In 1990, Jill Sobule played a small, intimate concert in my Los Angeles home. I played bass that night, and thanks to a Sony MiniDisc — the very first direct-to-consumer digital recorder — we captured a clear, stereo document of that moment.

Jill tragically passed away in a house fire this past May. Listening back to this song, “Smoke Dreams,” the lyrics now feel hauntingly prophetic.

“Smoke dreams, billowing around me… taking me to places I’ve never been.”

Her voicings in this song are as unconventional and emotionally brilliant as anything Brian Wilson ever wrote. With suspended chords, altered dominants, and chromatic movement, Jill created a musical atmosphere that feels like it’s made of vapor.

In this video, I share that original performance, and then, together with my daughter Willow, we play it live — to honor Jill and keep this beautiful song alive.

� Guitarists: listen closely to the voicings. No charts online — this is your chance to feel your way through it.

�️ For Jill. For the music. For the memory.

— Gary Fong

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