For Clone Row, Ches Smith surrounds himself with three musicians who have each made a significant mark on the international jazz and experimental music scene. Guitarists Mary Halvorson and Liberty Ellman both bring strong, individual musical identities. Halvorson is widely known for her own ensembles, while Ellman has performed extensively with bands led by Henry Threadgill and Myra Melford. Bassist Nick Dunston, who has worked with artists such as Dave Douglas and Vijay Iyer, completes the quartet.
Together, these four musicians create music that balances composition and improvisation. The two guitarists swirl, echo and mirror one another, while bass and drums simultaneously anchor the music and push it forward. Acoustic instruments are expanded with electronics: drum machines alongside acoustic drums, low-tuned analogue synths paired with double bass, and live-manipulated digital samples and loops.
The result is an energetic and adventurous sound world in which cohesion and chaos are in constant dialogue — driven by the palpable chemistry of long-standing friendships and a shared spirit of musical curiosity.
