Ian J. Smith (a.k.a. i.j. smith) is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, and singer-songwriter
from San Francisco, California.
Starting on guitar at the age of nine, Smith's musical development evolved amidst the wide variety of cultures and styles that are the essence of San Francisco's cultural diversity. His most formative influences include: Jimi Hendrix, Ludwig van Beethoven, John Coltrane, Pink Floyd, Erik B. and Rakim, and more recent artists such as D.J. Shadow, OZOMATLI, and P.J. Harvey.
Smith's musical career spans from performances at the Haight and Grant Street Fairs at age eleven to earning a Bachelor of Music degree from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music in 1996. His involvement with the San Francisco band Foodstamp, featuring Gannon Hall and Arthur Liboon (the rhythm section from Mordred) provided an environment for some of the beginning stages of his song writing skills. Performing on the '97 HORDE tour, Foostamp released an enhanced CD on local label funct