Home / Arts and Entertainment / L.A. Jazz Group Redefines Music Beyond AI Limits
L.A. Jazz Group Redefines Music Beyond AI Limits
1 Dec
Summary
- SML quintet creates new music by synthesizing experience and theory.
- The band rarely convenes, with albums sourced from live performances.
- Jazz group contrasts with AI's derivative nature in the music industry.

In a music industry increasingly dominated by artificial intelligence, the Los Angeles quintet SML offers a powerful counterpoint. This group of talented improvisers defies AI's trend of regurgitation by synthesizing diverse influences to create entirely new, intricate compositions. Their music is a testament to genuine human connection and creativity, far removed from the algorithmic output currently topping charts.
Remarkably, SML has never recorded in a traditional studio, and the five members—bassist Anna Butterss, saxophonist Josh Johnson, guitarist Gregory Uhlmann, percussionist Booker Stardrum, and synthesist Jeremiah Chiu—rarely convene. Instead, their acclaimed albums are compiled from recordings captured during the limited live performances they undertake. This method underscores their ability to achieve a cohesive sonic vision and alignment.
Each musician is a recognized artist in L.A.'s vibrant experimental music scene, contributing their individual prowess to various acclaimed projects. Despite their individual successes, the collective identity of SML truly emerges on stage and through their recordings, which feel like fully realized dispatches from an ensemble perfectly in sync.



