The Smooth Show is a Philadelphia-based band that blends jazz, funk, R&B, hip-hop, and soul to create a unique sound — and, more importantly, a fun time! Stephen Mitnaul (alto saxophone) is the creator of The Smooth Show. After relocating from Columbia, SC, he gained notoriety in Philadelphia through years of playing on the open mic scene — eventually earning his first feature performance in June 2015. And despite performing with various musicians from the open mic scene, audiences routinely lauded Stephen’s performances as “so smooth;” hence, The Smooth Show moniker was born. However, Stephen knew he needed to identify consistent musicians to be part of a band in order for The Smooth Show to truly have a signature sound.

The band members of The Smooth Show became connected to each other through the church. Clayton Carothers (drums) became a mainstay of the band after he joined in 2016, and David Criswell (keyboards) became a mainstay of the band in 2017. The Smooth Show performed predominately as a trio until Lloyd Billups (bass guitar) joined the band in 2019 — creating the captivating & engaging quartet that The Smooth Show is recognized as today. The moments of improvisation are a featured component of their performances, and these moments highlight both the talent & joy these men have when playing music together.