Ishmael wadada leo smith is an american trumpeter and composer, working primarily in the fields of avantgarde jazz and. Ten freedom summers by wadada leo smith on amazon music. He was one of three finalists for the 20 pulitzer prize for music for ten freedom summers, released on may 22, 2012. On the contrary, wadada leo smith examines the freedom summers as he calls to mind the question of the real meaning of democracyfar from the political platitude that it has become at the hands of global hegemony. The first piece, dred scott, 1857 recalls the story of dred scott, a slave who filed a suit at the supreme. Ten freedom summers cuneiform records, 2012, wadadas epic journey through the civil rights movement. May 04, 2014 trumpeter and composer wadada leo smith traces the development of his ankhrasmastion musical language. Dec 28, 2016 wadada leo smith shone on two jazz standouts in 2016. Listen free to wadada leo smith ten freedom summers dred scott. In the liner notes for a cosmic rhythm with each stroke, pianist vijay iyer notes that he and trumpeter wadada leo smith would often become a subsegment of the quartet in which the two played. Within the opening moments of rosa parks and the montgomery bus boycott, 381 days. Wadada leo smiths ten freedom summers, a monumental jazz work presented at roulette.
February 21, 2019 wadada leo smith rosa parks pure love. Wadada leo smith, raising issues with a horn the new. Trumpeter composer wadada leo smiths ten freedom summers is the work of a lifetime by one of jazzs true visionaries, a kaleidoscopic, spiritually charged opus inspired by the struggle for africanamerican freedom and equality before the law. Following their collaboration in new york city in 2015, ecm chief manfred eicher brought the two master artists together to make their unique chemistry a matter of record. Alto, soprano and tenor saxophone, flute and piano player and composer. Stream adfree or purchase cds and mp3s now on amazon. Wadada leo smith shone on two jazz standouts in 2016. The occasion was the 16th annual edgefest, a fourday festival of creative music at kerrytown concert house. His early musical life began in the high school concert and marching bands where he played drums, mellophone and french horn before he settled on the trumpet. He has appeared as a regular member of the golden quartet nd quintet with wadada leo smith including the recordings ten freedom summers. He was exposed to the blues early on and the improvisational traditions of the delta blues as well as influences from around the world are into his work. His musical life commenced in high school, where he played in concert and marching bands. Aug 30, 2012 wadada leo smith s ten freedom summers is first of all big. Truman signed the executive order 9981 and up to dr.
Trumpeter and composer wadada leo smith traces the development of his ankhrasmastion musical language. Wadada leo smith wadada is one of the most imaginative and explorative composers in creative music. Review of wadada leo smith ten freedom summers bbc. Ten freedom summers is the title of a monumental series of compositions by wadada leo smith. Old and new dimensions smith had three albums out this past fall two reissues and a new set of live concert recordings by two of his bands. Monk, the composer in sepia a second vision thelonious monk. His masterwork, ten freedom summers, an extended meditation on the civil rights eras struggles and gains between 1954 and 1964, has been recorded and subsequently performed all over the world. Ten freedom summers is a large work inspired by the activity of the civil rights movement from the niagara falls congress in 1905 and 1948, when president harry s. Wadada leo smith, raising issues with a horn the new york times. The great lakes suite tum records, 2014, and his massive. He was born december 18, 1941, in leland, mississippi. Monkishness a cinematic vision of monk playing solo piano wadada leo smith 03. For trumpetercomposer wadada leo smith, the fourcd ten freedom summers is one of his lifes defining works. May 29, 2012 for trumpetercomposer wadada leo smith, the fourcd ten freedom summers is one of his lifes defining works.
Ten freedom summers, by wadada leo smith the new york times. An epic journey performed over the course of three concerts, creative music luminary wadada leo smith s major new opus, commission and performed by southwest chamber music, draws upon and interprets key events in the history of the civil rights movement from 1954 through 1964. Ten freedom summers is a collection of compositions mixing chamber orchestration provided by the ten member southwest chamber music ensemble and the cerebral avantgarde jazz we normally associate with wl smith, provided by the familiar golden quartet. For a little background, wadada leo smith is a veteran avant jazz trumpeter, born in leland, mississippi in 1941. Ten freedom summers wadada leo smith official website. He was accompanied by the ninepiece southwest chamber music. Ten freedom summers by wadada leo smith, released 22 may 2012 1. The brass instrument has long been seen as a vehicle for many flashy players as well as subtle coaxers of tone. Having shunned the spotlight that might so easily have. Martin wieland produced by steve lake to characterize wadada leo smith as a genuinely musical soul would be a gross understatement. Trumpetercomposer wadada leo smiths ten freedom summers is the work of a lifetime by one of jazzs true visionaries, a kaleidoscopic, spiritually charged opus inspired by the struggle for africanamerican freedom and equality before the law. Johnsons great society and the civil rights act of 1964. Occupy the world tum records, 20, with the finish big band, tumo.
Wadada leo smiths golden quartet ten freedom summers november 1, 2014 onassis cultural center athens, greece. He has taught at several esteemed universities and has held the dizzy gillespie chair at. Trumpeter wadada leo smith has a feel for the epic in his art, on recordings like. Ten freedom summers is one of my lifes defining works. In 20, smiths fourandahalfhour, largeensemble civil rights tribute, ten freedom summers, was a finalist for the pulitzer prize in music. Having shunned the spotlight that might so easily have blinded him, he continues to draw thread after thread between the worlds many shadows and the sustaining fire within if you havent heard his 4hour magnum opus, ten freedom summers, you don.
Tastalun tribute to lester bowie and kenny wheeler solo trumpet plus soundtrack. Ten freedom summers, and has built a creative relationship with a much younger pioneer, the pianist vijay iyer. Ten freedom summers truly deserves to be described as an epic work. Wadada leo smith captures the sound of americas national. Feb 01, 2014 ten freedom summers is the title of a monumental series of compositions by wadada leo smith. This is to instill information that will address the historical and inspirational sources of the new works. It was released on may 5, 2012, by cuneiform records. Mar 17, 2016 wadada leo smith, left, and vijay iyer i n his eighth decade. He was one of three finalists for the 20 pulitzer prize for music for his album, ten freedom summers. It would seem then that smiths personal and inimitable world of. It is a source for premiering new and existing works, and the celebration of information through seminars, video and film presentation.
Ishmael wadada leo smith is a trumpetplayer, multiinstrumentalist, composer and improviser. Sep 27, 2016 trumpeter wadada leo smith has a feel for the epic in his art, on recordings like. Discover more music, concerts, videos, and pictures with the largest catalogue online at. His early musical life began in the high school concert and marching bands where he played drums, mellophone and. Triumphant and mournful, visceral and philosophical, searching, scathing and relentlessly humane. These 19 compositions address the eras milestones between 1954 and 1964. Wadada leo smith, left, and vijay iyer i n his eighth decade. He got his professional traction in chicago in the late 1960s as a member of both the aacm and the creative construction company, a trio including leroy jenkins and anthony braxton. Apr 22, 2015 wadada leo smith flugelhorn, trumpets, percussion.
Cycle of destruction, lebroba, ishmael wadada leo smith. Ishmael wadada leo smith 18 december 1941 in leland, mississippi is a trumpeter and composer working primarily in the fields of avantgarde jazz and free improvisation. A lovevoice of a thousand years journey for liberty and justice. He started out playing drums, mellophone and french horn before he settled on the trumpet. Wadada leo smith ten freedom summers 2012, cd discogs. Wadada leo smith headlines edgefest 16 in ann arbor.
It features performances by his golden quartetquintet and a small chamber ensemble, including anthony davis, john lindberg, pheeroan aklaaf, susie ibarra and others. Vijay iyer piano, fender rhodes, electronics wadada leo. Americas national parks by dan mcclenaghan september 27, 2016 trumpeter wadada leo smith has a feel for the epic in his art, on recordings like. Voter registration, acts of compassion and empowerment. Wadada leo smith composer 1941 play streams in full or download mp3 from classical archives, the largest and best organized classical. Wadada leo smith is a trumpeter and composer, working primarily in the field of creative music. America tzadik records, 2009, a duet set with drummer jack dejohnette. Ishmael leo smith was born in leland, mississippi in 1941. Avantgarde composertrumpeter wadada leo smith delivered a stirring midwest premiere of his magnum opus ten freedom summers on november 23, 2012, in ann arbor, michigan. Wadada leo smith ten freedom summers latin jazz network. Spread out over four discs, ten freedom summers is based on the civil rights movement in the usa and wadada leo smith has been working on it on and off for over 30 years. Jun 28, 2012 to characterize wadada leo smith as a genuinely musical soul would be a gross understatement. Check out ten freedom summers by wadada leo smith on amazon music. His vision is uncompromising, his methods holistic and mystical.
Wadada leo smith spent nearly 35 years composing ten freedom summers, his massive tribute to the civil rights movement. Wadada leo smith s ten freedom summers defining moments in the history of the united states of america. Following their collaboration in new york city in 2015, ecm chief manfred eicher brought the two master artists together to make their unique chemistry. John zorn in downbeat, marking the occasion of wadada leo smiths 70th birthday. Here leo smith raises the human sacrifice of 911 and its impossible sacrifice to freedom. John zorn in downbeat, marking the occasion of wadada leo smith s 70th birthday. A festival dedicated to the music of wadada leo smith. With his dry tone, extended use of silence and abrupt smears of color, wadada leo smith is cast from a different model than most trumpet players. His trumpet style developed as a kind of evolution. Wadada leo smith kulture jazz wadada leo smith trumpet, fluegelhorn, koto, mbira, harmonica, bamboo notch flute, percussion, vocal recorded october 1992, hardstudios, winterthur engineer. Voter registration, acts of compassion and empowerment, 1964. Ishmael wadada leo smith born december 18, 1941 is an american trumpeter and composer, working primarily in the fields of avantgarde jazz and free improvisation. Wadada leo smith ten freedom summers february 20, 20. Ten freedom summers is a fourdisc box set by american trumpeter and composer wadada leo smith.
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