Smith, Wadada Leo
Cuneiform Records, 2021, CD
Instrument: Trumpet
Issue: 27.3
Jazz Ruler Type: Fusion
Performance: 4
Sound: 3
Score: 83
O’s Notes: Free jazz trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith teams up with bassist Bill Laswell and the late drummer Milford Graves for Sacred Ceremonies, a three-disc set featuring Smith with Graves on disc 1, Smith with Laswell on disc 2 and as a trio on disc 3. Wadada wrote half of the songs on each disc and collaborated with his accompaniment of the rest. The music is indeed scared, insightful and passionate. Each of the musicians has played a large role in Avant Garde jazz and collectively this is a very palatable engagement. We preferred the trio for its depth and complexity but appreciated the first two discs as well.
Publicist: Braithwaite & Katz
