radiofan
Vielleicht eine seiner besten Produktionen überhaupt. Aber wer vermag das zu sagen. Unglaublicher Musiker und unbedingt anhören !!!
Favorite track: Angela Davis.
"...a welcome reminder of Smith's continued importance in the continuum of creative improvised music."
– All About Jazz
"...not only as inventive and adventurous as he was when he was a younger player, but his creativity and ability to direct a band into new territory is actually farther reaching than ever before. This is brilliant work."
– All Music Guide
credits
released October 6, 2009
Spiritual Dimensions is a double album that features two very special groups, both filled with truly great and legendary musicians! Both discs were recorded live to capture the energy and spirit that Smith's shows have.
The first album is by his Golden Quintet. This disc is a modern/avant jazz release that has some distinctive electric touches and features many of the hallmarks of Wadada's work; space, depth, melody and abstraction:
Wadada Leo Smith – trumpet
Vijay Iyer – piano, synthesizer
John Lindberg – bass
Pheeroan AkLaff – drums
Don Moye – drums
The second album is the first-ever release of Wadada's Organic group and is a completely different creature. It's a fully electric, four guitar, creative, bad-ass beast with slinky grooves, but the same hallmarks run through this set as well:
Wadada Leo Smith – trumpet
Nels Cline – guitar
Michael Gregory – guitar
Brandon Ross – guitar
Lamar Smith – guitar
Okkyung Lee – cello
John Lindberg – double bass
Skuli Sverrisson – electric bass
Pheeroan AkLaff – drums
The easiest comparison between the albums can be drawn by listening to the two different versions of the composition South Central L.A. Kulture, which appears at the last track by the Golden Quintet and as the first track by Organic; its inclusion here in two versions is a good example of how Smith’s compositions can mutate to embrace new settings.
Wadada Leo Smith's Golden Quintet
Recorded live at Vision XIII, June 13, 2008, New York City.
Stefan Heger - recording engineer
Mixing at Flower Studios, Ojai, CA.
Jeff Evans - mixing engineer
Wadada Leo Smith - executive producer
Wadada Leo Smith's Organic
Recorded live at Firehouse 12, April 17, 2009, New Haven, CT.
Nick Lloyd - recording engineer
Nels Cline's overdubs recorded at Soop Studios, Los Angeles.
Casey Butler - recording engineer at Soop
Mixed at 4D Studios, Brooklyn, NY.
Liberty Ellman - mixing engineer, with Michael Gregory and Wadada Leo Smith
Michael Gregory - producer
Wadada Leo Smith - executive producer
supported by 49 fans who also own “Spiritual Dimensions”
This record has such a magical flow to it, it seems to capture so directly the ups and downs of life, the joy of music and dance, and it's just so damn catchy and fun to listen to as well. Giles