Wadada Leo Smith

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Template:Short description Template:Infobox musical artist

Ishmael Wadada Leo Smith (born December 18, 1941)<ref name="LarkinJazz">Template:Cite book</ref> is an American trumpeter and composer, working primarily in the field of creative music.<ref name="AMG">Template:Cite web</ref> He was one of three finalists for the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for Music for Ten Freedom Summers, released on May 22, 2012.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Biography

Smith was born in Leland, Mississippi, United States.<ref name="LarkinJazz"/> He started out playing drums, mellophone, and French horn before he settled on the trumpet. He played in various R&B groups and, by 1967, became a member of the AACM and co-founded the Creative Construction Company, a trio with Leroy Jenkins and Anthony Braxton.<ref name="LarkinJazz"/> In 1971, Smith formed his own label, Kabell.<ref name="LarkinJazz"/> He also formed another band, the New Dalta Ahkri, with members including Henry Threadgill, Anthony Davis and Oliver Lake.<ref name="LarkinJazz"/>

In the 1970s, Smith studied ethnomusicology at Wesleyan University. He played again with Anthony Braxton, as well as recording with Derek Bailey's Company.<ref name="LarkinJazz"/> In the mid-1980s, Smith became Rastafarian and began using the name Wadada.<ref name="LarkinJazz"/> In 1993, he began teaching at Cal Arts,<ref name="AMG"/> a position he held until 2014. In addition to trumpet and flugelhorn, Smith plays several world music instruments, including the koto, kalimba, and atenteben (Ghanaian bamboo flute). He has also taught courses in instrument making. His compositions often use a graphic notation system he calls "Ankhrasmation", which he developed in 1970.<ref name="LarkinJazz"/>

In 1998, Smith and guitarist Henry Kaiser released Yo, Miles!, a tribute to Miles Davis's then-lesser-known 1970s electric period.<ref name="AMG"/> On this album, Smith, Kaiser and a large cast of musicians recorded cover versions and original compositions inspired by Miles's electric music.<ref name="AMG"/> The follow-ups Sky Garden (released by Cuneiform in 2004) and Upriver (released in 2005) were recorded with a different cast of musicians.<ref name="AMG"/> Both line-ups featured Michael Manring on bass.

Smith's Golden Quartet (with which he has released several albums) originally featured Jack DeJohnette on drums, Anthony Davis on keyboards, and Malachi Favors on bass.<ref name="AMG"/> After several iterations, the Golden Quartet now features Pheeroan akLaff on drums, John Lindberg on bass, and Davis on piano.<ref name="AMG"/>

During the 2000s, Smith recorded albums for John Zorn's label Tzadik, as well as Pi Recordings. In 2008, he and his Golden Quartet released a DVD entitled Freedom Now.<ref name="AMG"/>

Smith has lived in New Haven, Connecticut, for many years, a city where he helped create a prominent culture for creative music. <ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Discography

Wadada Leo Smith, Vision XIII Festival

As leader/co-leader

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Compilations

  • Kabell Years: 1971–1979 (Tzadik, 2004) – collects Creative Music – 1, Reflectativity, Song of Humanity, and Solo Music: Ahkreanvention along with additional material

As sideman

With Muhal Richard Abrams

With Marion Brown

With Anthony Braxton

With Creative Construction Company

With Andrew Cyrille

With Leroy Jenkins

With Henry Kaiser

With Bill Laswell

With Frank Lowe

With Maurice McIntyre

With Roscoe Mitchell

With Matthew Shipp

With Spring Heel Jack

  • The Sweetness of the Water (Thirsty Ear, 2004)
  • Hackney Road (Treader, 2018) with Pat Thomas and Steve Noble

With John Zorn

References

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