Tao-Njia is a studio album by American jazz trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith which was recorded in 1995 and released on the Tzadik Records' Composer Series.[1]
| Tao-Njia | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1996 | |||
| Recorded | November 17 & December 14, 1995 | |||
| Studio | Capital Recording, Los Angeles, CalArts, Valencia, California | |||
| Genre | Jazz | |||
| Length | 43:00 | |||
| Label | Tzadik | |||
| Producer | Wadada Leo Smith | |||
| Wadada Leo Smith chronology | ||||
| ||||
Music
edit"Another Wave More Waves" is performed by Smith's ensemble N'Da Kulture. "Double Thunderbolt" is a composition in six movements created as a memorial for Don Cherry with poetry by Smith's wife, Harumi Makino Smith. On the title track, the trumpeter is backed by the California E.A.R. Unit, a chamber ensemble conducted by Stephen "Lucky" Mosko.
Reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
| The Penguin Guide to Jazz |  [3] |
| Down Beat | [4] |
| Tom Hull | B[5] |
In her review for AllMusic, Joslyn Layne states "Incorporating personal philosophy and beliefs into his compositions through mood and accompanying texts, Smith creates a warm album of spiritual instrumental music."[2]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz notes "Recent years have seen Smith personally and musically involved with Oriental culture, and this is strongly reflected in Tao-Njia. Acoustically, it is one of his most remarkable records, a rich montage of sounds that are at once new and immediately familiar."[3]
The Down Beat review by John Corbett says "Tao Njia's three pieces are gentle, deceptively spacious compositions loaded with the gestural oomph of a master calligrapher. One might call them 'chamberish,' but that would be to miss their stylistic breadth, their Asian classical overtones and the force of Smith's soloing."[4]
Track listing
editAll tracks are written by Wadada Leo Smith
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Another Wave More Waves" | 9:30 |
| 2. | "Double Thunderbolt: Memorial for Don Cherry" | 12:14 |
| 3. | "Tao-Njia" | 21:16 |
| Total length: | 43:00 | |
Personnel
edit- Wadada Leo Smith – trumpet, flugelhorn, bamboo flute, nohkan, axatse, monophony-bar, Indian low bell, Japanese high bell, pre-recorded mbira
- David Philipson – two low drums, frame drums, bansuri, axatse, Tibetan temple bells
- Mika Noda – vibraphone, tubular bells, timpani
- Harumi Makino Smith – poetry
- Dorothy Stone – flute, alto flute, piccolo
- Martin Walker – clarinet, bass clarinet
- Vicki Ray – piano, celesta
- Robin Lorentz – violin
- Erika Duke – cello
- Stephen Lucky Mosko – conductor
References
edit- ^ "Wadada Leo Smith discography". Jazz Lists. jazzlists.com. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
- ^ a b Layne, Joslyn. Wadada Leo Smith - Tao-Njia: Review at AllMusic. Retrieved November 17, 2015.
- ^ a b Cook, Richard; Brian Morton (2002) [1992]. The Penguin Guide to Jazz on CD. The Penguin Guide to Jazz (6th ed.). London: Penguin. p. 1361. ISBN 0-14-051521-6.
- ^ a b Corbett, Joihn. Tao Njia review. Down Beat April 97. Print.
- ^ "Tom Hull: Grade List: Wadada Leo Smith". Tom Hull. Retrieved 9 July 2020.