SML

IU Jazz Studies, Jacobs School of Music, International Anthem Record Company, and Visit Bloomington Present: SML A quintet composed of luminaries from Los Angeles's thriving jazz, improvised, and indie music scenes: bassist Anna Butterss (Jeff Parker, Jason Isbell, Phoebe Bridgers, Makaya McCraven), synthesist Jeremiah Chiu (Ariel Kalma, Marta Sofia Honer), saxophonist Josh Johnson (Meshell Ndegeocello, Flea, Leon Bridges, Carlos Niño), percussionist Booker Stardrum (Wendy Eisenberg, Horse Lords, Nels Cline) and guitarist Gregory Uhlmann (Sam Wilkes, Meg Duffy, Perfume Genius).

Their debut album Small Medium Large was recorded at the band's first gigs at Highland Park venue ETA in late 2022 and early 2023, post-produced in the following year, and released in Summer 2024 to wide critical acclaim, landing on 'Best of 2024' lists by Tone Glow, Passion of the Weiss, Bandcamp Daily, Hearing Things, and others.

Following the release of Small Medium Large, the band quickly expanded beyond Los Angeles, performing at various festivals and venues and sharpening their sound. Recordings from these shows were then used as the basis for their sophomore album HOW YOU BEEN. This second release showcases a road-tested band pushing razor sharp confidence in the form of trance-inducing rhythm focused improvisation, but it also delves even deeper into the possibilities of post-production.

Upon its late-2025 release, HOW YOU BEEN was thoroughly praised by critics and fans alike, landing on numerous best of the year lists and even catching the attention of the New York Times, who published an in-depth feature on the band. The live shows that followed the album release had a similarly wide appeal, and support from well-credentialed outlets like NPR's World Cafe have bolstered the fervent energy which has seen SML's name recognition grow so quickly.

In March of 2026 SML held a residency at the Big Ears Festival, where the band played 6 sets over 3 nights to hundreds of fans, many of whom attended every show. The full, unedited SML experience is clearly of interest.

In that spirit, Spontaneous Music Live—an album of two unedited sidelong improvisations recorded at Zebulon in LA—was released in summer 2026, offering the first official recorded glimpse into the psychedelic realism and linear, hypnotic expansion of SML's live sound. There will be a 2nd set with SML XL featuring John Raymond & Greg Ward.