Biography

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. 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. He has opened up for groups and musicians as Carl Saunders, Poncho Sanchez, Jeff Coffin, Allan Holdsworth, Malo, Ozomatli, Clayton Cameron, and worked with Kelulu, Mento Buru, The Fresno Philharmonic, Andre Bush, Mike Dana, Velorio, and Patrick Contreras to name a few. Featuring a diverse group of musicians, Too Many Notes was titled by his fans based on his reputation for a blisteringly fast playing style. Patrick Contreras on electric violin, Jay Jay Hicks on 8 string bass, Cesareo Garasa on drums, Fernando Montoya on electric bass, James Russell on double saxes (tenor/alto), Marlon Mackey on vocals and a variety of others are featured on this release. Too Many Notes has been featured in many publications and press including All About Jazz, the Bakersfield Californian and the Fresno Bee to name a few.