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The reign of Tommy Smith as the king of jazz is over — what now?
Tommy Smith is no longer the leader of the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra. But the saxophonist is still very much its face.
Last week the musician stepped down as the band's artistic director after he was dismissed from Scotland's premier music and drama university, the Royal Conservatoire, over allegations he had a relationship with a student.
Yet Smith's picture remains plastered all over the website of the publicly funded orchestra he founded 30 years ago. Its youth wing is even named after the musician.
For decades, insiders say, the former teenage prodigy has been the king of Scottish jazz. His reign is now over. Some lament the loss of a genuine talent. Others last week were celebrating what they see as an opportunity for musicians to come out from under his shadow.
