Gary Dean Smith

Guitarist and songwriter Gary Dean Smith is back with MELISSA ON FIRE. This single is a follow-up to his 2019 Malibu Films Records release AWAKENING, which remained on the NACC radio charts for 13 weeks.

MELISSA ON FIRE was written by Gary and fusion pianist Jeff Lorber. The cut was produced by Gary, Jeff Lorber and Spencer Pyne. It was recorded in several locations and is the very first release that was mixed and produced in Gary’s new San Jose studio, The BackRoom.

This song not only shows evidence of Gary’s rock-influenced jazz guitar playing, but it showcases Gary’s rich vocal performance, which is even sweeter when considering that a surgery left Gary “permanently speechless” just a year before the recording. Obviously, that diagnosis was premature.

Outstanding performances by Jeff Lorber, Natalie Mendoza and Jeff Miquel dovetail wonderfully with the performance of XPANSION OF A SUM which is the same lineup on Awakening. The band is bassist Spencer Pyne, keyboardist Donald Young, saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist Phil Reyes and drummer Steve Fitzgerald.

For a full bio please see www.Garydeansmithmusic.com