Jon L. Smith Releases “Sueños”

by Kevin Johnson Friday, May 12th, 2023

Jon L. Smith: Sueños Jon L. Smith has returned with a new album called Sueños, which marks his fourth solo effort since 2020’s The Social. The record’s title is Spanish for “dreams,” and it fits the music perfectly. Smith builds spacey atmospheres from a blend of lo-fi hip hop, jazz, and R&B with textures that touch on something surreal.

Smith teamed up again with producer and multi-instrumentalist Simon Martinez, who also produced 2021’s Yermo. The duo kept the compositions shorter for the most part, but continued exploring the sounds they love.

“We love the music of J Dilla and Herbie, Robert Glasper, knxwledge, Monte Booker. Those are some definite influences of ours,” Smith tells us. “Simon and I come into the studio with ideas and sometimes we just create in the moment. Simon brings out the best in my composing and bass playing in the studio, as well as when we perform live. He’s my main influence as a player and a composer. He goes by ‘Flanafi’ on his personal projects as an artist. Super talented cat!”

The bass provides many functions throughout the songs from traditional bass lines to lead lines to chords. Part of the allure of Sueños is the varying textures. Smith aids the aural scenery changes by delivering an array of tones. Super subby lows fill out songs like “6th Remix” while a more present, bright tone for his fingerstyle drive “Always There” and “Choco”.

While Smith and Martinez created most of the music for the album, they had a few guests to spice things up.

“Legendary drummer George ‘Spanky’ McCurdy is on the last track,” Smith explains. “Up and coming Phenom, Yesseh Furaha-Ali is on a track on tenor sax. Corey Bernhard (keys, was the newest member of the Stephen Colbert late night band, is on a few tracks) and Lenny Mobley, phenomenal drummer, multi-instrumentalist out of Philly, on a few tracks as well.”

Hop into a dream state with the songs “Sinkinggg” and “Choco”: