Everyone craves certainty, especially in these tumultuous times. Detroit guitarist dee Brown has created a jazzy album with R&B instrumentals that finds him taking on the role of a fictional character named “Mister Smooth,” who is confident, focused and rooted in equanimity. Brown penned eight new songs, most with GRAMMY®-nominated producer and frequent collaborator Valdez Brantley (Usher, Mary J. Blige, Keith Sweat, Lil Wayne), and his sixth album will be released on March 28 via Innervision Records. The melodic title track will be released as a single the same day. It wasn’t much of a challenge for Brown, a dedicated man of faith, to step into the shoes of the character “Mister Smooth” as a method actor while writing and recording the album. The confidence and maturity he exudes on the recording, and which is fully on display in his guitar playing and the compositions he’s created for the set, are bold and encouraging. It’s a determined mindset that aims to overcome challenges and adversity while maintaining control—even when the world feels chaotic. “Mister Smooth embodies a person who is consistently on top of things and maintains control in any situation. Even when faced with uncertainty, he excels at ‘faking it until he makes it,’ elevating the experience for everyone involved. I created an album that captures the essence of what it means to be a Mister Smooth. This concept isn’t just a reflection of who I am or aspire to be; it represents a powerful attribute that enhances any situation. The name itself resonates with many, making it relatable and appealing. This is perfectly aligned with the type of music we produce and the kind of person with whom we all aspire to be,” Brown said. Opening the album with the laid-back title track, he gives us a taste of his hometown with “Wes 8Mile,” which he co-wrote with multiple Billboard No. 1 chart-topper Blake Aaron, who produced the song that was released as a single. Mike Parlett’s saxophone perfectly complements Brown’s cool electric jazz guitar riffs, which recall jazz guitar legend Wes Montgomery. Another collaboration with Aaron resulted in the beautiful ‘The Thing Is…’, which adds horn player and arranger David Mann, keyboardist Tateng Katindigand Aaron’s rhythm guitar to the ensemble. It was the album’s second single and charted. A cover of Sister Sledge’s ‘We Are Family’ follows, with a jazzy middle section. The tempo slows down with ‘Charming’, followed by ‘Finesse’. The first single was the mid-tempo ‘You Already Know’, and the vibrant ‘Charismatic’ gets a boost from Merlon Devine’s soprano sax. Brown explains: “Initially, Valdez (Brantley) played the flute sound on the track on his keyboard, but I felt we needed a live flute player. Unfortunately, all the flautists we knew were unavailable. I suggested using a soprano saxophone instead and called my good friend, Merlon Devine. We decided to keep the keyboard flute sound after all, but it’s Merlon’s beautiful soprano sax that really stands out on this track.” Something completely different is ‘4th Dimension’, on which Dee goes more into rock. He was influenced by Jeff Beck, Carlos Santana, Jimi Hendrix, and Jimmy Page and wanted a rocky, funky groove. In the end it became jazz rock. The Christmas song ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’ closes with vocalist Jayla Treasure. A beautiful album, that puts Dee back on the map!
		Website dee Brown Tracks: Mister Smooth Wes 8Mile The Thing is… We Are Family Charming Finesse You Already Know Charismatic 4th Dimension Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas