Sultry chanteuse Lavay Smith evokes a sensuous era of glamorous Jazz divas and sexy pinups adding a modern, feminist twist.  Whether singing her own compositions or drawing on a large repertoire of classics, Lavay and her all-star 8-piece band bake up an instant recipe for good times.

Lavay Smith, vocalist and bandleader of the Red Hot Skillet Lickers, grew up in Southern California and the Philippines. She has become known as a modern day Jazz and Blues diva with a singing style influenced by Billie Holiday, Dinah Washington, Bessie Smith and Little Esther Phillips.  Her enticing stage style is a cross between Marilyn Monroe and Bettie Page.

Lavay approaches her material from the standpoint of an independent woman, combining world-class singing and musicianship with contemporary and provocative lyrics.  Lavay’s musical stance is echoed in her real life role as owner of her own record label, Fat Note Records.  Her debut smash hit CD; “One Hour Mama” received widespread critical acclaim and has sold over 40,000 copies in the United States.  Her glamorous stage presence and high musical standards ensure that this diva will continue to be a best-selling independent phenomenon.
           
Lavay Smith’s 8-piece band features the finest musicians anywhere, consisting of four horns, piano, bass and drums. This is truly an all-star ensemble, Lavay’s musicians have performed and recorded with Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Nat “King” Cole, Frank Sinatra, Tito Puente, Lionel Hampton, Jay McShann, Johnny Otis, Wynton Marsalis, Big Joe Turner, Ray Charles, Big Mama Thornton, Taj Mahal, Little Esther Phillips to name a few.
             
The band first performed in 1989 and immediately began attracting crowds thanks to Lavay’s big, bluesy voice, exciting stage personality, and glamorous approach.  According to Fox TV, the band has become “a San Francisco Institution”.  In 1998, the reader’s of San Francisco’s two major newspapers, the Chronicle and the Examiner, voted Lavay Smith and Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers the “Best Band” in the annual reader’s poll.

Important publications have sung the praises of Lavay Smith and her band, including Jazz Times, Blues Revue, Jazziz, The New York Press, Living Blues, and the Alternative Press. Television and Radio appearances include “The News Hour with Jim Lehrer”, Fox TV’s “Fox Files”, and NPR’s “To the Best of Our Knowledge”.  World famous celebrities have jumped on the Lavay Smith bandwagon as well.  Johnny Otis says, “Lavay is wonderful! She and her band are a breath of fresh air.”  Dan Aykroyd says of Lavay’s debut album “...this CD is guaranteed to make you feel better.”  Even President Clinton has seen the light, proclaiming, “I love this band - they’re great!”

PERFORMANCES
Lavay Smith and Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers maintain a busy schedule of over 250 performances per year, including extensive touring throughout the United States and Canada.  They have performed at many prestigious venues including Lincoln Center, The Montreal Jazz Festival, The Chicago Jazz Festival, The Ottawa Jazz Festival, The Monterey Jazz Festival, The Kansas City Jazz & Blues Festival, The San Francisco Blues Festival, The Toronto Jazz Festival, and The Playboy Jazz Festival.
 
Lavay has performed in 40 states, Canada, Mexico, and Japan.  When not on the road, Lavay and her band are showcased every Friday at San Francisco’s hippest nightclub, the Cafe du Nord, where they have sold out shows for ten swinging’ years.  

RECORDINGS
Lavay owns her own record label, Fat Note Records, and produces her own CDs with musical director Chris Siebert.  Her debut CD “One Hour Mama” was an independent smash hit, outselling most major label jazz and blues releases, a true testament to her musical and business savvy.  Her second CD, “Everybody’s Talkin’ ‘Bout Miss Thing” repeated this success, staying on the Billboard Jazz charts for 20 consecutive weeks, and rising to #10. The album received widespread critical acclaim, including a prestigious Four & 1/2 Star review in Downbeat Magazine.

Lavay’s CD, “Everybody’s Talkin’ ‘Bout Miss Thing” (Fat Note Records) incorporates a variety of classic American musical styles, including swing, bebop, salsa, jump blues, and New Orleans R&B. Enlisting the arranging talents of David Berger, arranger for Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, the album includes six outstanding original tunes, many classics, and several obscure gems.