In the 1980s he was a founder-member of the English Gamelan Orchestra and Liria, the first British groups to specialise in, respectively, Javanese classical and Albanian folk musics.
His style quickly developed into a highly eclectic pool of ideas ranging musically from the abstract to the markedly referential and which on occasion is informed by a commitment reminiscent of the later Cardew.
His acknowledged "influences" range from Alkan, Ives and Szymanowski to Albanian folk music, Duke Ellington, Tom Dissevelt and those with whom he has worked.
He is a member of CoMA (Contemporary Music-making for All) for whom he has composed works for large, flexible ensembles such as Murdoch or Fred West – which is best?
from 1st Piano concert (1985–6) from Whiskies of Islay (2006) from Aragonesca (1987) on Experimental Music Catalogue See also: Dave Smith (composer) on Soundcloud includes