Spirit Catcher (album)

Spirit Catcher
Studio album by Wadada Leo Smith
Released 1979
Recorded May 21, 1979
Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs
Genre Jazz
Length 38:34 (LP)
49:47 (CD)
Label Nessa
Producer Chuck Nessa
Wadada Leo Smith chronology
Budding of a Rose (1978) Spirit Catcher
(1979)
Touch the Earth
(1980)

Spirit Catcher is an album by American jazz trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith which was recorded in 1979 and released on Nessa Records. He leads the New Dalta Akhri, a quintet with Dwight Andrews, Bobby Naughton, Wes Brown and Pheeroan akLaff, in two original compositions: "Images" and "Spirit Catcher". In addition, Smith prepared a very unusual piece for muted trumpet and three harps: "The Burning of Stones", a composition dedicated to Anthony Braxton with elements of two traditions involving harp-like instruments, the West African kora and the Japanese koto.[1][2] The 2009 CD reissue adds an alternate version of this piece.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[3]
The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide[4]

In his review for AllMusic, Scott Yanow states "This is thought-provoking music that grows in interest with each listen."[3] The All About Jazz review by Clifford Allen says "Recorded crisply by Rudy Van Gelder (unlike the somewhat murky Kabell LPs), Spirit Catcher presents Smith's earlier music with clarity and warmth."[5]

Track listing

All compositions by Wadada Leo Smith
  1. "Images" - 19:09
  2. "The Burning of Stones" - 9:42
  3. "Spirit Catcher" - 9:43

Bonus track on CD

  1. "The Burning of Stones" first version - 11:13

Personnel

References

  1. Original liner notes by Robert Palmer
  2. Spirit Catcher at Nessa Records
  3. 1 2 Yanow, Scott. Wadada Leo Smith - Spirit Catcher: Review at AllMusic. Retrieved October 5, 2014.
  4. Swenson, J. (Editor) (1985). The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide. USA: Random House/Rolling Stone. p. 183. ISBN 0-394-72643-X.
  5. Allen, Clifford. Spirit Catcher review at All About Jazz
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