Michael-Louis Smith

“Take A Step Back” performs the music of The Grateful Dead. The love for the music, and all that it stands for runs deep in all the members of TASB who realize of the important innovations, and contributions The Grateful Dead and their crew made to the world of music, touring, sound engineering, technology, and live recording. Not to mention vast cannon of repertoire featuring uplifting rhythms, unique song forms, organic harmonic progressions and the gorgeous and often cryptic storytelling in the lyrics that connects the listener to the inner fabric of the universe and the spiritual elements of humanity.

Smith, widely known as a jazz instrumentalist and composer, got his start as a young teenager singing the songs of Robert Hunter and Bob Dylan in places such as Caffe Lena in upstate New York.  Inspired by a live performance of the band on his 14th Birthday at Madison Square Garden In 1991, he credits Garcia and the Dead among his earliest and most potent inspirations to become a musician.  

He will be joined by longtime friend and collaborator Dave Berger on drums from the band Left Ear Trio, electric bass virtuoso Mike Roninson, and introducing Chris Carballeira on keys, and Dan Gerken on guitar.