion for the Irish traditional fiddle music of the 78rpm era can be seen in his choice of material, and his concert performances invariably include classics from the repertoires of the great Sligo fiddle trinity: James Morrison, Paddy Killoran and Michael Coleman.