Latest Drumming News
Steve Smith and Vital Information Featuring Manuel Valera (keyboards) Janek Gwizdala (bass) Steve Smith (drums). Drummer Steve Smith has been touring and recording with his all-star group Vital Information since 1983 making 2023 the 40th Anniversary of the group.
Steve Smith and Vital Information celebrate the occasion with a newly recorded double CD release entitled TIME FLIES. The newest line-up of Vital Information features virtuoso musicians with vast experience.
Keyboardist Manuel Valera, a Guggenheim Fellow and Grammy nominated artist, was born, and raised in Havana, Cuba and is now living in NYC. Manuel plays and records with many of the New York jazz elite like Antonio Sanchez, Dafnis Prieto and John Patitucci.
Electric Bassist Janek Gwizdala, originally from London, currently living in Los Angeles, records and tours with Peter Erskine, Mike Stern and Randy Brecker and is one of the most in-demand bass players in the world. Both new members of Vital Information are bandleaders and recording artists with multiple recordings to their names.
The new trio version of Steve Smith and Vital Information collectively creates a powerhouse sound. Although the band is rooted in the straight-ahead swing of bebop, at times the group explores exotic time-signatures from the world of South Indian Carnatic music and have arranged adventurous funk-driven renditions of jazz standards. Seeing Steve Smith and Vital Information live in concert is a perfect opportunity to experience their high-level musicianship, sense of joy onstage and collective virtuosic improvisation.
Steve Smith had this to say about Vital Information’s philosophy:
“Our music allows for individual expression and re-invention. We thrive on swing, groove and creativity. We want to surprise each other every night on the bandstand with new ideas and in the process keep our audience ‘in the moment’ with us.”
Wounded Bird Records has recently released Steve Smith and Vital Information: The Complete Columbia Recordings, a four CD set combining the first four Vital Information albums into one package. In addition to leading Vital information, from 2016-2019 Steve Smith toured with the iconic rock band Journey, the group in which he recorded nine albums with massive hits. In 2018 alone, Journey played for over 1,000,000 fans in arenas and stadiums across North America. Smith has won numerous Modern Drummer Readers Polls and has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Tour Dates:
Wednesday, March 22, 2023
Steve Smith & Vital Information
Featuring Manuel Valera (keyboards) Janek Gwizdala (bass) Steve Smith (drums)
Caleb Chapman’s Sound House
555 East Main St.
Suite A
American Fork, UT 84003
Click here for tickets!
Phone: (801) 763 0200
Thursday, March 23, 2023
Steve Smith & Vital Information
Featuring Manuel Valera (keyboards) Janek Gwizdala (bass) Steve Smith (drums)
Catalina Jazz Club
6725 Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90028
8:30pm show
Click here for tickets!
Phone: (323) 466-2210
Friday, March 24, 2023
Steve Smith & Vital Information
Featuring Manuel Valera (keyboards) Janek Gwizdala (bass) Steve Smith (drums)
Catalina Jazz Club
6725 Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90028
8:30pm show
Click here for tickets!
Phone: (323) 466-2210
Saturday, March 25, 2023
Steve Smith & Vital Information
Featuring Manuel Valera (keyboards) Janek Gwizdala (bass) Steve Smith (drums)
Catalina Jazz Club
6725 Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90028
8:30pm show
Click here for tickets!
Phone: (323) 466-2210
Sunday, March 26, 2023
Steve Smith & Vital Information
Featuring Manuel Valera (keyboards) Janek Gwizdala (bass) Steve Smith (drums)
Yoshi’s Jazz Club
510 Embarcadero West
Oakland, CA 94607
7:00pm show
Click here for tickets!
Phone: (510) 238 9200
Monday, March 27, 2023
Steve Smith & Vital Information
Featuring Manuel Valera (keyboards) Janek Gwizdala (bass) Steve Smith (drums)
Kuumbwa Jazz
320-2 Cedar Street
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
7:00pm show
Click here for tickets!
Phone: (831) 427 2227
Wednesday, March 29, 2023
Steve Smith & Vital Information
Featuring Manuel Valera (keyboards) Janek Gwizdala (bass) Steve Smith (drums)
Grizzly Peak Winery
1600 East Nevada Street
Ashland, OR 97520
7:00pm show
Cllick here for tickets!
Phone: (541) 482 5700
Thursday, March 30, 2023
Steve Smith & Vital Information
Featuring Manuel Valera (keyboards) Janek Gwizdala (bass) Steve Smith (drums)
The 1905
830 N. Shaver Street
Portland, OR 97227
7:30pm show & 9:30pm
Click here for tickets!
Phone: (503) 460 3333
Friday, March 31, 2023
Steve Smith & Vital Information
Featuring Manuel Valera (keyboards) Janek Gwizdala (bass) Steve Smith (drums)
Center of Bellingham Firehouse Arts & Events Center
1314 Harris Ave.
Bellingham, WA 98225
6:30pm show
Click here for tickets!
Phone: (360) 734-2776
Sunday, April 2, 2023
Steve Smith & Vital Information
Featuring Manuel Valera (keyboards) Janek Gwizdala (bass) Steve Smith (drums)
Musical Instrument Museum
4725 E. Mayo Blvd.
Phoenix, AZ 85050
4:30pm Steve Smith drumset masterclass: click here for tickets!
7:00pm Steve Smith and Vital Information concert: click here for tickets!
Phone: (480) 478 6000
East Coast Tour
Saturday, June 17, 2023
Steve Smith and Vital Information
Featuring Manuel Valera (keyboards) Janek Gwizdala (bass) Steve Smith (drums)
Long Island Drum Center
86 Tec Street
Hicksville, NY 11801
www.lidrum.com
516-694-5432
Sunday, June 18, 2023
Steve Smith and Vital Information
featuring Manuel Valera (keyboards) Janek Gwizdala (bass) Steve Smith (drums)
The Newton Theatre
234 Spring St.
Newton, NJ 07860
https://skypac.org/
Monday, June 19, 2023
Steve Smith and Vital Information
Featuring Manuel Valera (keyboards) Janek Gwizdala (bass) Steve Smith (drums)
Sellersville Theater
24 W Temple Ave
Sellersville, PA 18960-2421
215-257-5808
Click here for tickets!
Tuesday, June 20, 2023
Steve Smith and Vital Information
Featuring Manuel Valera (keyboards) Janek Gwizdala (bass) Steve Smith (drums)
Blues Alley
1073 Wisconsin Ave. NW
Washington D.C. 20007
202-337-4141
www.bluesalley.com
Wednesday, June 21, 2023
Steve Smith and Vital Information
Featuring Manuel Valera (keyboards) Janek Gwizdala (bass) Steve Smith (drums)
Loft 129
129 Baltimore St.
Cumberland, MD 21502
301-268-3971
https://loft129.org
Thursday, June 22, 2023
Steve Smith and Vital Information
Featuring Manuel Valera (keyboards) Janek Gwizdala (bass) Steve Smith (drums)
The Railyard
119 Jefferson Ave.
Scranton, PA 18503
570-880-7650
Click here for tickets!
Friday, June 23, 2023
TBA
Saturday, June 24, 2023
Steve Smith & Vital Information
Featuring Manuel Valera (keyboards) Janek Gwizdala (bass) Steve Smith (drums)
Allen Theater – Playhouse Square – Tri-C Jazz Festival
1407 Euclid Ave.
Cleveland, OH 44115
216-987-4444
Click here for tickets!
Sunday, June 25, 2023
Steve Smith and Vital Information
Featuring Manuel Valera (keyboards) Janek Gwizdala (bass) Steve Smith (drums)
Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild
1815 Metropolitan Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15233
412-322-0800
Click here for tickets!
Tuesday, June 27
Steve Smith and Vital Information
Featuring Manuel Valera (keyboards) Janek Gwizdala (bass) Steve Smith (drums)
Mickey’s Black Box
101 Rock Lititz Blvd.
Lititz, PA 17543
717-723-8463
www.mickeysblackbox.com
Wednesday, June 28, 2023
Steve Smith and Vital Information
Featuring Manuel Valera (keyboards) Janek Gwizdala (bass) Steve Smith (drums)
The Falcon
1348 Route 9W
Marlborough, NY 12542
845-236-7970
www.liveatthefalcon.com
Friday, June 30, 2023
Steve Smith and Vital Information
Featuring Manuel Valera (keyboards) Janek Gwizdala (bass) Steve Smith (drums)
Birdland Theater (Downstairs)
Birdland Jazz Club
315 West 44th St.
New York, NY 10036
www.birdlandjazz.com
Saturday, July 1, 2023
Steve Smith and Vital Information
Featuring Manuel Valera (keyboards) Janek Gwizdala (bass) Steve Smith (drums)
Birdland Theater (Downstairs)
Birdland Jazz Club
315 West 44th St.
New York, NY 10036
www.birdlandjazz.com
Sunday, July 2, 2023
Steve Smith and Vital Information
Featuring Manuel Valera (keyboards) Janek Gwizdala (bass) Steve Smith (drums)
Birdland Theater (Downstairs)
Birdland Jazz Club
315 West 44th St.
New York, NY 10036
www.birdlandjazz.com
