Damon Smith

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Damon Jesse Smith (born October 17, 1972 in Spokane ) is an American double bass player who specializes in free improvisation music .

Live and act

Smith, whose mother is a classical pianist and composer, started playing electric bass in punk bands in 1991 . Under the influence of Peter Kowald's duo albums, he switched to double bass and free music; He made his first experiences in the groups of Marco Eneidi , especially his American Jungle Orchestra . He studied with Bill Douglas, Lisle Ellis , Kristin Zerneg, Michael Jones and Bertram Turetzky . A trio recording with Gianni Gebbia and Garth Powell ( People in Motion , 1998) received more attention. He also played with Eugene Chadbourne , Glenn Spearman , Elliott Sharp , Luc Houtkamp , Weasel Walter , Frank Gratkowski and Peter Brötzmann .

He musically accompanied poets such as Jack Brewer , set William Whaley's stage version of Henry Miller's Tropic of Capricorn to music and was involved in the West Coast premiere of Ocean , the last collaboration between Merce Cunningham and John Cage . With Kowald he released a duo recording ( Mirrors - Broken but no Dust ) and appeared at the 2001 Vision Festival. In 2002 he presented himself for the first time in Europe at the Total Music Meeting ; the following year he played in Ulrichsberg . He also recorded with Tony Bevan and Wolfgang Fuchs . He also worked in a duo with clarinetist Oluyemi Thomas , with Paul Hartsaw's SocioCybernetic Music Machine and in his own trio with Jerome Bryerton and Jeff Chan. With Henry Kaiser and John Butcher he formed the Emergency String Ensemble , which is a tribute to the Spontaneous Music Ensemble .

Discographic notes

  • Marco Eneidi - Peter Kowald - Damon Smith - Spirit Ghetto Calypso ( Not Two Records , 2000)
  • Birgit Ulher / Damon Smith / Martin Blume Bulky Goods (2004)
  • Vinkeloe / Smith / Nordeson Elegans (2005)
  • Paul Hartsaw, Kristian Aspelin, Damon Smith, Jerome Bryerton: Ausfegen: Dedicated to Joseph Beauys (Balancing Point Acoustics, 2008)
  • Jaap Blonk , Damon Smith, Sandy Ewen , Chris Cogburn North of Blanco (2013)
  • Alvin Fielder / Damon Smith Duo: Song for Chico (Balance Point Acoustics, 2015)
  • Danny Kamins , Damon Smith, Alvin Fielder, Joe Hertenstein : After Effects (FMR Records, 2017)
  • William Hooker Trio with Ava Mendoza & Damon Smith: Remembering (Astral Spirits, 2018)
  • Winter Solos (Balance Point, 2019)
  • Whatever Is Not Stone Is Light (2010) solo
  • Variations for Double Bass 1961: Benjamin Patterson (2020)

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Smith, Damon
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Smith, Damon Jesse (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American double bass player of free improvisation music
DATE OF BIRTH 17th October 1972
PLACE OF BIRTH Spokane