LaDonna Smith (born 1951) is an American

avant garde music Avant-garde music is music that is considered to be at the forefront of innovation in its field, with the term "avant-garde" implying a critique of existing aesthetic conventions, rejection of the status quo in favor of unique or original elemen ...

ian from Alabama. She is a violinist, violist, and pianist. Since 1974 she has been performing

free improvisation Free improvisation or free music is improvised music without any rules beyond the logic or inclination of the musician(s) involved. The term can refer to both a technique (employed by any musician in any genre) and as a recognizable genre in its ...

al music with musicians such as

Davey Williams David Carlous Williams (November 2, 1927 – August 17, 2009) was an American professional baseball player and coach. During his Major League Baseball career, spent entirely with the New York Giants of the National League, the second baseman app ...

, Leland Davis, Michael Evans, Gunther Christmann,

Anne Lebaron Alice Anne LeBaron (b. Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States, May 30, 1953) is a United States composer and harpist. Anne LeBaron holds a B.A. in music from the University of Alabama (1974), an M.A. in music from the State University of New Yor ...

, Derek Bailey,

Eugene Chadbourne Eugene Chadbourne (born January 4, 1954) is an American banjoist, guitarist and music critic. Life and career Chadbourne was born in Mount Vernon, New York, but grew up in Boulder, Colorado. He started playing guitar when he was eleven or twel ...

, Misha Feigin, Michael Evans, David Sait, Jack Wright, John Russell,

Sergey Letov Sergey Fyodorovich Letov (russian: Серге́й Фё́дорович Ле́тов, born September 24, 1956), is a Russian musician and composer, known for his improvisational style. He is the founder of the recording label ''Pentagram''. He has ...

, Toshi Makihara, Andrew Dewar and many other of the world's major improvisers. As a performer, she has toured the US, Canada, Europe, including Russia and Siberia, Korea, India, China and Japan. Her music is documented on dozens of CD and LP recordings, including ''Say Daybew Records'' - of Fred Lane & the Debonaires. She produced concerts and festivals in Alabama and the Southeast, including the Birmingham Improv Festival and ''the improvisor'' ''festival''. She serves on the Board of Directors of I.S.I.M., the International Society of Improvised Music. In 1976, LaDonna Smith co-founded TransMuseq Records with Davey Williams. In 1980, ''The Improvisor'' magazine began as an extension of I.N.: The Improvisor's Network, a grass-roots organization in New York City that attempted to connect improvising musicians across the U.S. LaDonna is editor-in-chief and publisher of ''The improvisor''. She is a member of the Fresh-Dirt collective (Alabama Surrealism).

Discography

*''Raudelunas Pataphysical Revue'' - Ron Pate & the Debonairs, Say Day-Bew, 1975 *''Trans'' - Davey Williams, LaDonna Smith, Theodore Bowen,

Timothy Reed Timothy Reed (born 1985) is an Australian triathlete. He won a gold medal at the 2016 Ironman 70.3 World Championship, after defeating Sebastian Kienle Sebastian Kienle (born 6 July 1984) is a German long-distance triathlete. He is the wi ...

, Jim Hearon, Transmuseq Records, 1977 *''Armed Forces Day'' - The Blue Denim Deals With the Arms, Say Day-Bew Records, 1978 *''Folk Music'' - Davey Williams, Ted Bowen, Transmuseq Records, 1978 *''2000 Statues'' -

, Parachute, 1978 *''School'' -

John Zorn John Zorn (born September 2, 1953) is an American composer, conductor, saxophonist, arranger and producer who "deliberately resists category". Zorn's avant-garde and experimental approaches to composition and improvisation are inclusive of jaz ...

, Parachute, 1978 *''Jewels'' - with

Anne LeBaron Alice Anne LeBaron (b. Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States, May 30, 1953) is a United States composer and harpist. Anne LeBaron holds a B.A. in music from the University of Alabama (1974), an M.A. in music from the State University of New Yor ...

, Davey Williams, 1979 *''Velocity'' - with

Andrea Centazzo Andrea Centazzo (born 1948) is an Italian-born American composer, percussionist, multimedia artist and record label founder. Music career Centazzo was born in Udine, Italy. In the 1970s he played percussion in avant-garde jazz with John Zorn, St ...

, Davey Williams, Transmuseq, 1979 *''Direct Waves'' - with Davey Williams, Transmuseq, 1980 *''USA Tour'' - with

, Davey Williams, Ictus, 1980 *''Alchemical Rowdies'' - with

Pippin Barnett Pippin or Pepin may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Pippin'' (comics), a children's comic produced from 1966 to 1986 * ''Pippin'' (musical), a Broadway musical by Stephen Schwartz loosely based on the life of Pepin the Hunchback * Pippin T ...

Danny Finney Danny is a masculine given name. It is related to the male name Daniel. It may refer to: People * Danny Altmann, British immunologist * Danny Antonucci, Canadian animator, director, producer, and writer *Danny Baker (born 1957), English journal ...

Paul Watson Paul Franklin Watson (born December 2, 1950) is a Canadian-American conservation and environmental movement, environmental activist, who founded the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, an anti-poaching and direct action group focused on marine c ...

, Transmuseq, 1982 *''White Earth Streak'' - with Davey Williams,

Gunter Christmann Gunter Christmann (23 April 1936 – 19 November 2013) was a German-born Australian painter. Born in Berlin, Christmann emigrated to Australia in 1959. Regarded as a painter's painter, Christmann has been making abstract and figurative paint ...

, , Transmuseq, 1983 *''Locales for Ecstasy'' - with Davey Williams, Cinnie Cole, Transmuseq, 1987 *''Dix Improvisations'' - with Davey Williams, Victoriaville (Victo), 1989, compilation *''Earbook, Vol 3'' - with Davey Williams, (Rastacan), 1991, compilation *''Eye of the Storm'' - Solo Violin & viola, Transmuseq, 1992 *''Transmutating'' - with

, Transmuseq, 1993 *''A Confederacy of Dances Vol 2'' - Live Recordings of the Roulette Series (Einstein, 1994) *''Dice (She Says)'' -

Elise Kermani Elise or Elyse may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Elise, the unidentified person to whom Beethoven dedicated '' Für Elise'' * ''Elise'', a 1979 speculative fiction novel by Ken Grimwood * ''Élise ou la vraie vie'' (''Elise, or the Real Life ...

compilation (Ishtar Records), 1994 *''Harbinger'' - with Barbie Williamson, Album Cover Photography Melissa Springer, (Coyoteway Productions), 1994 *''Dice 2 (She Says)'' -

compilation (Ishtar Records), 1996 *''Birmingham Improv Festival Recordings'' - compilation (Transmuseq), 1996 *''The Parachute Years'' -

(Tzadik), 1997 *''White Earth Streak'' - Christman, Muller, Smith, Williams 1981-83 (Unheard Music), 2000 *''Rare Earth'' - solo, mixed-electronic viola & violin,

Table of the Elements Table of the Elements is an American record label. It concentrates on re-released and specially recorded experimental music, including many Avant-garde music, avant-garde musicians of the 20th and 21st centuries: such as John Cale, Tony Conrad, ...

, 2004 *''Yokel Yen'' - LaDonna Smithwith Misha Feigin, guitar & balalaika, Transmuseq, 2004 *''Waters Ashore'' - LaDonna Smith, Misha Feigin,

Dave Liebman David Liebman (born September 4, 1946) is an American saxophonist, flautist and jazz educator. He is known for his innovative lines and use of atonality. He was a frequent collaborator with pianist Richie Beirach. In June 2010, he received a N ...

, Jason Foureman (Transmuseq), 2006 *''Ambient Visage'' - LaDonna Smith with

Susan Alcorn Susan Alcorn (born 1953) is an American composer, improvisor, and pedal steel guitarist. Life Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Alcorn started playing guitar at the age of twelve and quickly immersed herself in folk music, blues, and the pop music of the ...

pedalsteel guitar, Transmuseq, 2006 *''Floating Bridges'' - LaDonna Smith with Misha Feigin, guitar, Transmuseq, 2008 *''Deviant Shakti'' - LaDonna Smith with Michael Evans, percussion, Transmuseq, 2009 *''Time Delayed Free Improvisations'' - LaDonna Smith, David Sait, Glen Hall,

Gino Robair Gino Robair is an American composer, improvisor, drummer, percussionist, and magazine editor. In his own music work (as a soloist and in improvisation ensembles), he plays prepared/modified percussion, analog synthesizer, ebow and prepared piano ...

(aPPRISe), 2009 *''Postage Paid Duets - Vol. 2'' - David Sait w/Glen Hall w/Gino Robair w/LaDonna Smith. Apprise AP-03, 2009, CD *''The Laycock Duos'' - Christian Asplund, LaDonna Smith, Stuart Dempster, Malcolm Goldstein, (Comprovise) 2009 *''Fresh Dirt'' - LaDonna Smith, Davey Williams, Johnny Williams, Janice Hathaway (fresh-dirt.us) 2018 *Sequana Sessions - Davey Williams & LaDonna Smith, (Transmuseq) 2015 *Rising Tulips - LaDonna Smith, solo 5 string electric, (Transmuseq) 2019 *Channeling the Gatehouse, LaDonna Smith & Leland Davis (TransMuseq) 2020

References

External links

"LaDonna Smith , Jazz , Viola"
''All About Jazz'', musician bio.
Article
from ''

Village Voice ''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture paper, known for being the country's first alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf, Ed Fancher, John Wilcock, and Norman Mailer, the ''Voice'' began as a platform for the creat ...

'' *

Biography A biography, or simply bio, is a detailed description of a person's life. It involves more than just the basic facts like education, work, relationships, and death; it portrays a person's experience of these life events. Unlike a profile or ...

from

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

Guide *"Viola Player LaDonna Smith Kicks Off Improvised Music Festival", ''

Seattle Post Intelligencer The ''Seattle Post-Intelligencer'' (popularly known as the ''Seattle P-I'', the ''Post-Intelligencer'', or simply the ''P-I'') is an online newspaper and former print newspaper based in Seattle, Washington, United States. The newspaper was foun ...

'', April 25, 1997
Google News Mirror"String Trek , Floating Bridges"
''All About Jazz'', review of ''Floating Bridges'', April 20, 2008.

''Signal To Noise'', June 2006. * LaDonna Smith, Wire, issue #67, 1989.
LaDonna Homepage
at www.the-improvisor.org.

nubis oxis quorum, at craignutt.com.
"Both Kinds of Music"
Steve Loewy, All Music Guide, EXPERT RATING: From AMG Reviews.
"Dix Improvisations Victoriaville"
François Couture, All Music Guide, EXPERT RATING: From AMG Reviews, 1989.

from Deep Sea Divers, Novisibirsk, 1995.
"Saturnalia Fest"
Boston, 2000

article/interview, 2003.

highzero.org, bio, 2005.

review/archive, 2005.

documentary article, Sergey Letov, Moscow, Russia.
Profile
''All About Jazz'', teacher profile.

''Sequenza21/Classical Music Weekly'', 11/12/2005.

review of ''Eye of the Storm'', 2009.
Review of Deviant Shakti
''Foxy Digitalis'', 2009.
"Board of Directors"
International Society of Improvised Music, 2008–10.
Untitled article
''New Music Box'', New Music Center, 2009.
Option Article, Solo and Discussion
Experimental Sound Studio {{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Ladonna 1951 births Living people Musicians from Alabama American experimental musicians American violinists American violists Women violists American music educators American women music educators 21st-century violinists 21st-century American women 21st-century violists