¿QUÉ? by Ian Smit

Experimental guitarist Ian Smit releases his new album ¿QUÉ? which features Scott Petito on acoustic/electric bass and as recording engineer, Tom Rainey on drums, Ian Smit on electric/acoustic guitar/effects, and David Torn on electric/national steel guitar/effects.

Smit's purpose for making music with David, Tom and Scott was to be conversational with lots of dynamic ups and downs, which is very natural to all of them. That was the only stated "instruction" before getting into the studio. This recording is fully improvised. The tracks “Bee Still” and “Raindrops and Waterspouts” began as loose harmonic structures that Smit presented to the band. Everything else was created in the moment with no discussion prior to the red light going on.

When playing music that isn't formally composed, the goal was to create spontaneous compositions through musical dialog and interactions between the players, whether by use of melody, groove, sound interventions, or even through silence. Not everyone needed to be "speaking" to make a point.

Ian Smit has known David Torn for decades. David produced his first professional recording called Ping with Peter Biedermann and Steve Meltzer, as Steve introduced Smit to David way back when, and they recorded at Scott Petito's first studio in 1987. Both David and Scott played on that which was only released on cassette.

Smit reacquainted with Scott Petito after many years through a recording session with a friend, where Scott was the mixing/mastering engineer. Smit was blown away at the vibe in the studio, and that planted the seed to create this unique recording. At that moment, Scott was destined to play bass and record ¿QUÉ?.

After hearing and seeing Tom Rainey perform with David Torn over the years, Smit decided he was the perfect drummer for this session, as he is so expressive and interactive. Says Smit, “Tom was definitely number one on the list. This recording would not have come to fruition if Tom wasn't available.”

¿QUÉ? was recorded with David, Tom and Smit in the same room, with only gobo panels between them to intentionally generate feedback when needed. Scott meanwhile was in a separate room, as he played acoustic bass on several tracks and electric on others.

David played national steel as well as guitar for this recording (his oud was under the weather). When Smit played acoustic, or David played the national steel, they were in a separate room. When either of them played acoustically, the other played electrically. In the stereo spectrum, Smit's guitar is on the left with a sometimes-utilized effects amp almost in the middle, and David is on the right.

Says Smit, “It was the first time Tom and Scott ever played together, but their interactions were inspiring. Scott hadn't played with David in a very long time, and even though Scott and David played on that 1987 recording of mine, they overdubbed. I, on the other hand, never played with any of the fellas. Was all that risky? Evidently not...I was riding on a rocket ship!”

Biographies:

Scott Petito:

Scott Petito is a bassist, composer and producer from the Hudson Valley of New York. Scott has recorded, produced and performed on more than 1000 recordings. His clients and collaborators in such diverse artists as, the Band, James Taylor, Chick Corea, Dave Brubeck and Keith Richards. He attended the Berklee College of Music as a jazz composition major and has lent his skills to countless major artists in jazz (Jack DeJohnette, John Scofield, Dave Holland), folk (Pete Seeger, Tom Paxton) Blues (Lucky Peterson, Rory Block) and rock (Mercury Rev, The Fugs, Sting, Jon Anderson, NRBQ). Petito has also worked in music for film and television.

Scott is a long-time member of the legendary poet/punk band the Fugs, and the Blues Project. Over the years he had many other roles as sideman and leader. Including live performances and recordings with Leslie Ritter, Livingston and James Taylor, Garth Hudson, Levon Helm, Allan Ginsberg and more. He currently leads the jazz/world music band Modern Times featuring Omar Hakim, Rachel Z, Mino Cinelu and Joe Locke, and the Trio ELP with Peter Erskine, Joe Locke and Petito.

Scott has released a number of records under his own name, including the critically acclaimed album Rainbow Gravity (with Jack DeJohnette, Mike Mainieri, David Spinozza, Warren Bernhardt) and his latest CD Many Worlds with Randy Brecker, Steve Gadd, Bob Mintzer and more. His otherworldly solo bass recording Sbass Music was his first album as a leader.

Scott does most of his production work from his personal studio NRS Recording in Catskills, NY. He can be contacted at www.scottpetitoproductions.com

Tom Rainey:

Tom Rainey was born in Pasadena, California in 1957. Since moving to New York in 1979, he has performed and/or recorded with the following artists:

John Abercrombie, Mose Allison, Julian Arguelles, Ray Anderson, Tim Berne, David Torn, Jane Ira Bloom, Anthony Braxton, Nels Cline, Ted Curson, Kris Davis, Mark Ducret, Mark Feldman, Michael Formanek, Drew Gress, Mark Helias, Fred Hersch, Andy Laster, Ingrid Laubrock, David Liebman, Joe Lovano, Tony Malaby, Albert Mangelsdorff, Carmen McRae, Mike Nock, Simon Nabatov, New and Used, Anita O'Day, Andrea Parkins, Herb Robertson, Angelica Sanchez, Louis Sclavis, Brad Shepik, Fay Victor, Ken Werner, Denny Zeitlin.

Current activities include performing and recording music with the Tom Rainey Trio as well as his quintet, Obbligato. Tom also continues performing with many of the aforementioned artists.

Ian Smit:

Ian Smit is a composer, guitarist, melodist, noise maker. As a self-proclaimed "closeted folkie" he plays within no particular genre as he grew up exposed to so many styles of music and influences from all over the world, all of which passed through the "Smit Filter" to emerge in his own personal voice.

He decided early on that he would rather work a day job than play music that would make him view playing music as a job...a sentiment initially shared by David Torn who obviously carved a career as an influential musician..."It all comes down to choices!"

Still, Smit has managed to create art for many decades starting with Ping in 1987 produced by David Torn, recorded at Scott Petito's studio.

Monkeyworks: 7–13-piece band depending on the situation: https://monkeyworks.squarespace.com/

Smit's first solo recording with many of his music pals: https://iansmit.bandcamp.com/album/what-is-2

e'fessioux: An improvising quartet with Bill Weisbach, Steve Foreman, Clive Smith: https://e-fessioux.bandcamp.com/album/jangala

Savage and Smit: A series of duo, quartet and quintets with Rick Savage, Joe Vincent Tranchina, Pete MacDonald, Steve LaSpina: https://savagesmit.bandcamp.com/album/of-course-2

So It Goes: A vocal improv ensemble with Kevin Brown and J. Brunka on acoustic bass, Steve Decker on drums, and Doug Gill on vocals/lyrics and guitar. The self-titled tune has been entered for consideration for the 68th Annual Grammy Nomination under Best Alternative Music Performance: https://soitgoes1.bandcamp.com/album/so-it-goes-in

Brian Kastan: Icelandic Journeys. A fully improvised excursion with Brian Kastan on Bass, Dave Berger on drums: Colors of Iceland (feat. Ian Smit & Dave Berger) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmxLb2doeCU

Smit has also played and collaborated on countless recordings of singer/songwriters and instrumentalists over 40 years, most notably on Chris Koch's Scenes from the Coastal Evacuation and QWERT's Book of M. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5NtQdeb8fs&list=PLSN9nawVsNZRE8ftUkoQEw2SHNohw1q4B

David Torn:

David Torn (aka “splattercell”) is a composer, texturalist, guitarist, producer & whatnot of actual international stature, renowned for his unique musical voice which seems to span & un-define a range of idioms and styles.

His characterful & compositionally textural work has had material impact & influence on both film scoring — through his own scores, in addition to his creative contributions to scores by Carter Burwell, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Cliff Martinez, Howard Shore, Mark Isham, and others — and, generally, upon contemporary electric, electro-acoustic & electronic music.

In addition to the medium of film scoring, David’s creative contributions have graced & assisted the works of other musical artists-of-note as diverse as David Bowie, k.d. lang, Tim Berne, John Legend, Madonna, Tori Amos, Bill Bruford, Tony Levin, Mick Karn, David Sylvian, Chocolate Genius, Michael Shrieve, Steve Roach, Patrick O'Hearn, Matt Chamberlain, Meshell Ndegeocello and Don Cherry.

The New York Times described Torn's 2015 solo release, Only Sky, as "[an abstract landscape that is] both immersive and deftly disorienting." He continues to work with Tim Berne and Ches Smith, Sun of Goldfinger.

David Torn has a Bandcamp release earning a 5 star review in Downbeat's Solo section by Jim Macnie called: peace upon you.

In closing, Ian Smit has this to say:

“Play because you love it, and maybe good things might come your way if you're lucky enough to see and latch on to them, like playing with a bunch of truly exceptional ringer nice guys like David, Tom and Scott!”

For more information:

https://iansmit.bandcamp.com/

https://www.youtube.com/@racketlauncher

Smit Interview with Skylight Webzine: https://skylight.gr/index.php/2025/11/16/ian-smit-the-art-of/

Press inquiries: Keith James, Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158 (USA), glassonyonpr@gmail.com

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