Ches Smith

Percussionist, drummer, and composer Ches Smith is a genre-bending musician with a bent toward experimental and avant-garde improvisation, as well as Haitian and Caribbean folkloric traditions. Initially a touring musician, Smith established himself as a first-call collaborator with Xiu Xiu, John Zorn, and Mary Halvorson, among others. His leader dates include 2010's Finally Out of My Hands and 2012's solo percussion outing Psycho Predictions, and his 2016 ECM debut, The Bell, received acclaim globally. The following year, he and Haitian jazz project We All Break issued a self-titled debut. Afterwards, he doubled the band's size and released 2021's Path of Seven Colors. 2022's Interpret It Well included Mat Maneri, Craig Taborn and Bill Frisell. 2024's Laugh Ash showcased jazz sextet buoyed by a string quartet. He followed with Self in 2025, and joined Taborn and cellist Tomeka Reid on 2026's Dream Archives.