Ches Smith & Shara Lunon: dismantling musical conventions

Today, the Spotlight was meant to shine On drummer, percussionist, and composer Ches Smith, whose album Laugh Ash was released earlier this year on Pyroclastic Records. As we arranged to get together, Ches suggested we include Shara Lunon, the transdisciplinary poet, vocalist, composer, and improviser featured on the album.

Laugh Ash is one of the most intriguing records I have encountered in quite some time, with its mix of form and improvisation, acoustic and synthetic, quiet and explosiveness.

In addition to Ches and Shara, the album includes an all-star cast from today’s creative music scene: flutist Anna Webber, clarinetist Oscar Noriega, tenor saxophonist James Brandon Lewis, trumpeter Nate Wooley, violinist Jennifer Choi, violist Kyle Armbrust, cellist Michael Nicolas, and bassist/keyboardist Shahzad Ismaily.

It is an exciting work and we had a great conversation. Enjoy.

(The musical excerpts heard in the interview are from Ches Smith’s album Laugh Ash)

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Dig Deeper

• Purchase Ches Smith’s Laugh Ash on Qobuz or Bandcamp, and listen on your streaming platform of choice
• Visit Ches Smith at chessmith.com and follow him on Instagram and Facebook
• Visit Shara Lunon at sharalunon.com and follow her on Instagram
• Ches Smith’s ‘Laugh Ash’ Is Exhilarating Music
• Shahzad Ismaily: He listens. He improvises. Meet the ‘music doula.’
• Marc Ribot + Ceramic Dog
• Ches Smith and We All Break: Path of Seven Colors review – a tour de force of jazz innovation
• Congs for Brums - A Complete and Tonal Distaster
• List of Famous Bands from Sacramento
• X-Ray Spex’s Poly Styrene is focus of gripping documentary
• Punk, purity, and positive mental attitude: The turbulent tale of Bad Brains
• Brazilian psych-rockers Som Imaginário will give you an eargasm
• Motion Man
• Terry Riley - Shri Camel
• On Minimalism: Kerry O’Brien and William Robin in conversation
• Improvisation and Jamming - the Similarities and Differences
• Ches Smith About Improvisation
• ListN Up Playlist: Shara Lunon

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