Middle C Jazz Club

Craft cocktails and small plates begin at 6:00 pm.

Middle C Jazz has General Admission seating available on a first-come basis. We also offer preferred seating for our Baby Grand members. 

Click here for a special message from Mr. Groove.

Tim Smith, bass

Roddy Smith, guitar

Tim Gordon, saxophone and flute

Mark Stallings, keyboards

Donnie Marshall, drums

Shelley Ruffin, guest vocalist

If the name Smith and the city of Charlotte ring a bell musically, it is because the Smith legacy started there in 1950 when guitarist Arthur Smith, and his two brothers, Ralph and Sonny, became the musical face of the brand new television station, WBTV. Arthur became one of the most innovative and imitated guitarists in the world, eventually penning two of the largest selling instrumentals of all time, Guitar Boogie and Dueling Banjos. “Brother” Ralph became a household fixture as part of the group, and as one of the faces of Bost Bread. He was a beloved entertainer and comedian, and the father of Tim and Roddy, both destined to follow in the very large Smith footsteps.

Mr. Groove started in 1986 under the name Side 1. It started as a duo with bassist Tim Smith and guitarist and brother Roddy Smith. Armed with the latest in technology, they created background tracks and sequences and began playing at venues all around the Carolinas. A chance meeting with vocalist Darryl Johnson led to the formation of a very powerful and popular trio. In addition to performing live, all three members were in-demand studio musicians which led to growing from the trio to a six piece band including Donnie Marshall on drums, Mark Stallings on keyboards, and Tim Gordon on sax. There were many other musicians who performed along with the band including drummer Tony Creasman, saxophonist John Alexander, keyboardist David Zeltner, and others. With the Smith brothers move to Nashville, they continued to record with some of the foremost musicians in the world, including drummer Keith Carlock (Steely Dan), percussionist Lenny Castro (Toto, John Mayer), saxophonists Bill Evans (Miles Davis, Mahavishnu Orchestra), Mark Douthit (Michael McDonald, Larry Carlton), and Ed Calle (Grammy winner, Arturo Sandoval), pianists Martin Bejerano (Roy Haynes) Jim Beard (Steely Dan, Michael Brecker), and Sony Latin vocalist supreme Roxana Amed, among others. The current Mr. Groove project title “Meadow Park” includes of the past and current members of the group, and is a stunning collection of melodies, grooves, and some amazing improvisation.

Middle C Jazz has General Admission seating available on a first-come basis. We also offer preferred seating for our Baby Grand members. 

Click here for a special message from Mr. Groove.

Tim Smith, bass

Roddy Smith, guitar

Tim Gordon, saxophone and flute

Mark Stallings, keyboards

Donnie Marshall, drums

Shelley Ruffin, guest vocalist

If the name Smith and the city of Charlotte ring a bell musically, it is because the Smith legacy started there in 1950 when guitarist Arthur Smith, and his two brothers, Ralph and Sonny, became the musical face of the brand new television station, WBTV. Arthur became one of the most innovative and imitated guitarists in the world, eventually penning two of the largest selling instrumentals of all time, Guitar Boogie and Dueling Banjos. “Brother” Ralph became a household fixture as part of the group, and as one of the faces of Bost Bread. He was a beloved entertainer and comedian, and the father of Tim and Roddy, both destined to follow in the very large Smith footsteps.

Mr. Groove started in 1986 under the name Side 1. It started as a duo with bassist Tim Smith and guitarist and brother Roddy Smith. Armed with the latest in technology, they created background tracks and sequences and began playing at venues all around the Carolinas. A chance meeting with vocalist Darryl Johnson led to the formation of a very powerful and popular trio. In addition to performing live, all three members were in-demand studio musicians which led to growing from the trio to a six piece band including Donnie Marshall on drums, Mark Stallings on keyboards, and Tim Gordon on sax. There were many other musicians who performed along with the band including drummer Tony Creasman, saxophonist John Alexander, keyboardist David Zeltner, and others. With the Smith brothers move to Nashville, they continued to record with some of the foremost musicians in the world, including drummer Keith Carlock (Steely Dan), percussionist Lenny Castro (Toto, John Mayer), saxophonists Bill Evans (Miles Davis, Mahavishnu Orchestra), Mark Douthit (Michael McDonald, Larry Carlton), and Ed Calle (Grammy winner, Arturo Sandoval), pianists Martin Bejerano (Roy Haynes) Jim Beard (Steely Dan, Michael Brecker), and Sony Latin vocalist supreme Roxana Amed, among others. The current Mr. Groove project title “Meadow Park” includes of the past and current members of the group, and is a stunning collection of melodies, grooves, and some amazing improvisation.