Called a “fixture in the Central Valley” (NPR), Jay Smith has had a wide variety of talent flow through his band. From jazz fusion to pop, the band has channeled a wide spectrum of musical genres to stay working and relevant.
Smith has opened up for groups and musicians as Carl Saunders, Poncho Sanchez, Jeff Coffin, Allan Holdsworth, Malo, Ozomatli, Clayton Cameron, and worked with Mento Buru, Andre Bush, and Patrick Contreras to name a few.
He is an Alum of California State University Bakersfield and Fresno City College where he earned his Bachelors of Arts and Associates of Arts Degree after studying with Mike Dana, Andre Bush and Doug Davis.
His current projects include Mento Buru which was voted best band of 2012-2019 by Bakersfield Magazine and The Jay Smith Group which features a variety of players including Cesareo Garasa, Paul Perez, Jay Jay Hicks,
Fernando Montoya, Lamar Brooks, Jason Dozier-Seals, Steve Eisen, and Patrick Contreras to name a few.
Jay Smith Group just recently released their fifth album, Too Many Tracks, a 40 track album in honor of Smith’s 40th Birthda mostly live release of tracks the band recorded at shows throughout California.
Personnel Paul Perez on saxophone, Steve Eisen on trumpet, Fernando Montoya on bass, Cesareo Garasa and Lamar Brooks on drums.
