Wadada Leo Smith and Ed Blackwell - The Blue Mountain's Sun Drummer (2010)

Kabell Records: 111



* Wadada Leo Smith : trumpet, flugelhorn, flute, mbira, voice
* Ed Blackwell : drums, percussion

http://www.wadadaleosmith.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Blackwell

Recorded live on October 23, 1986 at Brandeis University,
Radio “The Joint” WBRS 100.1 fm.
Engineered by Mark Liebowitz.

Reviews

By S. Victor Aaron
http://somethingelsereviews.com/2010/11/09/half-notes-wadada-leo-smithed-blackwell-the-blue-mountains-sun-drummer-2010/

From the first, lonely wails notes from Wadada Leo Smith’s trumpet on the
propulsive “Uprising,” it becomes crystal clear that this is no ordinary
session. Smith and classic-period Ornette Coleman drummer Ed Blackwell had a
longstanding friendship, and when the two lived near each other in Connecticut,
they joined forces for a single performance at Bradeis University near Boston
in October, 1986. Performing all Smith tunes, Smith recalls he barely revealed
them to Blackwell ahead of the concert. Nonetheless, Blackwell and Smith played
the songs together without any awkward moments, but plenty of instances of
beauty. Smith shows himself to be a very emotional, lyrical trumpeter whose
mastery of time and space is a hallmark of his. Here, the wide intervals open
up a lot of opportunities for Blackwell, an unorthodox but artful
percussionist. It’s on such a spare setting like this where it’s easy to
discern what an exceptional colorist and manipulator of tones and exotic
rhythms this late drumming great really was, even this late in his
career. Taken from a radio broadcast that was exquisitely recorded, Smith
finally saw fit to take this public and release it on his own Kabell Records
imprint. It was a sound decision. The Blue Mountain’s Sun Drummer is a
performance that reinforces the legend of both of these avant garde giants.

--

By Stef
http://www.freejazzblog.org/2010/10/wadada-leo-smith-ed-blackwell-blue.html

By Bill Meyer
http://www.dustedmagazine.com/reviews/6154

By John Litweiler
http://www.pointofdeparture.org/PoD33/PoD33MoreMoments5.html

By Dan McClenaghan
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-blue-mountains-sun-drummer-wadada-leo-smith-meta-records-review-by-dan-mcclenaghan.php

By Clifford Allen
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-blue-mountains-sun-drummer-wadada-leo-smith-kabell-records-review-by-clifford-allen.php

Svenn (Robert Wyatt) (no)
http://www.svennevenn.blogspot.com/2011/01/wadada-leo-smith-and-ed-blackwell.html

Jan Strand (se)
http://orkesterjournalen.com/wordpress/?p=3289

Por Yahvé M. de la Cavada (es)
http://www.undiamasundiscomas.blogspot.com/2011/02/wadada-leo-smith-and-ed-blackwell-blue.html