Legendary trumpeter/composer and family to the proGram, Mr. Wadada Leo Smith debuts his new ensemble Orange Wave Electric with an exhilaratingly hot new album “Fire Illuminations”, available as a digital album on March 31, 2023 via Kabell Records. Joining Wadada are an electric band with guitarists Nels Cline, Brandon Ross & Lamar Smith; bassists Bill Laswell & Melvin Gibbs; electronic musician Hardedge; percussionist Mauro Refosco; and drummer Pheeroan akLaff. He recorded the album in a series of sessions and configurations, compiling the final product through extensive post-production. He sure had an embarrassment of riches to work with: Orange Wave Electric, as shown spelled out above, is an all-star electric band that brings different parts to stoke the flame. Wadada shares history with many of these musicians; Mr. akLaff in particular has been a vital collaborator for more than 4 decades and he has recorded with Mr. Ross & Mr. Gibbs in the formation of their bold trio Harriet Tubman, while Laswell joined the trumpeter along with the late percussion master Milford Graves for 2021’s inspired Sacred Ceremonies. Both Mr. Cline, famous as a member of the band Wilco, and Lamar Smith have been members of Wadada’s Organic group. Only Mr. Refosco is a new layer, though he’s long been an acclaimed percussionist best known for his work with David Byrne and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Mr. Smith crafted the 5 expansive compositions on ‘Fire Illuminations’ in the studio from a series of recording dates conducted and edited over the course of nearly 4 years. He cites such precedents as the groundbreaking work of Jamaican reggae and dub innovator Lee “Scratch” Perry & Miles Davis classics like Bitches Brew & On the Corner.
It is always a pleasure to have Mr. Wadada Leo Smith join in on the proGram. He always adds new ways to think about music’s being, and how it gets to the people. Before we got into the new album, “Fire Illuminations”, we talked briefly about his recently being elected to the American Academy of Arts and Letters. We did dive head first into the creation of the new album and how the process beGan and the space in the in between. Wadada shares a few ways in which the sparks flew to be where they landed, and how each collaborating energy adds to the vibrance of the pieces. Dark Matter. What matters. We touch on so much, but discussing how the piece on the record that really keeps a good burn on for me, “Tony Williams” came to exist and be it’s own, made me relisten and refocus when relistening to the times around the heard. And….this track sounds great on the radio. The honor is always mine to learn more about the how, of the music the changes me. Find some change with this one.
Við Kjalveg – Jarlhettur, 2000.
Photo: Einar Falur Ingolfsson
