Ches Smith + Craig Taborn + Mat Maneri

Ches Smith, Craig Taborn, and Mat Maneri celebrate the release of their new ECM album, The Bell, which features dynamic chamber music compositions played by the masterful improvisers.

• Ches Smith: drums, vibraphone, timpani
• Craig Taborn: piano
• Mat Maneri: viola

The best thing I caught all weekend,” said critic Peter Margasak of the 2014 New York Winter Jazzfest, “was a superb trio led by drummer Ches Smith with pianist Craig Taborn and violist Mat Maneri, which expertly infused seductively narcotic writing with a mixture of brooding melody and rich texture.”

Since that NY debut, the trio has become a priority project for all participants, and in June 2015 Smith, Taborn, and Maneri recorded The Bell at Avatar Studios with Manfred Eicher as producer.

Ches Smith’s first album as a leader for ECM follows appearances for the label with Tim Berne’s Snakeoil and with Robin Williamson. Smith has worked with a very wide range of music in his career, playing with musicians from Marc Ribot to Terry Riley to Wadada Leo Smith, and his own groups have been informed by his far-reaching experience.

Musical performances at the Rubin Museum are made possible by the Carlo and Micól Schejola Foundation.

Jazz at the Rubin is made possible with funds from the New YorkState Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo andthe New York State Legislature.

Yamaha is the official piano of the Rubin Museum of Art.