About Us
What The Smokin' Js can do for you
We play a wide variety of everybody's favorite songs, spanning from the '50s to modern hits, and can also DJ in between live sets. We cater the configuration of the band from acoustic or electric, solo, duo, or trio, to perfectly fit your event or venue, whether it's a wedding, corporate mixer, restaurant, bar, or private party.
Wherever The Smokin' Js go, the party follows...
The history of the smokin' js
The Smokin' Js: An Origin Story
The year: 1993. The venue: a community college guitar class in the modest suburb of Pleasant Hill, California. The players: "Smokin'" Jay Jackl (rhythm guitar & vocals); Jimmy "Kiko" "Hollywood" "Midnight" Wrenn (bass & vocals); Josh D'dami (lead guitar & vocals); and Joe "The Studboy" Lujan (drums & snacks). Four guys with big dreams and relatively open schedules set out to take the tri-city area by storm. After some underwhelming early gigs that included a church smorgasbord and a one-off at Bronco Billy's Pizza Palace, Josh eventually left for greener pastures to join future Smokin' J guitarist and vocalist Kevin Kennedy's band Tubmblin' Dice.
As fate would have it, Kennedy disbanded his own group (expressly, according to Kev) to join The Js. After hundreds of gigs, amassing a sea of adoring fans and an awareness of the band that began to extend beyond immediate friends, family, and local law enforcement, this "Classic" lineup recorded the mega-hit album Thank You For Smokin' in 1997, featuring an impressive array of cover tunes and several originals (copyrights pending).
As time passed and certain members' work furlow stints with the band wrapped up, The Smokin' Js ultimately morphed into the 1998-2015 "Golden Era" lineup of Jay Jackl (bass & vocals), Dave Andre (guitars & vocals), and Tim Carter (drums & vocals). Since that time, Carter departed to play lead guitar in the UK powerhouse band Kasabian, with close friend and drummer extraordinaire Roger Glomb taking over the Smokin' Js drum throne.
The current-day Smokin' Js band is an open, revolving lineup of cool and talented local musicians, customized to fit whatever the gig calls for. Some of these all-stars include The Js' original drummer, Joe Lujan, and the "Fifth Smokin' J," Sean Kennedy on guitar and/or bass.
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