Ches Smith
Ches Smith (* in San Diego ) is an American drummer , composer and band leader in the fields of rock music , jazz and improvised music .
Live and act
Smith grew up in Sacramento and began his musical career first in the punk and metal scene before experimenting with jazz and free improvisation music. He studied philosophy at the University of Oregon and moved to the San Francisco Bay Area in 1995 . After teaching with Peter Magadini, he was accepted into the graduate program at Mills College in Oakland ; there he studied percussion, improvisation and composition with William Winant , Fred Frith , Pauline Oliveros and Alvin Curran . During this time he co-founded the formations Theory of Ruin (with Alex Newport) and Good for Cows (with Devin Hoff ).
During his career, Smith et al. a. with Tim Berne , Ben Goldberg , Lou Harrison , Mary Halvorson ( Dragon's Head 2008), Elliott Sharp , Fred Frith, Larry Ochs , Jessica Pavone , Wadada Leo Smith , Carla Bozulich , John Zorn and Marc Ribot , as well as with the Avantgarde- and Independent Rock bands Beat Circus , Secret Chiefs 3 , Mr. Bungle and Xiu Xiu . He was also a member of Trevor Dunn's Trio-Convulsant . In 2012 he performed at the Willisau Jazz Festival with his group These Arches , which includes Halvorson, Andrea Parkins , Tim Berne and Tony Malaby and which allegedly experiments “at the intersection of rock and jazz” . He is a member of Bernes Band Snakeoil and Ribots Ceramic Dog . Smith also gives solo concerts with the program Ches Smith's Congs for Brums , which he presented in Mannheim in 2011.
In 2016 his album The Bell was released on the renowned label ECM , on which he is accompanied by Craig Taborn and Mat Maneri .
In 2018, Smith and John Zorn released two albums ( The Urmuz Epigrams and In a Convex Mirror ).
Discographic notes
- Darren Johnston / Fred Frith / Devin Hoff / Larry Ochs / Ches Smith - Reasons for Moving (Not Two Records, 2007)
- Mary Halvorson, Jessica Pavone , Devin Hoff, Ches Smith - Calling All Portraits (Skycap, 2008)
- Ches Smith & These Arches - Finally Out of My Hands (Skirl Records, 2010)
- Psycho Predictions (88 Records, 2012)
- Noise to Men (self-release, 2012)
- Jason Robinson , JD Parran , Marty Ehrlich , Marcus Rojas , Bill Lowe , Liberty Ellman , Drew Gress , George Schuller , Ches Smith Tiresian Symmetry ( Cuneiform Records , 2012)
- Hammered (Clean Feed, 2013), with Mary Halvorson, Tim Berne, Tony Malaby, Andrea Parkins
- The Bell ( ECM , 2016), with Craig Taborn , Mat Maneri
Web links
- Web presence
- Ches Smith at Allmusic (English)
- Ches Smith's Congs For Brums on Allmusic (English)
- Ches Smith at Discogs (English)
- Portrait (2013) in JazzTimes
Individual evidence
personal data | |
---|---|
SURNAME | Smith, Ches |
BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American drummer and composer |
DATE OF BIRTH | 20th century |
PLACE OF BIRTH | San Diego |