Row Z is Richard’s blues/jazz band with an all-star cast- from their very first gig opening the inaugural year of the Southport Jazz Festival with none other than Courtney Pine CBE, to hitting the club charts and the dancefloors of the world, their style is simply unmistakeable- from the staccato funk-ska-reggae showpiece that is their song ‘Stalemate’ to their richly thematic and sophisticated ‘Green Penny’ EP, they never fail to stir up the musical brew.

Described as ‘totally off the radar’ and ‘bigband madness at it’s best’ by the press, Row Z are not your average band. Check out the latest Row Z releases out on the GHOSTNOTE label and signup to the mailing list for more news.

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Row Z Reviews

‘Row Z aren’t content to be pigeonholed into one musical genre; this is a band playing instrumental jazz, but also a band that tips its toes into funk, reggae and ska. STALEMATE is a single that straddles all four of those genres, the jazz heavy brass sections underpinned by off beat ska rhythms and low funk bass grooves. Perhaps kick-starting a new genre of jazz/ska here, STALEMATE grooves along like the soundtrack to some sixties Jamaican gangster movie – all fluid saxophone work, abrupt horn parps and funky bass lines. Impeccably cool in a way that only jazz can be – STALEMATE is the sound of summer come early’
Mike Bond (UKMusicSearch)

‘Fine slabs of cool, smooth jazz and funk’
News of the Noise

‘Club focused funk for the sophisticate DJ. Choice cuts’
Phonica Records

‘Row Z take a bold step with the release of this excellent single ‘Stalemate’. ‘Stalemate’ is as well put together and infectious as it gets really. Classy musicianship meets ‘grown-up ‘pop’ with innovation and more than a hint of optimism. Stalemate’ shows in its four and a half minutes that modern music doesn’t have to be cliched – it only has to be quality, even if it’s risky it can still work. Class will out!! And, Row Z sound like a quality act’
Toxic Pete

‘ROW Z – ‘Stalemate’- this one’s totally off the radar as this prototype drum ‘n’ bass track loses its drum ‘n’ bass tag to become probably the best ska track since More Specials. Chuck in a bit of jazziness on the breaks and this HAS to be track of the year. Go find and skank madly…’
Outdoor Minor Records

‘Dark, Polish jazz bizniz much in the same area as Zero dB’s ‘Bongos, Bleeps and Basslines’. Remixes a plenty are available on this killer twelve, but it’s the original version, with its live feel and dirty bass stabs, that hits the spot and rocks the joint every time- and it’s an A-side!!’
Dom Servini

‘Love it, bootyiful music, ladiez set to lose it big time. 5/5’
Alan Brown, Soul Seduction, Vienna

‘Love a lot the original, love all version for different mood and situaton! Dirty jazzy, broken, deep-tech-house! Great project!’
Kiki Solaris, Radio SIS, Cantania, Italy

‘Hey this is great! you guys creep up everytime with something better and totally unexpected’
Huw Ellies, CVibes, (Sydney, Australia)

‘Very fresh & funky…love it!… getting played… a lot!’
Juergen Drimal, Vienna Scientists

‘Nice fusion of electronica and breakbeats. love it! Swing Version blew me away!!! bigband madness at it`s best…’
Christophe Doepke

‘Row Z is putting you into “Stalemate” with a mover thats in the perfect middle in between soul-funky blaxploitation and cocktail-sipping Jazz lounging. Never too much in the past, never too far in the future Richard Smith takes his band from England to the Jazz floors of the world.’
SoulSeduction.com

“Amazing!”
Jools Holland (said about Richard)

“An outstanding guitarist and performer”
LIPA