By any account 2020 was a bad year but for guitarist Richard Smith it was worse than for most. He was fighting a battle against stage three cancer of the throat that included radiation, chemotherapy and taking part in a clinical trial of a drug that involved four hours a day of intravenous infusion. To divert his mind Smith reached out to one of his former students at USC Thornton School Of Music, Billboard chart-topping guitarist Adam Hawley, to help him write and produce a few singles.
The first two, ‘Let’s Roll’ and ‘Soul Share’, were both chart successes and he is all set to make that three for three with ‘Groove Assets' which is out now.
It has a certain laid back, chilled out quality that is hard to resist while the mid tempo groove engendered by Smith’s cool electric jazz guitar blends perfectly with the harmonies of Hawley’s rhythm guitar.
Completing the line up is drummer Eric Valentine, bass player Mel Brown and the song’s co-writer Tico Pierhagen on keys. Add in ‘go to’ smooth jazz trumpeter Michael Stever with a ‘kick ass’ horn arrangement and there is little doubt that this is a hit in the making.
As Smith himself explains “There is no greater pleasure or prouder moment in a jazz professor's life than the act of hiring a former student for the incredibly important job of producing a single. I am a very lucky, proud soul indeed,” smiles Smith whose cancer is in complete remission.