Everyone craves certainty, especially during these tumultuous times. Guitarist Dee Brown created a jazzy album of R&B instrumentals on which he adopted the persona of a fictious character called “Mister Smooth,” who is confident, focused, and anchored in equanimity.

Writing eight new songs, most of them with his GRAMMY® nominated producer and longtime collaborator Valdez Brantley (Usher, Mary J. Blige, Keith Sweat, Lil Wayne), Brown’s sixth album will be released by Innervision Records on March 28th, 2025.

After opening the album with “Mister Smooth,” the Detroit- born and based artist offers a taste of his hometown on “Wes 8Mile,” which he wrote with multi-time Billboard No. 1 chart-topper Blake Aaron who produced the song that was issued as a single. Mike Parlett’s saxophone perfectly complements Brown’s cool toned electric jazz guitar riffs that invoke jazz guitar legend Wes Montgomery.

“Eight Mile is one of the main streets running through Detroit, and I grew up on the west side of Detroit” Dee explains. “The name ‘Wes 8Mile’ comes from my guitar hero Wes Montgomery’s unique style of playing, which often involved using octaves. An octave is a note that is eight diatonic notes away from the first note, and he would play these two notes together. My goal was to create an up-tempo groove that incorporated both octaves and single note playing, along with a half-step modulation.”

1. “Mister Smooth”
2. “Wes 8Mile”
3. “The Thing is…”
4. “We Are Family”
5. “Charming”
6. “Finesse”
7. “You Already Know”
8. “Charismatic”
9. “4th Dimension”
10. “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”

On what is a breathtakingly cultured, uplifting and most definitely smooth as silk new recording, it opens on the spellbinding jazzy-blues of “Mister Smooth” and the playful confidence of “Wes 8Mile,” the veritably soaring musical majesties of “The Thing is…,” a heartwarming rendition of the classic “We Are Family” and then we get the late night-hued warmth of “Charming.”

Along next is the polished ebb and flow of the mesmeric “Finesse” and that is in turn backed seamlessly by the flirtatiously cultured “You Already Know,” the fun and playful “Charismatic,” the album rounding out on the melodious “4th Dimension,” closing on a sumptuous rendition of the holiday staple “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.”

Stepping into the “Mister Smooth” character like a method actor while writing and recording the album wasn’t much of a stretch for Brown, who is a devout man of faith.

The confidence and maturity that he exudes on the recording and is on full display via his guitar work and the compositions he crafted for the set are bolden and empowering.

It’s a determined mindset purposed with overcoming challenges and adversity while remaining in 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,” Dee explains. “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,” he adds.

Official Purchase Links

www.deebrownjazz.com