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Sound Merchandise Entertainment (SME) is a South Florida-based live entertainment company dedicated to creating extraordinary jazz experiences that bring audiences closer to the music—and the artists who make it.
Founded in Washington, D.C. in 1995 and reimagined in South Florida, SME presents acclaimed and internationally recognized artists in intimate venues where the connection between performer and audience becomes part of the experience.
Our philosophy is simple: great music deserves to be experienced up close.
Rather than placing audiences hundreds of feet from the stage, SME creates opportunities to experience world-class musicians in rooms where every note, every improvisation, and every interaction can be felt.
From Grammy-nominated and award-winning artists to some of the most respected musicians in contemporary jazz, R&B, soul, and fusion, SME curates performances for people who don’t simply want to attend a concert—they want to experience one
THE SME EXPERIENCE
Close Enough to Feel the Music
There is something different about hearing a legendary musician from across a table instead of across an arena.
SME specializes in intimate performances that put audiences remarkably close to artists they may normally experience only in theaters, festivals, and large concert halls.
That intimacy changes the evening.
You can see the musicianship. Hear the subtleties. Feel the energy in the room. And, on many nights, meet and interact with the artists themselves.
It’s what transforms a concert into a memory.
The “Sip & Mingle” concept reflects SME’s belief that exceptional live music should also create opportunities for people to connect.
Originally conceived in the 1990s, Sip & Mingle brings a social dimension to the traditional concert experience.
Guests can arrive, enjoy a drink or dinner, meet fellow music lovers, and settle into an atmosphere designed around great music and good company.
It’s sophisticated without being stuffy, social without distracting from the performance, and distinctly SME.
We envision South Florida as one of America’s great destinations for live jazz—where internationally celebrated artists, exceptional local musicians, devoted jazz enthusiasts, and new generations of listeners come together.
SME’s goal is not simply to produce concerts. We want to contribute to a lasting cultural ecosystem in which jazz continues to evolve, audiences continue to grow, and extraordinary musicians have extraordinary rooms in which to perform.
Sound Merchandise Entertainment exists to connect audiences with extraordinary artists through intimate, thoughtfully curated live music experiences.
Our mission is to celebrate the artistry and legacy of jazz while helping build a vibrant live-music culture in South Florida—one exceptional performance at a time.
For Dr. J. Marc Davis, Sound Merchandise Entertainment is the intersection of a lifelong passion for music, entrepreneurship, education, and bringing people together.
A lifelong musician and bassist whose musical background also includes drums, Davis spent years performing with musicians and bands throughout South Florida, Washington, D.C., the Eastern Seaboard, and beyond. That experience gave him an appreciation not only for what happens onstage, but for everything required to create the environment in which a great performance can happen.
That musician’s perspective remains at the heart of SME.
Davis founded Sound Merchandise Entertainment in Washington, D.C. in 1995 and later reimagined the company in South Florida with a renewed focus on presenting world-class jazz in intimate settings.
Today, he brings together his experience as a musician, educator, entrepreneur, and producer to build events from both sides of the stage—respecting the artist while creating an exceptional experience for the audience.
He is joined in SME by his daughter, Kelcie Davis, a lifelong classically trained musician and DJ, continuing a family connection to music that spans generations.
Together with the SME team, their goal is straightforward:
Bring extraordinary artists into intimate rooms and create nights people remember long after the final note.
SME is proud to be part of a growing community of artists, audiences, venues, businesses, sponsors, and cultural partners who believe live music matters.
Every ticket purchased, partnership formed, artist presented, and new listener introduced to the music helps strengthen that community.
Whether you’re joining us for your first jazz concert or you’ve spent a lifetime following the music, there’s a seat for you at an SME show.
Come for the artist. Stay for the experience. Leave with a memory.
Discover our upcoming performances and experience world-class jazz the way it was meant to be experienced—up close.
