Sonic Rivers is a collaborative studio album by trombonist George Lewis, trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith, and saxophonist John Zorn. It was released in June 2014 by Tzadik Records.

Sonic Rivers
Studio album by
Released24 June 2014
RecordedDecember 2013
GenreAvant-garde jazz
Length45:17
LabelTzadik
ProducerJohn Zorn
George Lewis chronology
Sounddance
(2011)
Sonic Rivers
(2014)
Wadada Leo Smith chronology
Occupy the World
(2013)
Sonic Rivers
(2014)
Red Hill
(2014)
John Zorn chronology
Fragmentations, Prayers and Interjections
(2014)
Sonic Rivers
(2014)
Myth and Mythopoeia
(2014)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]

Reception edit

A reviewer of Soundohm stated "Tzadik introduces its new Spectrum series with a very special and exciting new group featuring three of the most creative wind players in new music. Friends and colleagues since the ’70s, these three musicians share a vision of improvisation and composition that is unique, virtuosic and cooperative. Performing compositions and collective improvisations, they sculpt sound and silence with masterly assurance. Surprising yet completely inevitable, this is an essential document of improvisational music in the 21st century by three contemporary masters."[2]

Track listing edit

  1. "Cecil Taylor" (Wadada Leo Smith) – 8:57
  2. "The Art of Counterpoint" (George Lewis, Smith, John Zorn) – 3:50
  3. "North" (Lewis, Smith, Zorn) – 7:14
  4. "South" (Lewis, Smith, Zorn) – 5:44
  5. "East" (Lewis, Smith, Zorn) – 4:05
  6. "West" (Lewis, Smith, Zorn) – 3:55
  7. "Screaming Grass" (Lewis, Smith, Zorn) – 5:49
  8. "The Culture of Gun Violence in the US" (Smith) – 5:43

Personnel edit

  • George Lewis – trombone, electronics
  • Wadada Leo Smith – trumpet
  • John Zorn – alto saxophone

References edit

  1. ^ Deming, Mark (June 2014). "George Lewis / Wadada Leo Smith / John Zorn: Sonic Rivers". Allmusic. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
  2. ^ "Wadada Leo Smith - George Lewis - John Zorn: Sonic rivers". Soundohm. soundohm.com. Retrieved 4 June 2018.