The Steve Smith Store
Vital Information
Steve Smith’s Vital Information reinvents some gems from Steve’s career on New Perspective. Performing songs by Journey, Steps Ahead, and earlier versions of Vital Information, along with two recent originals, the trio turns old favorites into contemporary classics.
The group’s newest incarnation features virtuoso musicians Manuel Valera on keyboards and Janek Gwizdala on bass. Their 2025 release, New Perspective, features songs that Smith has previously recorded but with arrangements that are vastly different from the original recordings, including three songs by Journey (“Open Arms,” “Who's Crying Now,” “Don't Stop Believin'“) one from Steps Ahead (“Sumo” by Michael Brecker) three from Vital Information (“The Perfect Date,” “Charukeshi Express,” “Eight+Five”), and two new Manuel Valera compositions (“Three Of A Kind,” “Josef The Alchemist”).
New Perspective gives Steve Smith an opportunity to not just revisit some past triumphs but to create brilliant new music.
Featuring:
Steve Smith – drums
Manuel Valera - keyboards
Janek Gwizdala – bass
Stream Links: Click here for links to the album on all major streaming platforms!
Vinyl LP: Click here to purchase it from Amazon!
Dolby ATMOS: Click here to purchase Dolby ATMOS mixes!
Track Listing:
Don’t Stop Believin’
The Perfect Date
Charukeshi Express
Open Arms
Sumo
Eight + Five
Who’s Crying Now
Three of a Kind
Josef The Alchemist
New Perspective
Steve Smith’s Vital Information reinvents some gems from Steve’s career on New Perspective. Performing songs by Journey, Steps Ahead, and earlier versions of Vital Information, along with two recent originals, the trio turns old favorites into contemporary classics.
The group’s newest incarnation features virtuoso musicians Manuel Valera on keyboards and Janek Gwizdala on bass. Their 2025 release, New Perspective, features songs that Smith has previously recorded but with arrangements that are vastly different from the original recordings, including three songs by Journey (“Open Arms,” “Who's Crying Now,” “Don't Stop Believin'“) one from Steps Ahead (“Sumo” by Michael Brecker) three from Vital Information (“The Perfect Date,” “Charukeshi Express,” “Eight+Five”), and two new Manuel Valera compositions (“Three Of A Kind,” “Josef The Alchemist”).
New Perspective gives Steve Smith an opportunity to not just revisit some past triumphs but to create brilliant new music.
Featuring:
Steve Smith – drums
Manuel Valera - keyboards
Janek Gwizdala – bass
Stream Links: Click here for links to the album on all major streaming platforms!
Vinyl LP: Click here to purchase it from Amazon!
Dolby ATMOS: Click here to purchase Dolby ATMOS mixes!
Track Listing:
Don’t Stop Believin’
The Perfect Date
Charukeshi Express
Open Arms
Sumo
Eight + Five
Who’s Crying Now
Three of a Kind
Josef The Alchemist
Celebrating the band's 40th Anniversary, the band released the CD "Time Flies" with a companion CD "A Prayer For The Generations." Released as a two CD set signed by Steve Smith, you can order it here!
Featuring:
Steve Smith – drums
Manuel Valera - keyboards
Janek Gwizdala – bass
Special Guests
George Garzone - tenor sax
Mike Mainieri - vibraphone
Streaming links for both albums:
Click here for Time Flies!
Click here for A Prayer for the Generations!
DOLBY ATMOS versions: Click here!
Time Flies Track Listing:
Emergence
Tempus Fugue-It
Time Flies
Darn That Dream
Un Poco Loco
Self Portrait
Inception
Choreography in Six
No Qualm
Ugly Beauty
What Is This Thing Called Love?
Erdnase
A Prayer For The Generations Track Listing
One Down, One Up
A Prayer For The Generations Part 1
A Prayer For The Generations Part 2
A Prayer For The Generations Part 3
A Prayer For The Generations Part 4
A Prayer For The Generations Part 5
A Prayer For The Generations Part 6
A Prayer For The Generations Part 7
A Prayer For The Generations Part 8
Time Flies/A Prayer For The Generations
Celebrating the band's 40th Anniversary, the band released the CD "Time Flies" with a companion CD "A Prayer For The Generations." Released as a two CD set signed by Steve Smith, you can order it here!
Featuring:
Steve Smith – drums
Manuel Valera - keyboards
Janek Gwizdala – bass
Special Guests
George Garzone - tenor sax
Mike Mainieri - vibraphone
Streaming links for both albums:
Click here for Time Flies!
Click here for A Prayer for the Generations!
DOLBY ATMOS versions: Click here!
Time Flies Track Listing:
Emergence
Tempus Fugue-It
Time Flies
Darn That Dream
Un Poco Loco
Self Portrait
Inception
Choreography in Six
No Qualm
Ugly Beauty
What Is This Thing Called Love?
Erdnase
A Prayer For The Generations Track Listing
One Down, One Up
A Prayer For The Generations Part 1
A Prayer For The Generations Part 2
A Prayer For The Generations Part 3
A Prayer For The Generations Part 4
A Prayer For The Generations Part 5
A Prayer For The Generations Part 6
A Prayer For The Generations Part 7
A Prayer For The Generations Part 8
Wounded Bird Records has released the first four Vital Information albums in a four CD set. The music was originally recorded for Columbia Records from 1983-1988. The albums have been newly mastered from original ¼” masters. Steve Smith explains, “I searched my storage unit and found unmastered, ¼” safety copies of all four albums. My mastering engineer, Jim Brick of Absolute Audio, had the tapes baked and transferred onto digital. Jim did such an amazing job with the new mastering of the albums that they sound far better than the original releases.”
The first album, called Vital Information, was recorded in January of 1983, shortly after Steve had finished recording the Journey album Frontiers. As the long-time drummer of the group Journey, Columbia Records signed Smith as a solo artist. Smith went to work recording a group of musicians he had been playing with since the early 70s at the Berklee College of Music, which became the first incarnation of Vital Information. The first album features Mike Stern and Dean Brown on guitars, Tim Landers on bass, David Wilczewski on sax with Steve Smith on drums. As Vital Information developed through extensive live touring and studio savvy, the next three albums, Orion, Global Beat, and Fiafiaga (Celebration), feature a plethora of virtuosic and talented players including Andy Narell on steel pans, Ray Gomez, Barry Finnerty and Frank Gambale on guitars, Tom Coster, Kit Walker and Jay Oliver on keyboards, Lenny Castro, Mike Fisher and Armando Peraza on percussion and Kai Eckhardt on bass.
In the process of searching for master tapes, Smith found two unreleased, bonus tracks from Global Beat: “Jave and a Nail Revisited,” a drumset and percussion improvisation with Smith and percussionist Mike Fisher, and “Forget Me Not,” a medium tempo melodic piece featuring solos by guitarist Mike Stern and pianist Tom Coster. Both tracks are included in the new Wounded Bird collection.
Disc 1: Vital Information
Looks Bad Feels Good
Questionable Arrivals
V.G.
Vital Information
All That Is
Stoughton to Stockholm Samba
13th Month
Disc 2: Orion
Future Primitive
Thank You Mr. Edison
The Strut
Orion
Blade
The Adventures of Hector and Jose
Shadows PAst
Blues to Bappe II
Disc 3: Global Beat
One Flight Up
Island Holiday
Johnny Cat
Novato
Sunset
Jave and a Nail
Jave and a Nail Revisited
Global Beat
Black Eyebrows
In a Low Voice
Traditions in Transition
Blues to Bappe I
Forget Me Not
Disc 4: Fiafaga (Celebration)
Please Don’t Feel Bad
The Chant
Maltese Connection
Fiafaga (Celebration)
Babaluwaiye (The Creator)
Sunday Afternoon
The Perfect Date
Whenever You're Ready
50/50
The Complete Columbia Recordings
Wounded Bird Records has released the first four Vital Information albums in a four CD set. The music was originally recorded for Columbia Records from 1983-1988. The albums have been newly mastered from original ¼” masters. Steve Smith explains, “I searched my storage unit and found unmastered, ¼” safety copies of all four albums. My mastering engineer, Jim Brick of Absolute Audio, had the tapes baked and transferred onto digital. Jim did such an amazing job with the new mastering of the albums that they sound far better than the original releases.”
The first album, called Vital Information, was recorded in January of 1983, shortly after Steve had finished recording the Journey album Frontiers. As the long-time drummer of the group Journey, Columbia Records signed Smith as a solo artist. Smith went to work recording a group of musicians he had been playing with since the early 70s at the Berklee College of Music, which became the first incarnation of Vital Information. The first album features Mike Stern and Dean Brown on guitars, Tim Landers on bass, David Wilczewski on sax with Steve Smith on drums. As Vital Information developed through extensive live touring and studio savvy, the next three albums, Orion, Global Beat, and Fiafiaga (Celebration), feature a plethora of virtuosic and talented players including Andy Narell on steel pans, Ray Gomez, Barry Finnerty and Frank Gambale on guitars, Tom Coster, Kit Walker and Jay Oliver on keyboards, Lenny Castro, Mike Fisher and Armando Peraza on percussion and Kai Eckhardt on bass.
In the process of searching for master tapes, Smith found two unreleased, bonus tracks from Global Beat: “Jave and a Nail Revisited,” a drumset and percussion improvisation with Smith and percussionist Mike Fisher, and “Forget Me Not,” a medium tempo melodic piece featuring solos by guitarist Mike Stern and pianist Tom Coster. Both tracks are included in the new Wounded Bird collection.
Disc 1: Vital Information
Looks Bad Feels Good
Questionable Arrivals
V.G.
Vital Information
All That Is
Stoughton to Stockholm Samba
13th Month
Disc 2: Orion
Future Primitive
Thank You Mr. Edison
The Strut
Orion
Blade
The Adventures of Hector and Jose
Shadows PAst
Blues to Bappe II
Disc 3: Global Beat
One Flight Up
Island Holiday
Johnny Cat
Novato
Sunset
Jave and a Nail
Jave and a Nail Revisited
Global Beat
Black Eyebrows
In a Low Voice
Traditions in Transition
Blues to Bappe I
Forget Me Not
Disc 4: Fiafaga (Celebration)
Please Don’t Feel Bad
The Chant
Maltese Connection
Fiafaga (Celebration)
Babaluwaiye (The Creator)
Sunday Afternoon
The Perfect Date
Whenever You're Ready
50/50
Steve Smith's band, whose lineage goes back more than 30 years, has released it's burning new album, Heart of the City. It features 12 tunes performed by six amazing musicians: Baron Browne (bass and vocals), Mark Soskin (piano and Rhodes), Vinny Valentino (guitar), Andy Fusco (alto sax), and George Brooks (tenor and alto saxes).
All copies are signed (cannot be personalized)!
Track Listing
Mr. P.C.
Rhythm-A-Ning
Eight + Five
Bugalulu
Heart of the City
City Outskirts East
I Love You
I'm an Old Cowhand (From the Rio Grande)
City Outskirts West
Open Dialogue
Charukeshi Express
Cherokee (Indian Love Song)
Heart of The City
Steve Smith's band, whose lineage goes back more than 30 years, has released it's burning new album, Heart of the City. It features 12 tunes performed by six amazing musicians: Baron Browne (bass and vocals), Mark Soskin (piano and Rhodes), Vinny Valentino (guitar), Andy Fusco (alto sax), and George Brooks (tenor and alto saxes).
All copies are signed (cannot be personalized)!
Track Listing
Mr. P.C.
Rhythm-A-Ning
Eight + Five
Bugalulu
Heart of the City
City Outskirts East
I Love You
I'm an Old Cowhand (From the Rio Grande)
City Outskirts West
Open Dialogue
Charukeshi Express
Cherokee (Indian Love Song)
Steve Smith & Vital Information NYC Edition
Viewpoint
10 new tracks, including three drum solo pieces, plus two LIVE bonus tracks!
Steve Smith and Vital Information NYC Edition was the culmination of three of Steve Smith’s touring and recording bands known as Buddy’s Buddies, Jazz Legacy and Vital Information. Viewpoint features a combination of musical styles these groups have performed as well as three members from each of the bands.
The band features Steve Smith, Baron Browne on bass, Andy Fusco on alto saxophone, Mark Soskin on piano and Fender Rhodes, Vinnie Valentino on guitar and special guest Walt Weiskopf on tenor sax.
The CD features 10 new tunes, including three drum solo pieces and two bonus live tracks!
Live! One Great Night
2012 Release
CD + DVD Package (filmed in B&W)
DVD includes all tracks plus a BONUS Track!
Live! One Great Night (BFM Jazz) captures Vital Information in its natural habitat: On stage in front of an enthusiastic audience of music lovers with the band in high gear, pulling out all the stops for the entire set.
This recording is a superb example of the creative development in Vital Information’s music. Most of the compositions on Live! One Great Night were originally recorded on the studio albums Come On In and Vitalization. If you compare the performances on this release to the original recordings, you will hear significant musical growth both individually and collectively.
Our music allows for individual expression and re-invention. Every night on the bandstand we want to surprise each other with new ideas and in the process keep our audience “in the moment” with us.
On November 7, 2007 Vital Information was nearing the end of a year of extensive world touring. The band played a date at a small venue in Oregon, and we agreed to a webcast, which at the time was a novel idea. Five years later, as Vital Information approaches its 30th Anniversary, I was looking for some documentation of our various periods and I remembered that night in Oregon. After numerous emails and phone calls I was able to track down the recording of the concert. As a bonus we also found video footage of our webcast.
After listening to the performances I was thrilled to hear that the group played an exciting set, not studio “perfect,” but alive and spontaneous, with creative grooves, inspired interaction and expansive improvisation. I felt that including a DVD of the concert added an extra dimension to this package and while editing the video, we decided to add one more song to the DVD program.
I feel that Live! One Great Night is an insightful documentation of the group’s development. Our keyboardist, Tom Coster, has been in VI since 1986 and Baron Browne has been our bass player since 1998. Guitarist Vinny Valentino joined us in 2006 and had been playing with the group just over one year at the time of this recording.
The results of this collaboration are raw and exhilarating. This line-up of Vital Information has continued to play together and evolve over the last fi ve years. But, by going back and hearing this performance in the formative year of the quartet, it feels as though we’ve uncovered an unexpected gem.
Enjoy,
- Steve Smith
Track listing for the CD/DVD
Cat Walk
Time Tunnel
Interwoven Rhythms - Synchronous
Seven and a Half
Khanda West
The Trouble With
Interwoven Rhythms-Dialogue
The Closer
Jimmy Jive
Positano (bonus track on the DVD)
Vitalive!
2009 Release
Must-have special remastered version with a bonus track and all-new liner notes!
Vital Information recorded live in 1989. Frank Gambale, guitar; Larry Grenadier, bass; Larry Schneider, sax; Tom Coster, keys, Steve Smith, drums; guest Tom Coster, Jr., keys.
"Vitalive!" is a documentation of a group that I had for a short time in the late 1980s - this configuration was the most "jazz" version of Vital Information to date. Joining long-time Vital Information members Tom Coster on keyboards and Frank Gambale on guitar, were a young 20 year-old Larry Grenadier on acoustic bass and the seasoned jazz veteran Larry Schneider on saxophone. With myself on drums the band coalesced into a unique "jazz/rock" unit with a sound that stands the test of time. Originally released on VeraBra/Intuition Records in Europe and Manhattan/Blue Note for the USA, Vitalive! has been out of print since the mid 90s. This new version has been re-mastered with a marked improvement in sound and includes an added a bonus-track that I found in the vaults." - Steve Smith, 2009
Track Listing
One Flight Up
Looks Bad, Feels Good
Jave and a Nail
What Lies Beyond
I Should Care
Mac Attack
Johnny Cat
The Perfect Drive
Island Holiday
Europa
Mac Attack (alt. take) Bonus Track!
Vitalization
2007 Release
Click here to open the preview page with extended and unedited liner notes.
Track Listing
Interwoven Rhythms - Synchronous
Get Serious
The Trouble With
The Bottom Line
Seven and a Half
Interwoven Rhythms - Dialogue
J Ben Jazz
You Know What I Mean
Groove Time
The Closer
Jimmy Jive (for Jimmy Smith)
Positano
Get the play along!
Click here to open the PlayAlong Tunes Web site
(scroll down to Vitalization)
Come On In
2004 Release
With the jazz fusion quartet's 11th album, Come On In, Tom Coster, Frank Gambale, Baron Browne and Steve Smith serve up a veritable banquet of sounds, from slamming funk and syncopated second line grooves to seriously swinging, uptempo B-3 burners, South Indian Carnatic inspired jams and sizzling fuzoid romps.
Click here to open the preview page, with extended and unedited liner notes!
Live From Mars
2001 Release
This is a band bootleg usually available only at gigs. Frank Gambale, Tom Coster, Baron Browne, and Steve Smith recorded live during the 'Show 'Em Where You Live' tour at Mars Music in Somerville, MA. on November 18, 2000. The group burns through material from 'Show 'Em...' and more.
Track Listing
Mr. T.C.
Swamp Stomp
Cranial Jam
Listen Up!
Drum Improv
Happy House
Soul Principle
Over and Out!
Show ‘Em Where You Live
2001 Release
A development on the direction established on Where We Come From. This album is very high energy, adventurous and “jazz-funk-fusion” oriented. Frank Gambale, Tom Coster, Baron Browne, and Steve Smith return with their unique blend of jazz fusion performing mostly original compositions, as well as their rendition of Jimmy Heath's 'Gingerbread Boy' and more.
Click here for liner notes and credits!
Track Listing
Cranial #1 Right Now
Mr. T.C.
Shagadelic Boogaloo
Cranial #2 The Jinx
Soul Principle
Our Man in Louisiana
Cat and Mouse
Cranial #3 Azul
Sideways Blues
The Blackhawk
Cranial #4 Where We Live
The Fire Still Burns (for Jimi)
Cranial #5 Awaken the Hoodoo
Cranial #6 Mata Hari
Gingerbread Boy
Cranial #7 Brake Failure
Live Around The World
Where We Come From Tour 1998-1999
2000 Release
This is a double-CD featuring Frank Gambale on guitar, Tom Coster on keys, Baron Browne on bass, and Steve Smith on drums. It was recorded live in Australia, Canada, Holland, and the U.S. during 1998/99. Fifteen live tracks and two new studio bonus tracks.
Click here to read the liner notes!
Track Listing
Dr. Demento
Moby Dick
Swamp Stomp
Cranial Jam
Happy House
Fortaleza
First Thing This Morning
The Perfect Date
It's a Jungle Out There (studio bonus track)
The Drum Also Waltzes
Take Eight
Listen Up!
Europa
Do You Read Me?
Over and Out!
Mr. PC
Soulful Drums (studio bonus track)
Where We Come From
1998 Release
A transition recording for Vital Information, the band re-invented itself with a rootsy amalgam which ran the stylistic gamut from James Brown funk to Meters/Booker T & The MGs soul to searing Tony Williams Lifetime-inspired fusion while making further allusions to jazz icons like Buddy Rich, Jimmy Smith, Wes Montgomery and Ornette Coleman along the way.
Where We Come From won the Indie Award in 1998 for "Jazz Recording of the Year." The eighth release from Vital Information with Frank Gambale on guitar, Tom Coster on Hammond B-3, Jeff Andrews on bass, and Steve Smith on drums! Along with the groups original tunes, they cover Led Zeppelin's 'Moby Dick', Ornette Coleman's 'Happy House' and a previously unrecorded Jaco Pastorius composition 'Blow Fish Blues.'
Click here to read the liner notes!
Track List
Dr. Demento
Moby Dick
Craniac Trilogy-Part 1: Transport
Listen Up!
Swamp Stomp
Craniac Trilogy - Part 2: The Extraction
First Thing This Morning
Take Eight
Craniac Trilogy - Part 3: The Implant
Bob
Cranial Joy: Completion
Happy House
Cranial Meltdown: Dementia
Blow Fish Blues
Sitting Ducks
One in a Lifetime
008
Ray Of Hope
1996 Release
Frank Gambale, guitar; Jeff Andrews, bass; Tom Coster, keys; Steve Smith, drums. The recording just before Vital Information made a transition into being more of a “Soul-Jazz” oriented group. Strong group compositions including Over and Out, Ray Of Hope and Clouds. Jeff Andrews shines on the Horace Silver tune Peace and his own composition Fit To Be Tied. In general, this recording is Vital Info’s “smoothest” sound.
Track List
Clouds
Celebrate Life
Rio-Lize
Lorenzo’s Soul
Sacred Treasure
Sixth Sense
Ray of Hope
Maxed Out
All My Love, Always
Peace
Fit to be Tied
Over and Out!
Orion
1984 Release
The second Vital Information album. Dean Brown and Eef Albers play some stunning guitar together on this fusion masterpiece. Dean Brown and Eef Albers, guitar; Dave Wilczewski, sax; Tim Landers, bass; and Steve Smith, drums.
Track Listing
Future Primitive
Thank You Mr. Edison
The Strut
Orion
Blade
The Adventures of Hector and Jose
Shadows Past
Blues to Bappe II
This title is currently
out of print.
Vital Information
1983 Release
Solo debut of Steve Smith and Vital Information, recorded in 1983. Dean Brown and Mike Stern on guitars; Dave Wilczewski on sax; Tim Landers on bass; and Steve Smith on drums.
Track Listing
Looks Bad Feels Good
Questionable Arrivals
V.G.
Vital Information
All That Is
Stoughton to Stockholm
13th Month