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Wadada Leo Smith

Music Perspective: The Context of Wadada Leo Smith’s 12 String Quartets

Wadada Leo Smith is among the most prolific composers of string quartets in the modern era, the only Black composer to have written so many, and one of the most adventurous writers of quartets in terms of his notation system and the distinctiveness of his musical language.

By: Steve Elman Filed Under: Classical Music, Commentary, Featured, Music Tagged: Ankhrasmation, RedKoral, RedKoral Quartet, Steve Elman, String Quartets, String Quartets Nos.1-12, TUM, Tum Records, Wadada Leo Smith

Classical Album Review: Wadada Leo Smith: String Quartets Nos. 1 – 12, played by the RedKoral Quartet and Guests

Over the past year, I’ve delved into the most significant body of work for string quartet ever written by a composer whose primary identity with the public is as a jazz musician. Here’s how to begin your own encounter with important facets of the work of an artist whose name you ought to know.

By: Steve Elman Filed Under: Featured, Jazz, Music, Review Tagged: Ankhrasmation, RedKoral, RedKoral Quartet, Steve Elman, String Quartets, TUM, Tum Records, Wadada Leo Smith

Jazz Review and Appreciation: Wadada Leo Smith’s “The Chicago Symphonies”

If you are not familiar with Wadada Leo Smith as an artist or as a thinker, you could start with The Chicago Symphonies and know that you are engaging with some of his finest work.

By: Steve Elman Filed Under: Featured, Jazz, Music, Review Tagged: Chicago Symphonies, Henry Threadgill, Jack DeJohnette, Jack DeJohnette and Muhal Richard Abrams, ohn Lindberg, Petri Haussila, Tum Records, Wadada Leo Smith

Jazz Albums Review: “Skyline” and “A Love Sonnet for Billie Holiday” — Marching to the Beat of the Same Drummer

The presence of veteran drummer Jack DeJohnette ties together two new releases.

By: Steve Feeney Filed Under: Featured, Jazz, Review, Uncategorized Tagged: 5 Passion Records, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Jack DeJohnette, Ron Carter, TUM, Vijay Iyer, Wadada Leo Smith

Album Review: Deerhoof and Wadada Leo Smith — Electrical Soul Music

That this assemblage works so well is a tribute to the big ears and hearts — and collective intelligence — of all the players here.

By: Michael Ullman Filed Under: Featured, Jazz, Music, Review Tagged: Breathing, Curious, Deerhoof, Laughing Flesh is Enough, Satomi Matsuzaki, To Be Surrounded by Beautiful, Wadada Leo Smith

Jazz CD Review: Wadada Leo Smith’s “Rosa Parks: Pure Love” — Making History Present

Rosa Parks: Pure Love is a serious, substantial, and long work, alternately harsh and calming, one that I am sure should be seen as well as heard.

By: Michael Ullman Filed Under: Featured, Jazz, Music, Review Tagged: Michael Ullman, Rosa Parks: Pure Love, Wadada Leo Smith

Jazz CD Reviews: Wadada Leo Smith — Paying Superb Homage to Monk, and Other Heroes

That’s why Wadada Leo Smith’s musical visions are so miraculous: there’s an impression of drift, yet they rarely meander.

By: Michael Ullman Filed Under: Featured, Jazz, Music, Review Tagged: Najwa, Solo: Reflections and Meditations on Monk, Tum Records, Wadada Leo Smith

Jazz CD Round-up: Jane Ira Bloom, Robert Glasper, Wadada Leo Smith, Anna Webber, and More

Over a dozen short notices of recent jazz recordings that I find musically stimulating.

By: Michael Ullman Filed Under: Featured, Jazz, Music Tagged: America’s National Parks, Anna Webber, Basically Baker Volume Two: The Big Band Music of David Baker, Binary, Buselli-Wallarab Jazz Orchestra, Darrell Katz, Early Americans, Flux, Frank Kimbrough, Jack DeJohnette In Movement, Jailhouse Doc With Holes in Her Socks, Jane Ira Bloom, Ken Schaphorst How to Say Goodbye, Kenny Garrett Do Your Dance!, Mockroot, Quinsin Nachoff, Renee Rosnes, Richie Cole Plays Ballads and Love Songs, Robert Glasper ArtScience, Solstice, Tigran Hamasyan, Wadada Leo Smith, Written in the Rocks

Jazz CD Review: Vijay Iyer and Wadada Leo Smith — Exploring Cosmic Possibilities in Sound

Pianist Vijay Iyer and trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith produce music that is precise and quietly evocative, peaceful and gently probing.

By: Michael Ullman Filed Under: Featured, Jazz, Music, Review Tagged: A Cosmic Rhythm With Each Stroke, ECM, Fromm Concerts, harvard-university, Nasreen Mohamedi, Vijay Iyer, Wadada Leo Smith

Fuse Album Review: Fresh Improvisational Sounds from Finland’s TUM Records

According to its web site, TUM operates mainly thanks to volunteers. We should be grateful.

By: Michael Ullman Filed Under: Featured, Jazz, Music, Review, Uncategorized Tagged: Celestial Weather, improvisational music, Iro Haarla, John Lindberg, Juhani Aaltonen, Kirkastus, TUM, Wadada Leo Smith

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