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Wadada Leo Smith's Mbira: Dark Lady of the Sonnets
ByThe warmth and humanity of Dark Lady of the Sonnets is striking this is not one of those academic, furrowed-brow sort of avant-garde recordings. The title, of course, refers to Wadada's muse, Billie Holiday, and the players seem to be telling stories, having conversations, crying, and laughing. "Sarah Bell Wallace" unfolds somberlya three-way conversation between pipa, trumpet and malleted toms ensues before AkLaff switches over to sticks and sets up a hypnotic ride pattern for the others, now bubbling and joyous, to play around with. Smith's jagged, confrontational trumpet jolts "Blues: Cosmic Beauty" out of the chute. His ferocious playing is soon matched in fervor by both Min and AkLaff before the three tail off to state the fragmentary, somewhat abstract theme. The lighthearted and nimble Min uses a glissando technique here to approximate the sound of a blues guitar. Min's singing here remains rooted in the traditional Chinese style, though her freewheeling, improvisational sensibility shines through. The lovely, melodic "Zulu Water Festival" is sweet and lush.
Ostensibly a contemplation of the reflected images of 60,000 Zulus dancing around a lake, the influence of traditional Chinese music is also quite palpable. The title track starts out as a delicate ballad-like piece featuring Min's exquisitely hushed voice. Just as the music moves toward complete silence, the trio explodes with a heraldic, Ornette Coleman-like theme over roiling free-jazz drums. Smith's solo here is breathtaking, and Min doesn't miss a beather pipa's right there comping, prodding, pushing. Unlike the CD's other tracks, "Mbira"as Smith points out in his liner notesis a complex, episodic piece that seems to hang suspended in space, bringing the CD to a thoughtful finale.
For the musically adventurous, Dark Lady of the Sonnets is a veritable feast of soulful new sounds, poignantly emotional expressions, and interesting textures from three master musicians who really hear each other on a profound level.
Track Listing
Sarah Bell Wallace; Blues: Cosmic Beauty; Zulu Water Festival; Dark Lady of the Sonnets; Mbira.
Personnel
Wadada Leo Smith: trumpet and flugelhorn; Min Xiao-Fen: pipa and voice; Pheeroan akLaff: drums.
Album information
Title: Dark Lady of the Sonnets | Year Released: 2012 | Record Label: TUM Records
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Wadada Leo Smith's Mbira
CD/LP/Track Review
Dave Wayne
Braithwaite & Katz Communications
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Wadada Leo Smith
Pheeroan AkLaff
Billie Holiday
Ornette Coleman
Dark Lady of the Sonnets