Light Upon Light (album)

Light Upon Light is a studio album by American jazz trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith which was released in 1999 on the Tzadik Records' Composer Series.[1][2][3] The album includes a composition for chamber ensemble and gamelan quartet, a solo piece for viola, a bass concerto written for Bert Turetzky and two electronic pieces.[4]

Light Upon Light
Studio album by
Released1999
StudioCapital Recording, Los Angeles, CalArts, Valencia, California
GenreJazz
Length52:17
LabelTzadik
ProducerWadada Leo Smith
Wadada Leo Smith chronology
Condor, Autumn Wind
(1998)
Light Upon Light
(1999)
Reflectativity
(2000)

Reception edit

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [5]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings    [6]

In her review for AllMusic, Joslyn Layne states "Wadada Leo Smith's second recording for the Tzadik label, Light Upon Light, is more spacious and a little colder than his first, Tao-Njia."[5]

Track listing edit

All compositions by Wadada Leo Smith.

  1. "Moths, Flames and the Giant Sequoia Redwood Trees" - 15:33
  2. "Hetep: Serenity: Tranquility 2" - 8:05
  3. "Multiamerica" - 10:27
  4. "Nur: Luminous, Light Upon Light" - 14:01
  5. "A Thousand Cranes: A Memorial for Amir Hamzehi" - 4:11

Personnel edit

Moths, Flames and the Giant Sequoia Redwood Trees

Hetep Serenity Tranquility 2

  • Karen Elaine Bakunin – viola

Multiamerica

Nur Luminous, Light Upon Light

A Thousand Cranes A Memorial for Amir Hamzehi

  • Wadada Leo Smith – trumpet
  • Mark Trayle – electronics

References edit

  1. ^ "Reader Top Ten Picks". CMJ New Music Report. CMJ Network, Inc.: 59 10 January 2000. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
  2. ^ Bivins, Jason (2015). Spirits Rejoice!: Jazz and American Religion. Oxford University Press. p. 342. ISBN 9780190230913. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
  3. ^ "Wadada Leo Smith discography". Jazz Lists. jazzlists.com. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
  4. ^ Light Upon Light at Wadada Leo Smith
  5. ^ a b Layne, Joslyn. Wadada Leo Smith - Light Upon Light: Review at AllMusic. Retrieved November 21, 2015.
  6. ^ Cook, Richard. The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings. p. 1278. Retrieved 31 August 2020.