Robert Smeets

After studies with jazz giants Kurt Rosenwinkel (Verve Recording Artist), Ben Monder (Faculty at New England Conservatory, Paul Motian's Electric Bebop Band), Brad Shepik (Paul Motian's Electric Bebop Band), Kenny Werner (Pianist, author of Effortless Mastery), and Rick Peckham (Vice Chair of the guitar Department of Berklee College of Music). He performed as a freelancing guitar sideman in many bands of varying styles of music from blues, traditional jazz and big band music, to funk, soul, R&B and hip hop. During his stay in Columbus, Ohio, he had the opportunity to perform with Foley (Formerly with Miles Davis, currently the Bandleader for George Clinton's P-Funk Allstars and Sly and the Family Stone), Eddie Bayard (Performed with Maceo Parker, Jabo Starks, Bootsy Collins, Fred Wesley, Clyde Stubblefield, Wynton Marsalis, Delfayo Marsalis, to name a few), Bobby Floyd (www.bobbyfloyd.com- cornerstone player for the Jazz Arts Group in Columbus, Ohio), Larry Cook (Bassist, performed with Mavis Staples, Columbus Ohio's Jazz Arts Group), Tim Cummiskey (www.tc7string.com, Professor of Jazz Studies at the Ohio State University), Polar Ops (Featuring works by RJD2 and Numeric), and Ordinary Peoples to name a few. He was even called in to consult the Jazz Arts Group in Columbus to help modernize the program. He's had the opportunity to record for Phil and B.J. Ramone - (Phil has Thirty three Grammy Nominations, 14 Grammys, Productions for Paul McCartney, Sting, Chaka Khan, Elvis Costello, Burt Bacharach, Bono, Ray Charles, Chicago, Natalie Cole, Bob Dylan, Gloria Estefan, Renee Fleming, Aretha Franklin, Etta James, Quincy Jones, BB King, Madonna, Paul McCartney, Liza Minnelli, Sinead O’Connor, Luciano Pavarotti, Peter/Paul and Mary, Andre Previn, Carly Simon, Paul Simon, Frank Sinatra, Phoebe Snow, Rod Stewart, and Stevie Wonder, not to mention the Film/TV/Sountrack work). Robert also caught the attention of Dante Carfagna (Justin Timberlake, Memphix Records, Wax Poetics Magazine, The Numero Group, Scratch Magazine, Express Rising, Professor Griff among others) while playing in the hip hop band Polar Ops and soon followed the release of an experimental 45 "Olentangy Detour" on Memphix Records, released internationally with critical acclaim. He also co-produced a song with Numeric which was part of the Urban Renewal Project compilation on Chocolate Industries and featured on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim website. Robert recently relocated to Nashville where he continues to write, perform, produce, and record various styles of music. You can hear Robert on the Shaun Murphy Band's upcoming CD "Trouble With Lovin' ." Shaun is a world class performer with credits and recordings from/with Eric Clapton and Little Feat to Bob Seger among many others.

He is also in the studio recording with bands Good Shot Janson and Monkey Paw 9, both soon to be released. MySpace Show less