Mike Paul-Smith – Musical Director ~ Pianist ~ Orchestrator & Arranger ~ Producer & Sound Engineer

About

Welcome to the website of Mike Paul-Smith – I am a musical director & conductor, orchestrator & arranger, pianist, and producer based in Warwick, UK.

I am the director and founder of Down for the Count, who I have directed for shows at Cadogan Hall London, Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, The London Jazz Festival and many other prestigious theatres and concert halls throughout the UK.

I also direct Mike Paul-Smith Music – a bespoke collection of function bands available to hire for private events.

Read more about me

Musical Director

I am the musical director, principal arranger and manager of Down for the Count – a jazz, swing and soul band who have performed at thousands of events since I formed the band in 2005.

Our current focus is on our 30-piece Orchestra – a stunning big band with strings evoking the sounds of Capital Studios in the 1950s. Here’s what we sound like…

The Down for the Count Orchestra performing Mike’s transcription of I’ve Got You Under My Skin, originally arranged by Nelson Riddle for Frank Sinatra.

Orchestrator & Arranger

I am a busy orchestrator and arranger, writing for ensembles of all sizes. Here’s an original arrangement of mine performed by The Down for the Count Orchestra.

Mike Paul-Smith’s original arrangement of the jazz standard When I Fall In Love, performed by the Down for the Count Orchestra and featuring Hannah Castleman on vocals and Alex Western-King on tenor saxophone.

Alongside my orchestration and arranging work for The Down for the Count Concert Orchestra, I have also had work performed by The London Musical Theatre Orchestra, West End Scratch Orchestra concerts at London’s Cadogan Hall, and City String Ensemble. I was recently challenged to make a medley of 3 Bond themes for City String Ensemble and here’s what I came up with!

My arrangement for City String Ensemble of three Bond themes (with snippets from quite a few more – how many can you spot?!)

Producer & Sound Engineer

I am a sound engineer, mix engineer and producer comfortable working in a wide variety of genres. Recent work has included producing a pop record for South African singer-songwriter Amy Walton.

Sweet Tooth (Amy Walton), co-produced by Mike Paul-Smith

I have a home studio in Warwick with a top quality upright piano and excellent keyboards and percussion, and a remote studio which can record up to 32 tracks of high-quality audio just about anywhere.

Pianist

I am versatile pianist and organist, equally happy performing jazz, classical and pop. I have performed at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, on the recent UK tour of Les Misérables, and at festivals and theatres throughout the UK and am happy to take bookings as a solo pianist or with bands and orchestras.

I am also available to accompany music exams in Warwickshire and the surrounding areas.