I walked into Zebulon and gently shouldered myself into the large “O” encircling a group of musicians. It was July 2024, and the semi-nascent quintet SML was performing to commemorate the release of their debut album, Small Medium Large. I hadn’t heard of them and had no idea what to expect, but I grew mesmerized by their fluidity. A pall covered the crowd, a collective laser focus. When a song, jam, offering—whatever you want to call it—finished, a hush would hover as eyes fluttered open, lips broke to reveal soft smiles, and warm mmms of satisfaction peppered the air.
Put reductively, the band consists of guitarist Gregory Uhlmann, saxophonist Joshua Johnson, drummer Booker Stardrum, bassist Anna Butterss, and synthesist Jeremiah Chiu. In reality, every member is constantly flirting with the perceived limits of their instrument, bending time and sound via pedals and unexpected syncopations. Whatever you think a specific instrument does, SML challenges the notion. They operate with a precise, hard-earned kind of whimsy.
In the time since that Zebulon show and debut album, the group has toured the world, held a successful Big Ears residency, and released two more albums: 2025’s How You Been and Spontaneous Music Live, which came out on June 26. All their albums have been released by International Anthem, the Los Angeles by-way-of Chicago label responsible for giving a home to radical, progressive sounds from the likes of Jeff Parker, Carlos Niño, jamie branch, and Makaya McCraven.
The Philosophy of Spontaneous Music Live
Spontaneous Music Live differs greatly from their previous albums in that it is, as its name suggests, two recorded live sets presented as-is. Their other records were, conversely, a collection of highly-produced songs using live elements as the source material to manipulate. The musicians were essentially flexing twice on those works, taking something they’d done in the past and reworking it through their unique lens once again. Both of those albums were highly praised, with much of the acclaim coming from the live material they had to work with. Which is why people are likely champing at the bit for this new album that preserves some of that SML secret sauce.
I talked to Jeremiah Chiu, Anna Butterss, and Booker Stardrum on a Google Meet about ten days before the release of Spontaneous Music Live. We discussed the origins of the group, the magic and terror of improvised music, the shaping of their sound, and the role of the audience. When asked about the formation of the band, the members emphasized that it was a collective effort born from a shared community rather than a rigid strategy. As Butterss noted, while the band wouldn’t exist without the community space provided by ETA, the music has evolved well beyond those initial sessions.
Embracing the Unknown
For Chiu, the essence of SML lies in a “healthy discomfort.” He explained, “It puts me on edge to basically be like, ‘Is what I’m doing cool?’ I have to bring a level of presence and focus. I have to really be in there to hang because everyone in the group is such a heavy hitter.” This sentiment is echoed by the rest of the band, who view their live performances as a way to disrupt their own habits. By constantly challenging their roles, they ensure that the music remains fresh and unpredictable.
The decision to release Spontaneous Music Live as raw, unedited sets was a deliberate choice to provide context for their studio work. “It expands the SML universe,” Butterss said. “It contextualizes what we do, how the records are made, and it’s kind of pulling back the curtain a little bit.” For the audience, this transparency is part of the appeal. In an era of increasingly polished and predictable art, SML offers something raw, human, and profoundly present.