SML : How You Been

SML is a supergroup of sorts. A supergroup for those in-the-know. Comprised of Anna Buttress(bass), Josh Johnson(saxophone), Jeremiah Chiu(synths, electronics), Gregory Uhlmann(guitar, sampler, electronics) and Booker Stardrum(drums), all of these amazing musicians orbit the worlds of modern jazz, experimental, electronic, and underground music. And all have recorded with each other in different projects associated with […]

Tortoise : Touch

The music collective Tortoise has been around for 30 years, coming out of the experimental/underground music scene of Chicago. With drummer and studio wizard John McEntire behind the kit and soundboard -along with bassists Doug McCombs and Bundy K. Brown, drummer John Herndon, percussionist Dan Bitney, guitarist Dave Pajo- released their pivotal Millions Now Living […]

Makaya McCraven : Off The Record

For me, jazz drummer/composer/bandleader Makaya McCraven is one of the most exciting jazz artists(or any genre for that matter) making music today. Starting with his breakthrough record In The Moment from 2015, McCraven pushed jazz forward by recording improvisational live shows, then taking those recordings and cutting/pasting them into studio works. Essentially taking the raw […]

Tom Skinner : Kaleidoscopic Visions

Drummer/percussionist Tom Skinner started playing drums at 9. He came up in the 90s grunge era, but then quickly moved to and found inspiration from experimental jazz artists like John Zorn and Ornette Coleman. He came out of the London jazz scene and then formed experimental jazz band Sons of Kemet. From 2013 to 2022 […]

Macie Stewart : When The Distance Is Blue

Chicago-based multi-instrumentalist, composer, and improviser Macie Stewart has had a hand in quite a few amazing tracks over the last five years. Whether working with Makaya McCraven, Japanese Breakfast, Tweedy, Mannequin Pussy or SZA, Stewart adds her unique and singular musical voice to whatever she’s collaborating on. She mainly works with piano, prepared piano, violin, […]

Uhlmann Johnson Wilkes : Uhlmann Johnson Wilkes

Every once in a while you come across an album that feels entirely new. There’s nothing to compare it to, as nothing that came before was built quite like it. You can label it rock, pop, jazz, etc…but the label is merely a means for cataloging in the record store, or in your own collection. […]

Alabaster DePlume : A Blade Because A Blade Is Whole

Alabaster DePlume is described as “an English jazz musician, saxophonist, spoken word poet, composer, and activist.” When I read something like that I instantly forget the musician and saxophonist part and concentrate on “poet”, “activist” and think I’m not going to like it. Like the music part of that equation is just a side note for an […]

Sml : Small Medium Large

The latest to come out of Chicago’s forward-thinking record label International Anthem is by Sml. Sml consists of the quintet of bassist Anna Butterss, synthesist Jeremiah Chiu, saxophonist Josh Johnson, percussionist Booker Stardrum, and guitarist Gregory Uhlmann. The project began as a series of long form improvisations at the beloved but now closed LA venue […]

Ariel Kalma, Jeremiah Chiu, and Marta Sofia Honer : The Closest Thing To Silence

The best instrumental music takes you out of what you perceive to be your world and opens doors to new ones. It brings the curtain down on reality so that you can expand your mental and emotional horizons. Instrumental music doesn’t need words to guide you somewhere, as the composition built from instruments is the […]

Jeremiah Chiu : In Electric Time

Back in June of this year electronic music composer, educator, and artist Jeremiah Chiu walked into the Vintage Synthesizer Museum in Highland Park, Los Angeles, and began to play. Well, program sequences into these rare and vintage synthesizers and create a kind of analog, circuital symphony. Chiu was the mad scientist bringing these machines to […]