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Wadada Leo Smith – Spiritual Dimensions

Wadada Leo Smith

Spiritual Dimensions

Out of stock

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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 disc 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. The second disc 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.
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.

"...a welcome reminder of Smith's continued importance in the continuum of creative improvised music." – All About Jazz

Details
Cat. number: RUNE290/291
Year: 2009

Release notes

Tracks 1-1 to 1-5 recorded live at Vision XIII, June 13, 2008, New York City. Mixed at Flower Studios, Ojai, CA. Vijay Iyer appears courtesy of ACT Records. Tracks 2-1 to 2-4 recorded live at Firehouse 12, April 17, 2009, New Heaven, CT. Nels Cline's overdubs recorded at Soop Studios, Los Angeles. Mixed at 4D Studios, Brooklyn, NY.

Tracklist
Wadada Leo Smith's Golden Quintet
1-1Al-Shadhili's Litany Of The Sea: Sunrise12:57
1-2Pacifica5:49
1-3Umar At The Dome Of The Rock, Parts 1 & 214:52
1-4Crossing Sirat6:21
1-5South Central L.A. Kulture15:42
Wadada Leo Smith's Organic
2-1South Central L.A. Kulture12:37
2-2Angela Davis19:18
2-3Organic18:07
2-4Joy: Spiritual Fire: Joy13:34
Credits
John Lindberg
Acoustic Bass (2-1 to 2-4), Bass (1-1 to 1-5)
Wadada Leo Smith's Golden Quintet
Band (1-1 to 1-5)
Wadada Leo Smith's Organic
Band (2-1 to 2-4)
Okkyung Lee
Cello (2-1 to 2-4)
Wadada Leo Smith
Composed By (1-1 to 2-4), Executive-Producer, Mixed By (2-1 to 2-4), Trumpet
Bill Ellsworth
Design [Package]
Don Moye
Drums (1-1 to 1-5)
Pheeroan AkLaff
Drums (1-1 to 2-4)
Skuli Sverrisson
Electric Bass (2-1 to 2-4)
Brandon Ross
Electric Guitar (2-1 to 2-4)
Lamar Smith
Electric Guitar (2-1, 2-4)
Michael Gregory
Electric Guitar (2-1 to 2-4), Mixed By (2-1 to 2-4), Producer (2-1 to 2-4)
Nels Cline
Electric Guitar [6- And 12-string] (2-1 to 2-4)
JJ Golden
Mastered By
Jeff Evans
Mixed By (1-1 to 1-5)
Liberty Ellman
Mixed By (2-1 to 2-4)
Scott Goller
Photography By
Vijay Iyer
Piano, Synthesizer (1-1 to 1-5)
Nick Loyd
Recorded By (2-1 to 2-4)
Stefan Heger
Recorded By (1-1 to 1-5)
Casey Butler
Recorded By [Nels Cline's Overdubs] (2-1 to 2-4)