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On this episode of the Sounds Visual Radio spinoff series How Deep Is Your Crate, trumpeter/composer David Smith phoned in to talk about his newest album Redstone, and shares some of his favorite albums from his crates.
Trumpeter/composer David Smith is a first-call trumpeter who has appeared on over sixty recordings including Grammy-winning albums Bianca Reimagined from the Dan Pugach Big Band (2025) and Four Questions from Arturo O’Farrill’s Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra (2020), Alan Ferber’s Grammy-nominated March Sublime and many other recordings with the likes of Manuel Valera, David Cook, Meg Okura and Jon Gordon, as well as frequent live performances with Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society, the Matt Pavolka Quintet and many others. Smith follows up two critically-acclaimed albums as a leader on Brooklyn Jazz Underground Records, Anticipation and Impetus, with his fourth album, Redstone, to be released April 10, 2026.
Redstone features his Quintet of Dan Pratt on tenor saxophone, Nate Radley on guitar, Gary Wang on bass and Allan Mednard on drums. Smith talks about the incredible band assembled for this recording: “The band played beautifully, I’m very grateful to have such high-level musicians playing my music. Nate Radley has been on all of my records, Gary Wang the last three now, and Dan Pratt, who helped me move into my first Brooklyn apartment twenty-five years ago, is on the last two. Sadly Anthony Pinciotti, who played on my last album, passed away in late 2024, but Allan Mednard has been one of my favorite drummers to play with in recent years and his playin shows exactly why.”
The title track, “Redstone,” refers to the beautiful Redstone Lake in central Ontario (photographed by Smith for the album cover) where Smith’s parents retired to. “The area has particular significance to me as it was where we had family gatherings as my children were growing up, and where I had my last visits with my father before he passed away in 2021,” explained Smith. Redstone is dedicated to the memory of Smith’s father Barrie Smith, and the late drummer, Anthony Pinciotti (who appears on Impetus). Smith also composed the track “Elegy” in tribute to his late father.
Smith associates Redstone Lake with his Canadian roots, and the massive importance of connecting with family, including his extended family in music. To that end, “Blackley” is dedicated to the late drummer, Jim Blackley, who hosted weekly sessions for musicians at his home in Toronto. Smith was a regular at Blackley’s trial-by-fire sessions over many years, and “his dedication, creativity and energy (despite being nearly fifty years my senior) were deeply inspiring and had much to do with my move to New York City twenty-five years ago,” said Smith. Smith composed the track “Almost” to reflect on dealing with challenges and the reality that sometimes things come up just short. “I love how everyone in the band played on this, it showcases what great musicians can do with a simple piece of music.” “Pulse” was written for a club in Brooklyn called the Brooklyn Artery, and was the result of composing on deadline and with a restriction. Smith explained that, “the original instrumentation was trumpet, voice, bass and drums, and serves as an example of how many times restrictions can be good friends of the creative process.”
Smith’s gorgeous sound really shines on the standard, “It Never Entered My Mind.” He explains his love for this tune, “it has been one of my favorite ballads for a long time and Miles’ Blue Note recording of it is a desert island must-have.” “’Misao’ is dedicated to my beautiful wife who supports and puts up with me,” said Smith. The album closes with Coltrane’s “Central Park West” which is, “a tune I’ve always loved and some years ago really started enjoying playing up-tempo, and taking a slightly different approach to it,” commented Smith.
Follow/Connect with David Smith:
https://www.facebook.com/davesmithtrumpet
https://www.instagram.com/davesmithtrumpet/?hl=en
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