Dwayne Smitty Smith - This Is Me '2005

Tracks list

Smitty Smith is by far one of the best bass players in Los Angeles and probably
on the planet. His resume reads like a whos who of the music industry. I can
always count on Smitty to lay down a funky, solid bass line. Hes helped me out
on numerous occasions, keeping the band together with his solid reliable bottom.


As far as his record ... Im surprised how creative, imaginative and ambitious
the music is. 
Check it OUT!!! . .” – Jeff Lorber

Fresh, clean sound. . . – Ray Knight, Dayton, Ohio

I really enjoy your cd. It was good to hear fresh clean sound from a great bass
player. So keep the good music coming. . .

Impeccable Production. . .  – Ron Brown

Dwayne Smitty Smiths new CD is a masterpiece, this funky, smooth, well thought
out project takes you on a fun ride through many styles and colors. With great
songs, impeccable production, This Is Me is a must have CD for your collection,
it is one of the best CDs featuring bass Ive heard and Dwayne Smitty Smith is
one of the best players Ive ever heard!

Dwayne Smith - This Is Me – Mary Bentley, Smooth Views

Bass player Dwayne “Smitty” Smith is not really very well-known
beyond the inner circle where musicians reside. Nonetheless, his debut CD, This
Is Me, serves as a great introduction to his talent. If you didn’t know
who he was prior to hearing this CD, you will surely remember him by the time
the CD ends. There are 10 songs on this CD, most of them original tunes written
by Smitty. He effectively plays a number of styles here, easily moving from
funky, to smooth, to soulful, and spiritual. There are several headliner
musicians on this album helping him out, including Gerald Albright, Jeff Lorber,
and Will Downing. Smitty also has some good, solid side musicians playing
alongside him for this release, including: Brian Simpson, Oscar Seaton, Tony
Moore, Tim Gant, Dwight Sills, and Gail Johnson, among others. 

“Funky G,” which I presume is named for Gerald Albright, opens the
album with a smooth jazz sax groove by Albright, accented by Smitty on the bass.
Smitty next covers the Stevie Wonder tune, “Can’t Help It,”
(made famous by Michael Jackson.) You get to hear the bass strongly on this one
and get a sense of Smitty’s talent. The bass becomes his voice, and
it’s supplemented by the background vocals of Will Downing’s silky
baritone. In the title song, “This Is Me,” Smitty
“formally” introduces himself and takes you into the heart of his
playing. Aptly titled, “This Is Me,” this tune really introduces the
listener to what he can do on the bass. “Just a Taste” really is
just what the title says it is. It is a 57 second teaser. Just when you think
the song is going to take off, it’s over. “YLKMS (Your Love Keeps
Me Strong)” is an R&B flavored vocal tune, with the vocals being supplied
by Tim Kepler. This is standard R&B fare, but nonetheless, fits in with the
other songs on this release. “201 Lynwood” features Smitty playing
alongside Tim Gant on keys. Less we forget that this is a bass player’s
album, Smitty stretches out in the middle of the song and delivers a funky, head
bopping solo. 

The best songs on this CD are the ones where Smitty brings the bass front and
center and really showcases his talent, like “About That,”
“Palladium,” and “Little GoGo.” His moving version of
the spiritual, “Amazing Grace” is stellar. This song is played as
primarily a bass solo piece, and as it is the last song on the album, it leaves
the listener with a strong impression of both the musician and the instrument. 

This is a bass lover’s CD, and if you’re a fan of the instrument,
this is one for your collection.

01 - Funky G
02 - Cant Help It
03 - This Is Me
04 - Just A Taste
05 - YLKMS (Your Love Keeps Me Strong)
06 - 201 Lynwood
07 - About That
08 - Palladium
09 - Lil GoGo
10 - Amazing Grace

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