Steve Smith
(Journey/Steps Ahead) - drums
Manuel Valera
(Dafnis Prieto/John Patitucci)) – keyboards
Janek Gwizdala
(Peter Erskine/Mike Stern)
Drummer Steve Smith has been touring and
recording with his all-star group Vital
Information
since 1983. The new line-up of Vital Information
incorporates players with vast experience.
Keyboardist
Manuel Valera, a
Guggenheim Fellow and Grammy nominated artist,
was born and raised in Havana, Cuba now living
in NYC, plays with many of the NY jazz elite
like Antonio Sanchez, Dafnis Prieto and John
Patitucci.
Bassist
Janek Gwizdala,
originally from London, records and tours with
Peter Erskine, Mike Stern, Randy Brecker and is
one of the most in-demand bass players in the
world.
The new trio version of Steve
Smith and Vital Information with Manuel Valera
on acoustic piano and synths, with Janek
Gwizdala on electric bass, 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
they have arranged adventurous funk-driven
renditions of jazz standards.
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.”
Seeing Steve Smith and Vital Information live is
a perfect opportunity to experience their
high-level musicianship, their sense of joy
onstage and their collective virtuosic
improvisation. Vital Information is
approaching its 40th Anniversary and Wounded
Bird Records is starting the celebration with
the 2022 release of The Complete Columbia
Recordings, a four CD set of the first four
Vital Information albums.
In addition to
his 40 years 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 is a member of the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
"Vital Information is one of improvised
music's best-kept secrets, the tunes are
adventurous and they always groove. The
musicians shoot for, and achieve, real emotion
rather than soulless fireworks." -
Felix Contreras, JazzTimes
since 1983. The new line-up of Vital Information
incorporates players with vast experience.
Keyboardist 
