Ishmael Wadada Leo Smith (born December 18, 1941) is an American trumpeter and composer, working primarily in the fields of

avant-garde jazz Avant-garde jazz (also known as avant-jazz and experimental jazz) is a style of music and improvisation that combines avant-garde art music and composition with jazz. It originated in the early 1950s and developed through to the late 1960s. Orig ...

and

free improvisation Free improvisation or free music is improvised music without any rules beyond the logic or inclination of the musician(s) involved. The term can refer to both a technique (employed by any musician in any genre) and as a recognizable genre in its ...

. He was one of three finalists for the 2013

Pulitzer Prize for Music The Pulitzer Prize for Music is one of seven Pulitzer Prizes awarded annually in Letters, Drama, and Music. It was first given in 1943. Joseph Pulitzer arranged for a music scholarship to be awarded each year, and this was eventually converted i ...

for ''

Ten Freedom Summers ''Ten Freedom Summers'' is a four-disc box set by American trumpeter and composer Wadada Leo Smith. It was released on May 5, 2012, by Cuneiform Records. Smith wrote its compositions intermittently over the course of 34 years, beginning in 1977, ...

'', released on May 22, 2012.

Biography

Smith was born in

Leland, Mississippi Leland is a city in Washington County, Mississippi, United States. It is located within the Mississippi Delta, on the banks of Deer Creek. The population was 4,481 at the 2010 census. It was once a railway town and had long been a center of cott ...

, United States. He started out playing drums,

mellophone The mellophone is a brass instrument typically pitched in the key of F, though models in E, D, C, and G (as a bugle) have also historically existed. It has a conical bore, like that of the euphonium and flugelhorn. The mellophone is used as the m ...

, and

French horn The French horn (since the 1930s known simply as the horn in professional music circles) is a brass instrument made of tubing wrapped into a coil with a flared bell. The double horn in F/B (technically a variety of German horn) is the horn most ...

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 Anthony Braxton (born June 4, 1945) is an American experimental composer, educator, music theorist, improviser and multi-instrumentalist who is best known for playing saxophones, particularly the alto. Braxton grew up on the South Side of Chica ...

. In 1971, Smith formed his own label, Kabell. He also formed another band, the New Dalta Ahkri, with members including

Henry Threadgill Henry Threadgill (born February 15, 1944) is an American composer, saxophonist and flautist. He came to prominence in the 1970s leading ensembles rooted in jazz but with unusual instrumentation and often incorporating other genres of music. He h ...

Anthony Davis Anthony Marshon Davis Jr. (born March 11, 1993) is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He plays the power forward and center positions. Davis is an eight-time NB ...

and

Oliver Lake Oliver Lake (born September 14, 1942) is an American jazz saxophonist, flutist, composer, poet, and visual artist. He is known mainly for alto saxophone, but he also performs on soprano and flute. During the 1960s, Lake worked with the Black Art ...

. In the 1970s, Smith studied

ethnomusicology Ethnomusicology is the study of music from the cultural and social aspects of the people who make it. It encompasses distinct theoretical and methodical approaches that emphasize cultural, social, material, cognitive, biological, and other dim ...

Wesleyan University Wesleyan University ( ) is a Private university, private liberal arts college, liberal arts university in Middletown, Connecticut. Founded in 1831 as a Men's colleges in the United States, men's college under the auspices of the Methodist Epis ...

. He played again with Anthony Braxton, as well as recording with Derek Bailey's

Company A company, abbreviated as co., is a Legal personality, legal entity representing an association of people, whether Natural person, natural, Legal person, legal or a mixture of both, with a specific objective. Company members share a common p ...

. In the mid-1980s, Smith became

Rastafarian Rastafari, sometimes called Rastafarianism, is a religion that developed in Jamaica during the 1930s. It is classified as both a new religious movement and a social movement by scholars of religion. There is no central authority in control ...

and began using the name Wadada. In 1993, he began teaching at

Cal Arts The California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) is a private art university in Santa Clarita, California. It was incorporated in 1961 as the first degree-granting institution of higher learning in the US created specifically for students of both ...

, a position he held until 2014. In addition to trumpet and flugelhorn, Smith plays several world music instruments, including the

koto Koto may refer to: * Koto (band), an Italian synth pop group * Koto (instrument), a Japanese musical instrument * Koto (kana), a ligature of two Japanese katakana * Koto (traditional clothing), a traditional dress made by Afro-Surinamese women * K ...

kalimba Mbira ( ) are a family of musical instruments, traditional to the Shona people of Zimbabwe. They consist of a wooden board (often fitted with a resonator) with attached staggered metal tines, played by holding the instrument in the hands and p ...

, and

atenteben The ''atenteben'' ''(atɛntɛbɛn)'' is a bamboo flute from Ghana. It is played vertically, like the European recorder, and, like the recorder, can be played diatonically as well as chromatically. Although originally used as a traditional instr ...

(

Ghana Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in the west, Burkina Faso in the north, and To ...

ian 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. In 1998, Smith and guitarist Henry Kaiser released ''Yo, Miles!'', a tribute to

Miles Davis Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926September 28, 1991) was an American trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music. Davis adopted a variety of music ...

's then-lesser-known 1970s electric period. On this album, Smith, Kaiser and a large cast of musicians recorded cover versions and original compositions inspired by Miles's electric music. The follow-ups ''Sky Garden'' (released by

Cuneiform Cuneiform is a logo-syllabic script that was used to write several languages of the Ancient Middle East. The script was in active use from the early Bronze Age until the beginning of the Common Era. It is named for the characteristic wedge-sha ...

in 2004) and ''Upriver'' (released in 2005) were recorded with a different cast of musicians. Both line-ups featured

Michael Manring Michael Manring (born June 27, 1960) is an American bass guitarist from the San Francisco Bay Area. Biography Michael Manring was born in Annapolis, Maryland,Tom Mulhern, ''Bass Heroes: Styles, Stories & Secrets of 30 Great Bass Players : from ...

on bass. Smith's Golden Quartet (with which he has released several albums) originally featured

Jack DeJohnette Jack DeJohnette (born August 9, 1942) is an American jazz drummer, pianist, and composer. Known for his extensive work as leader and sideman for musicians including Charles Lloyd, Freddie Hubbard, Keith Jarrett, Bill Evans, John Abercrombie, ...

on drums,

on keyboards, and

Malachi Favors Malachi Favors (August 22, 1927 – January 30, 2004) was an American jazz bassist who played with the Art Ensemble of Chicago. Biography "Favors's tendency to dissemble about his age was a well-known source of mirth to fellow musicians of his g ...

on bass. After several iterations, the Golden Quartet now features

Pheeroan akLaff Pheeroan akLaff (born Paul Maddox January 27, 1955) is an American jazz drummer and percussionist. He began playing in his hometown of Detroit, Michigan and Ann Arbor, with R & B keyboardist Travis Biggs, funk keyboardist Nimrod “The Grinder” ...

on drums, John Lindberg on bass, and Davis on piano. During the 2000s, Smith recorded albums for

John Zorn John Zorn (born September 2, 1953) is an American composer, conductor, saxophonist, arranger and producer who "deliberately resists category". Zorn's avant-garde and experimental approaches to composition and improvisation are inclusive of jaz ...

's label

Tzadik Tzadik ( he, צַדִּיק , "righteous ne, also ''zadik'', ''ṣaddîq'' or ''sadiq''; pl. ''tzadikim'' ''ṣadiqim'') is a title in Judaism given to people considered righteous, such as biblical figures and later spiritual masters. The ...

, as well as

Pi Recordings Pi Recordings is a jazz record label founded by Seth Rosner in 2001. He was soon joined as partner by Yulun Wang. Pi specializes in avant-garde jazz. Its first two albums were by Henry Threadgill. Pi's roster includes Amir ElSaffar, Anthony Braxt ...

. In 2008, he and his Golden Quartet released a DVD entitled ''Freedom Now''. Smith has lived in New Haven, Connecticut for many years, a city where he helped create a prominent culture for creative music.

Discography

As leader/co-leader

* 1972: '' Creative Music - 1'' (Kabell) * 1975: ''

Reflectativity ''Reflectativity'' is the second album by American jazz trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith and the debut with the ensemble New Dalta Ahkri, which was recorded live at The Educational Center for the Arts, New Haven, and released in 1975 on his own Kabel ...

'' (Kabell) * 1977: '' Song of Humanity'' (Kabell) * 1978: '' The Mass on the World'' (

Moers Moers (; older form: ''Mörs''; archaic Dutch language, Dutch: ''Murse'', ''Murs'' or ''Meurs'') is a German List of cities and towns in Germany, city on the western bank of the Rhine, close to Duisburg. Moers belongs to the district of Wesel (d ...

) * 1979: '' Solo Music: Ahkreanvention'' (Kabell) * 1979: ''

Divine Love Love of God can mean either love for God or love by God. Love for God (''philotheia'') is associated with the concepts of worship, and devotions towards God. The Greek term ''theophilia'' means the love or favour of God, and ''theophilos'' means ...

'' ( ECM) * 1979: '' Budding of a Rose'' (Moers) * 1979: ''

Spirit Catcher The ''Sculpture Bird'' (also called ''Dream Catcher, Spirit Catcher'') is a sculpture situated on the shore of Kempenfelt Bay in Barrie, Ontario, Canada. It was originally created by sculptor Ron Baird for Expo 86 in Vancouver, British Columbia ...

'' (

Nessa Nessa Diab, known mononymously as Nessa, is an American radio and TV personality and television host. Early life and education Nessa was born to an Egyptian father and mother. She has two brothers. She grew up in Southern California but her ...

) * 1980: '' Touch the Earth'' ( FMP) * 1982: '' Go in Numbers'' (

Black Saint Black Saint and Soul Note are two affiliated Italian independent record labels. Since their conception in the 1970s, they have released albums from a variety of influential jazz musicians, particularly in the genre of free jazz. History Black S ...

) * 1982: ''

Human Rights Human rights are Morality, moral principles or Social norm, normsJames Nickel, with assistance from Thomas Pogge, M.B.E. Smith, and Leif Wenar, 13 December 2013, Stanford Encyclopedia of PhilosophyHuman Rights Retrieved 14 August 2014 for ce ...

'' (Kabell) * 1983: '' If You Want the Kernels You Have to Break the Shells'' ( FMP) * 1983: '' Procession of the Great Ancestry'' (Nessa, 1989) * 1983: ''

Rastafari Rastafari, sometimes called Rastafarianism, is a religion that developed in Jamaica during the 1930s. It is classified as both a new religious movement and a social movement by scholars of religion. There is no central authority in control of ...

'' (Sackville) * 1993: '' Kulture Jazz'' (ECM) * 1996: '' Tao-Njia'' (

) * 1997: '' Golden Hearts Remembrance'' with N'da Kulture (Chap Chap, 2020) * 1997: '' Prataksis'' (Ninewinds) * 1998: '' Condor, Autumn Wind'' (Wobbly Rail) * 1999: '' Light Upon Light'' (Tzadik) * 2000: ''

'' (Tzadik) * 2000: ''

Golden Quartet ''Golden Quartet'' is a studio album by American jazz trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith which was recorded in 2000 and released on Tzadik Records. It was the debut recording by the eponymous ensemble featuring pianist Anthony Davis, bassist Malachi Fav ...

'' (Tzadik) * 2001: '' Red Sulphur Sky'' (Tzadik) * 2002: '' The Year of the Elephant'' ( Pi) * 2002: '' Luminous Axis'' (Tzadik) * 2003: '' Organic Resonance'' (Pi) * 2004: ''

Lake Biwa is the largest freshwater lake in Japan, located entirely within Shiga Prefecture (west-central Honshu), northeast of the former capital city of Kyoto. Lake Biwa is an ancient lake, over 4 million years old. It is estimated to be the 13th ol ...

'' (Tzadik) * 2004: '' Saturn, Conjunct the Grand Canyon in a Sweet Embrace'' (Pi) * 2005: '' Snakish'' ( Leo) * 2006: ''

Compassion Compassion motivates people to go out of their way to relieve the physical, mental or emotional pains of others and themselves. Compassion is often regarded as being sensitive to the emotional aspects of the suffering of others. When based on n ...

'' (Meta/Kabell) * 2007: '' Wisdom in Time'' (Intakt) * 2008: ''

Tabligh Tablighi Jamaat (, also translated as "propagation party" or "preaching party") is a transnational Deobandi Islamic missionary movement that focuses on exhorting Muslims to be more religiously observant and encouraging fellow members ...

'' (

) * 2009: ''

America The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

'' (Tzadik) * 2009: ''

Spiritual Dimensions ''Spiritual Dimensions'' is a double album by American jazz trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith released on Cuneiform. The first disc is the fourth release by his Golden Ensemble, which began as a quartet but here expands into a quintet with two drummers, ...

'' (Cuneiform) * 2009: '' Abbey Road Quartet'' (Treader) * 2010: '' The Blue Mountain's Sun Drummer'' (Kabell) * 2011: ''

Heart's Reflections ''Heart's Reflections'' is a two-disc studio album by American jazz trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith. The album was released on May 16, 2011 via Cuneiform Records label. Reception Glen Hall of ''Exclaim!'' stated "Trumpeter Smith wears his love for ...

'' (

) * 2011: '' Dark Lady of the Sonnets'' (TUM) * 2011: ''Nessuno'' with

Pauline Oliveros Pauline Oliveros (May 30, 1932 – November 24, 2016) was an American composer, accordionist and a central figure in the development of post-war experimental and electronic music. She was a founding member of the San Francisco Tape Music Center ...

Roscoe Mitchell Roscoe Mitchell (born August 3, 1940) is an American composer, jazz instrumentalist, and educator, known for being "a technically superb – if idiosyncratic – saxophonist". ''The Penguin Guide to Jazz'' described him as "one of the key figures ...

John Tilbury John Tilbury (born 1 February 1936) is a British pianist. He is considered one of the foremost interpreters of Morton Feldman's music, and since 1980 has been a member of the free improvisation group AMM. Early life and education Tilbury s ...

(IDA 035 – 2016) * 2012: ''

'' (

) * 2012: ''

Ancestors An ancestor, also known as a forefather, fore-elder or a forebear, is a parent or (recursively) the parent of an antecedent (i.e., a grandparent, great-grandparent, great-great-grandparent and so forth). ''Ancestor'' is "any person from whom ...

'' (TUM) * 2013: '' Occupy the World'' (TUM) * 2014: '' Sonic Rivers'' (Tzadik) with George E. Lewis and

* 2014: '' Red Hill'' (RareNoise) with

Jamie Saft Jamie Saft is an American keyboardist and multi-instrumentalist and composer. He was born in New York City, and studied at Tufts University and the New England Conservatory of Music The New England Conservatory of Music (NEC) is a private mu ...

, Joe Morris and Balazs Pandi * 2014: ''

The Great Lakes Suites ''The Great Lakes Suites'' is a two-disc studio album by American jazz trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith. The album was released on September 16, 2014, via Finnish TUM Records label. Background The album includes six original jazz compositions written ...

'' (TUM) * 2014: '' June 6th 2013'' (Novara Jazz) with Eco D'Alberi * 2015: '' Celestial Weather'' (TUM) with John Lindberg * 2016: '' A Cosmic Rhythm with Each Stroke'' (ECM) with

Vijay Iyer Vijay Iyer (born October 26, 1971) is an American composer, pianist, bandleader, producer and writer based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' has called him a "social conscience, multimedia collaborator, system builder, rhapsodist, histori ...

* 2016: ''

America's National Parks ''America's National Parks'' is a two-disc studio album by American jazz trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith. Background Smith was given a copy of the Ken Burns documentary ''The National Parks: America's Best Idea'' and wanted to go beyond the concepts ...

'' (Cuneiform) * 2017: '' Najwa'' (TUM) * 2017: '' Solo: Reflections and Meditations on Monk'' (TUM) * 2017: ''Aspiration'' with Satoko Fujii, Natsuki Tamura,

Ikue Mori (born 17 December 1953), also known as Ikue Ile, is a drummer, electronic musician, composer, and graphic designer. Mori was awarded a "Genius grant" from the MacArthur Foundation in 2022. Biography Ikue Mori was born and raised in Japan. She sa ...

* 2018: ''The Haunt'' with

Bobby Naughton Robert Naughton (June 25, 1944 – December 3, 2022) was an American jazz vibraphonist and pianist. Biography Naughton was born in Boston on June 25, 1944. He studied piano from the age of seven through his teens. He played in rock bands and loun ...

and

Perry Robinson Perry Morris Robinson (September 17, 1938 – December 2, 2018) was an American jazz clarinetist and composer. He was the son of composer Earl Robinson. Early life and education Robinson was born and grew up in New York City. He attended the Le ...

* 2020: ''Pacific Light and Water/Wu Xing – Cycle of Destruction'' with

Barry Schrader Barry may refer to: People and fictional characters * Barry (name), including lists of people with the given name, nickname or surname, as well as fictional characters with the given name * Dancing Barry, stage name of Barry Richards (born c. 19 ...

* 2021: ''Sun Beans of Shimmering Light'' with

Douglas Ewart Douglas R. Ewart (born 13 September 1946 in Kingston, Jamaica) is a Jamaican multi-instrumentalist and instrument builder. He plays sopranino and alto saxophones, clarinets, bassoon, flute, bamboo flutes ('' shakuhachi'', ''ney'', and panpipe ...

, Mike Reed * 2021: ''Sacred Ceremonies'' (TUM) with Milford Graves and Bill Laswell * 2021: ''A Love Sonnet For Billie Holiday'' (TUM) with

and Vijay Iyer * 2022: ''The Emerald Duets'' (TUM) with Pheeroan akLaff, Andrew Cyrille,

Han Bennink Han Bennink (born 17 April 1942) is a Dutch drummer and percussionist. On occasion his recordings have featured him playing soprano saxophone, bass clarinet, trombone, violin, banjo and piano. Though perhaps best known as one of the pivotal fig ...

and Jack DeJohnette

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 Muhal Richard Abrams (born Richard Lewis Abrams; September 19, 1930 – October 29, 2017) was an American educator, administrator, composer, arranger, clarinetist, cellist, and jazz pianist in the free jazz medium. He recorded and toured the Uni ...

*'' Young at Heart/Wise in Time'' ( Delmark, 1974) With

Marion Brown Marion Brown (September 8, 1931 – October 18, 2010) was an American jazz alto saxophonist, composer, writer, visual artist, and ethnomusicologist. He was a member of the avant-garde jazz scene in New York City during the 1960s, playing alongs ...

*''

Geechee Recollections ''Geechee Recollections'' is an album by the American jazz saxophonist Marion Brown recorded in 1973 and released on the Impulse! label.

'' (

Impulse! Impulse! Records (occasionally styled as "¡mpulse! Records" and "¡!") is an American jazz record company and label established by Creed Taylor in 1960. John Coltrane was among Impulse!'s earliest signings. Thanks to consistent sales and positiv ...

, 1973) With

*'' 3 Compositions of New Jazz'' (Delmark, 1968) *''

Silence Silence is the absence of ambient audible sound, the emission of sounds of such low intensity that they do not draw attention to themselves, or the state of having ceased to produce sounds; this latter sense can be extended to apply to the ce ...

'' (Freedom, 1969

975 Year 975 ( CMLXXV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * Arab–Byzantine War: Emperor John I raids Mesopotamia and invades Syria, using ...

with Leroy Jenkins *''

'' ( BYG Actuel, 1969) *'' This Time...'' (BYG Actuel, 1970) *'' Trio and Duet'' (Sackville, 1974) *'' Creative Orchestra Music 1976'' (Arista, 1976) *''

Creative Orchestra (Köln) 1978 ''Creative Orchestra (Köln) 1978'' is a live album by American composer and saxophonist Anthony Braxton. Recorded in Germany in 1978 but not released on the hatART label until 1995, the album features a live concert featuring several of Braxton' ...

'' (hatART, 1978

995 Year 995 ( CMXCV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Japan * 17 May - Fujiwara no Michitaka (imperial regent) dies. * 3 June: Fujiwara no Michikane gain ...

With Creative Construction Company *'' Creative Construction Company'' (

Muse In ancient Greek religion and mythology, the Muses ( grc, Μοῦσαι, Moûsai, el, Μούσες, Múses) are the inspirational goddesses of literature, science, and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge embodied in the ...

, 1970

*'' Creative Construction Company Vol. II'' (Muse, 1970

976 Year 976 ( CMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * January 10 – Emperor John I Tzimiskes dies at Constantinople, after re ...

With

Andrew Cyrille Andrew Charles Cyrille (born November 10, 1939) is an American avant-garde jazz drummer. Throughout his career, he has performed both as a leader and a sideman in the bands of Walt Dickerson and Cecil Taylor, among others. AllMusic biographe ...

*'' Lebroba'' (ECM, 2018) With Leroy Jenkins *''

For Players Only ''For Players Only'' is a live album by violinist and composer Leroy Jenkins, his first as a leader. It was recorded in January 1975 at Wollman Auditorium, Columbia University in New York City, and was released by JCOA Records later that year. On ...

'' (JCOA Records, 1975) With Henry Kaiser *''Yo, Miles!'' (Shanachie, 1998) *''Sky Garden'' (Cuneiform, 2004) *''Upriver'' (Cuneiform, 2004) With

Bill Laswell William Otis Laswell (born February 12, 1955) is an American bass guitarist, record producer, and record label owner. He has been involved in thousands of recordings with many collaborators from all over the world. His music draws from funk, w ...

*''The stone'' (2014) With

Frank Lowe Frank Lowe (June 24, 1943 – September 19, 2003) was an American avant-garde jazz saxophonist and composer. Biography Born and brought up in Memphis, Tennessee, Lowe took up the tenor saxophone at the age of 12. As an adult he moved to San Fra ...

*''

The Flam ''The Flam'' is an album by American jazz saxophonist Frank Lowe recorded in 1975 for the Italian Black Saint label.

'' (Black Saint, 1975) With Maurice McIntyre *'' Humility in the Light of the Creator'' (Delmark, 1969) With

*'' Sketches from Bamboo'' (Moers Music, 1979) With

Matthew Shipp Matthew Shipp (born December 7, 1960) is an American pianist, composer, and bandleader. Early life and education Shipp was raised in Wilmington, Delaware, and began playing piano at six years old. His mother was a friend of trumpeter Clifford B ...

*'' New Orbit'' (Thirsty Ear, 2001) With

Spring Heel Jack Spring Heel Jack is an English electronic music duo, consisting of John Coxon and Ashley Wales. Formed in 1993 in London, England, Spring Heel Jack began their career exploring drum and bass and jungle, but have since branched out into free ...

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

*'' 50th Birthday Celebration Volume 8'' (Tzadik, 2003) *''

The Unknown Masada ''Masada Anniversary Edition Volume 3: The Unknown Masada'' is the third album in a series of five releases celebrating the 10th anniversary of John Zorn's Masada songbook project. It features twelve previously unreleased Masada compositions perfor ...

'' (Tzadik, 2003)

References

External links

* *
short film portrait on Wadada Leo Smith, his art and his work with ECM RecordsWadada Leo Smith by John Corbett—BOMB MagazineA Fireside Chat With Wadada Leo Smith
by Fred Jung Posted: 2003-11-29

– Published in The Music Box, July 2004, Vol. 11, No. 7
Art of the States: Wadada Leo Smith
''Bardsdale'' (1997–1998)
Tawaf
from 2003's "Organic Resonance" on

Solo performance
July 2000 at SASSAS sound. concert archives
"Wadada Leo Smith: The OFN Interview"
by Matthew Sumera: April and June 2005
"Ep. 99: Wadada Leo Smith, trumpeter and composer"
by Tigran Arakelyan: May 20, 2020 {{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Wadada Leo 1941 births Living people People from Leland, Mississippi American jazz composers American male jazz composers American jazz flugelhornists American jazz trumpeters American male trumpeters American multi-instrumentalists American Rastafarians Avant-garde jazz musicians Converts to the Rastafari movement Koto players American music educators Nessa Records artists Pi Recordings artists Tzadik Records artists Wesleyan University alumni 21st-century trumpeters Jazz musicians from Mississippi 21st-century American male musicians Creative Construction Company members Leo Records artists Intakt Records artists NoBusiness Records artists RareNoiseRecords artists