STEVE SMITH AND VITAL INFORMATION

Steve Smith, the former drummer for the iconic rock band Journey, one of Modern Drummer Readers Poll’s Top 25 Drummers of All Time and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, has been touring and recording with his group Vital Information since 1983. 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 Info (The Perfect Date, Charukeshi Express, Eight+Five) plus two new original compositions. Rooted in the straight-ahead swing of bebop, the group explores exotic time- signatures from the world of South Indian Carnatic music and they have arranged “adventurous funk- driven renditions of jazz standards.”