by Nate Chinen “For a Big Birthday, Leading Three Groups A Night” Leo Smith 70th Birthday Celebration Wadada Leo Smith was a force in motion during the early stretch of his concert at Roulette in Brooklyn on Friday night. Stalking the stage, busily directing the output of his Golden Sextet, he gave off an air […]
Village Voice Review: Wadada Leo Smith
by K. Leander Williams “Wadada Leo Smith Throws Himself A Lively Birthday Party At Roulette” Last year during a pre-concert interview at the Library Of Congress in Washington D.C., composer-trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith got a laugh when he spoke about recruiting bassist John Lindberg. At the time, Smith was in the process of rebuilding his […]
All About Jazz Review: Dave Douglas, Wadada Leo Smith & Taylor Ho Bynum
by Martin Longley “Dave Douglas, Wadada Leo Smith & Taylor Ho Bynum” Leo Smith 70th Birthday Celebration How many birthday cakes can a trumpeter gobble? To celebrate his 70th year, the Interpretations Series presented two nights of new music from Wadada Leo Smith at Brooklyn’s recently transplanted Roulette. This meant three bands each night and […]