Photo Gallery

Live Performance Videos

Everette Harp & Richard Smith Perform "Monday Speaks" Live At The La Quinta Resort.

Hot Orange Big Band with Richard Smith at Hideaway, London's premier live music and comedy club Hideaway welcomes back the Hot Orange Big Band with singer Chantelle Duncan and jazz guitarist Richard Smith- a fabulous twenty piece orchestra led by vibes man Dave Hammer.

Richard Smith & Tico Pierhagen with Jakob Big-Band, Jakobstads Sinfonietta, Minna Tervamäki and students from the "Music House" in Jakobstad March 2016. Video: Bo Forsander Audio Pro Tools Mix: Patrick Lax

Los Angeles based guitarist Richard Smith joined up with Dave Hammer's twenty piece Latin, jazz and swing orchestra this summer at HIDEAWAY. Here he can be seen playing the title track from his album L.A. Chillharmonic. 

Early 2012, Richard Smith visited Søren Reiff in Denmark. He gave a guest lecture at The Rhythmic High School, and later that night, he and Søren gave a private concert for the students.
Here is the Thunder Sound of Richard Elliot and his band, Featuring Richard Smith on Acoustic guitar, Live in Washington, DC
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GEAR

I own close to 40 guitars, but my favorites were custom made and very special:
A 1987 James Tyler Studio Elite & 2016 Mark Gilbert Huon Pine Tele-style signature edition

As well as a:
1959 Gibson ES 355 mono TD
1964 Gibson Birdland (venetian cutaway)
1987 Gibson Chet Atkins electric nylon
1938 Gibson LG2 acoustic
2001 Sadowski electric nylon string
1996 Goodall Dreadnaught acoustic
2016 Paul Reed Smith Angeles acoustic
1964 Oscar Teller nylon string
1995 Amalio Burguet flamenco
2000 Jeffery Yong Batik Tele
1999 Danelectro electric

and about 30 others…

Interviews

A special interview with Richard Smith in London. Also about the new CD Heart of the Emigrants with Francesco Buzzurro. 

USC professor and jazz recording artist Richard Smith joins Chris Standring on this episode of The Inside Track. Richard brings in ace guitarist Stig Mathisen to accompany him.
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By Scott Wolf

Departing slightly from the nylon string world to explore contemporary styles with guitarist Richard Smith (although you will hear some nylon string playing from Italian Francesco Buzzurro on their collaborative album). When I met Richard, he was the department chair of the Studio/Jazz Guitar department at USC, and along with USC’s fairly new Popular Music program, Smith has since refocused his teaching duties from jazz to emphasize more contemporary and popular music styles. We will reap the benefits of that popular music knowledge here today, as he will give us some great songwriting advice. Smith’s forte is in smooth jazz and jazz fusion and he utilizes this genre to explore a great variety of styles, his latest being Argentine tango with a healthy dose of electronica. You’ll also hear him discuss the bad rap given to smooth jazz, along with some incredibly poignant suggestions for those determined to pursue a career in music.

The Color of Jazz

The Color of Jazz Internet TV Show goes to Amsterdam to talk with Richard Smith and Tico Pierhagen about their collaborations on the cd TANGOS

Interview by Shannon West

Guitarist, composer, sideman, producer, teacher, mentor and one of the most charismatic performers in Smooth Jazz - that just begins to describe Richard Smith. His recording career spans over 15 years and his academic accomplishments are even more impressive. He is on the faculty of the Thornton School at the University of Southern California, one of the nation‘s most prestigious music schools. He became the youngest department chairman and later was the youngest guitarist in the school's history to make the rank of Professor. Smith spent several years touring and recording with Richard Elliot while releasing a series of solo CDs and recording and touring with smooth jazz luminaries like Peter White, Kirk Whalum, Guitars and Saxes, Steve Reid, Dan Siegel, and Kenny G. His latest release, SOuLIDIFIED, features the top five smooth jazz hit "Sing A Song" and his current single "Whatz Up" is getting airplay nationwide. 

The ongoing themes of this conversation were passion and collaboration: the joy of working with others, sharing skills and supporting creative growth. This is an artist who will inspire you to nurture and chase your own dreams with intensity and commitment too.  

Tutorials

The Music Life: 

Information on his Tangos release and how to play in the pocket.

From The Guitar Institute:

Solo Technique

Pivoting technique on a scale. 

 

Octaving

From Lick Library:

How to Use Octaves

Richard Smith looks at how you can utilize Octaves in your blues. There's a hint of Wes Montgomery and its a great tool for expanding your expressive vocabulary and timbre.

 

Jazz Soloing Techniques

 

Funk Resources - Pt. 1

Learn how to play Funk guitar with Richard Smith. 

 

Smooth Jazz Guitar Techniques Performance

 

Smooth Jazz approach to the Guitar