SML is a new quintet composed of luminaries from Los Angeles’s thriving jazz, improvised, and indie music scenes: bassist Anna Butterss [Jason Isbell, Phoebe Bridgers, Makaya McCraven, Daniel Villarreal], synthesist Jeremiah Chiu [Ariel Kalma, Marta Sofia Honer, Icy Demons], saxophonist Josh Johnson [Meshell Ndegeocello, Leon Bridges, Carlos Niño], percussionist Booker Stardrum [Amirtha Kidambi, Lisel, Lee Ranaldo, Patrick Shiroishi] and guitarist Gregory Uhlmann [Sam Wilkes, Meg Duffy, Perfume Genius].

Their debut album Small Medium Large [released by International Anthem in July 2024] began as a collection of long form improvisations recorded during two separate two-night stands at the beloved, now defunct, Highland Park, Los Angeles venue ETA – a major development site for the burgeoning new West Coast jazz & improvised music sound.
Small Medium Large is a sublime assemblage of circulatory grooves and textural anomalies, at different moments recalling the synth-laced improvisations of Herbie Hancock’s Sextant, the jagged dance punk of Essential Logic, the rhythmic revelry of Fela Kuti, the low-end elasticity of Parliament/Funkadelic, or the glitchy dub techno of Pole. Taken in totality, the album captures a euphoric creative synchronicity between some of today’s most exciting musicians. About Small Medium Large, SPIN Magazine said: “Within the milieu of creative, atmospheric, tradition-defying music termed alternative jazz by default, this is important work.”

This show is the second of a three night run curated and presented by International Anthem, featuring three exciting new projects from the same small group of Los Angeles-based artists on the label [Jeff Parker’s ETA IVtet, SML, and Anna Butterss], all of whom released new albums in the second half of 2024. A limited number of ticket packages for all three nights are available.