Lotus Lungs
Lotus Lungs is a trio of three innovative and accomplished guitarists: Matt Benham, Bill Horist and Tom Scully. Individually, they have each stretched the boundaries of the instrument along three dimensions: improvisation, experimentation and tradition. Together, they produce spectacularly varied soundscapes that chart new, eye-opening territory.
Matt, Bill and Tom have each served as soloists, composers, teachers and band members. Based in Seattle, they’ve left footprints in jazz, classical, rock, avant-garde, free improvisation and experimental music, contributing to a dynamic local scene. In combo they fuel each other, developing themes and new sonic textures while drawing from each of those genres.
Lotus Lungs’ first album is also the first Guitar Improv Summit, an initiative of Right Brain Records. The summit took place in early 2019, and this record is the result. The trio used three formations: acoustic, electric and prepared guitars. The latter consists of a wide range of sound treatments and techniques going far beyond conventional modalities of the instrument. Guitar Improv Summit Vol.1 is a free-flowing musical journey celebrating the world’s most popular instrument, and reminding us that we can still be surprised by what we hear.
LL also contributed the closing track to the 2021 Guitar Improv Summit Vol. 2 compilation, “Barriers to the Shoe Mind.”
Buy Guitar Improv Summit Vol.1 on Bandcamp.
“Their guitars turn into gongs and bells, birds, the human voice, computery glitches and pops, shimmers, screeches, warbles… The emphasis is on tones, timbre, and rhythms: wavering, still, caustic, calming… This music is both experimental and creative.”