Home » Jazz Articles » Ches Smith
Jazz Articles about Ches Smith
Ches Smith: Laugh Ash
by Glenn Astarita
Ches Smith's Laugh Ash is not your garden-variety jazz concoction. Instead, it is a genre-defying, shape-twisting auditory escapade that does not just push the envelope--it sends it soaring into the stratosphere. It is both bewildering and bedazzling. These compositions stand as a towering testament to Smith's impressive acumen as a drummer, percussionist, and composer, a veritable Houdini of the music world who escapes the shackles of convention to chart a mesmerizing course through uncharted musical terrains.Right from the ...
read moreSunny Five: Candid
by Glenn Astarita
With the ever-evolving tapestry of experimental jazz, striking the perfect balance between familiar echoes and trailblazing sounds can be a delicate act. Intakt's latest release, Sunny Five, not only navigates this tightrope with finesse but also performs a dazzling dance across it. This album serves as a vibrant reminder of the joy and spontaneity that lie at the heart of jazz. Delivered by a collection of renowned New York-based musicians, each a master in their own right, the band offers ...
read moreMendoza - Hoff - Revels: Echolocation
by Glenn Astarita
In the ever-evolving landscape of contemporary jazz, Echolocation emerges as a bold exploration of sonic frontiers. Crafted through the collaborative virtuosity of Ava Mendoza on guitar and Devin Hoff on bass, this project embarks on a musical journey which delves deep into the avant-garde jazz realm, blending experimental rock, electric jazz, and the limitless creativity of neo-psychedelia. The album commences with “Dyscalculia," a track which weaves the raw energy of metal with the intricate layers of free jazz, ...
read moreChes Smith, Damasiewicz / Wania, Fujii / Ono & Roberto Ottaviano
by Maurice Hogue
Plenty of genre-stretching music in this episode, from drummer Ches Smith's new Laugh Ash, vocalist Amirtha Kidambi & Elder Ones and their drive to make their music reflect the need for protest, and the Ewart/Asplin/Ricks Trio, featuring master AACM reedist Douglas Ewart, recorded live at BYU. Polish trumpeter Piotr Damasiewicz hooks up with fellow Pole, the talented pianist Dominik Wania for the intimate The Way, The Truth, The Life “ while Satoko Fujii joins saxophonist Ryoko Ono for a sparkling ...
read moreNew Music From Ches Smith, Eva Novoa, Arve Henriksen & Harmen Fraanj, And More
by Bob Osborne
On this show we feature new music from Ches Smith, Eva Novoa, Arve Henriksen & Harmen Fraanj, Matthieu Bordenave, Adam Schroeder & Mark Masters, Ewart Asplund Ricks Trio , Christoph Gallio Day & Taxi, Recabarren Menares Vazquez, Ken Vandermark's Edition Redux, Drazek Fuscaldo Drake Aoki Jones & Abrams, and a recording from the 1960s from Michael Garrick.Playlist Show Intro 00:00 Ches Smith “Sweatered Webs (Hey Mom)" from Laugh Ash (Pyroclastic) 01:00 Eva Novoa “Rocket Man" from Novoa / ...
read moreChes Smith: Laugh Ash
by Vic Albani
Dopo lo straordinario lavoro dedicato al Vudù haitiano del 2021 (Path of Seven Colors) anch'esso uscito per la straordinaria Pyroclastic Records di Kris Davis, il batterista, percussionista e compositore Ches Smith, acclamato dal New York Times come “uno dei batteristi più dinamici della scena sperimentale del pianeta," colpisce ancora con un nuovo sorprendente lavoro immensamente variegato, sorprendente (bisognerebbe scriverlo almeno due volte una dopo l'altra) ed imprevedibile sotto ogni punto di vista. La singolare visione musicale del musicista ...
read moreMendoza / Hoff / Revels: Echolocation
by Troy Dostert
Among today's leading guitarists fusing the power of rock and avant-garde jazz--a list that has to include Nels Cline, Marc Ribot, Mary Halvorson and Brandon Seabrook--Ava Mendoza may be the one with the strongest link to the punk tradition. All the evidence one needs is on Echolocation, a project by Revels, her close collaboration with bassist Devin Hoff, on which the pair are joined by saxophonist James Brandon Lewis and drummer Ches Smith. With eight deviously crafted songs expertly navigating ...
read more
Giveaway
Days remaining: 4
