Śmietana was born in Kraków. He studied at the Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music in Katowice.
Śmietana lead the band Extra Ball in 1974. He continued to lead this band until 1981. He was the leader of the Sounds Big Band Symphonic Sound Orchestra,[1] the Polish Jazz Stars Band. He was also a co-leader of the Namysłowski-Śmietana Quartet. He performed at festivals, concert tours, and workshops in the U.S., India, Asia and South America.
During his musical career he played and recorded with Art Farmer, Freddie Hubbard, Eddie Henderson, Vladislav Sendecki, Joe Zawinul, Janusz Muniak, Gary Bartz, Carter Jefferson, Vince Mendoza, John Abercrombie, Hamiet Bluiett, Idris Muhammad, Ronnie Burrage, Harvie Swartz, Mike Stern, Jack Wilkins, Zbigniew Seifert, Cameron Brown, Andy McKee, David Gilmore, Nigel Kennedy, He recorded more than 25 album as a band leader
He was the father of violinist Alicja Smietana. He died in 2013. In 2015, a contest, the International Jarek Śmietana Jazz Guitar Competition was initiated in his memory. It was held in Kraków.
Tracks
01. As Good As Always (Jarek Smietana)
02. Phantasmagoria (Jarek Śmietaną)
03. Sometimes In Winter...(Jarek Smietana)
04. Back To The Roots (Jarek Smietana)
05. The Slump (Tony Williams)
06. You Don't Know What Love Is (Don Raye/Gene DePaul)
JAREK SMIETANA guitar
EDDIE HENDERSON trumpet, flugelhorn
PIOTR BARON tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone
ANDRZEJ CUDZICH bass
GREG BANDY drums
Recorded October 23, 1994 at the Jazz Jamboree in Warsaw
Track 6 recorded October 24, 1993 at the Impart in Wroclaw
GOWI Records - CDG 33 (Poland)