DESCRIPTION:
"South Central L.A. Kulture" by Wadada Leo Smith from the album Spiritual Dimensions, released by Cuneiform Records.

Purchase now at:
Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Spiritual-Dimensions-Wadada-Leo-Smith/dp/B002LFFKNO/ref=pd_sim_m_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=1AY1GGJJDQZ495J9WJ00
iTunes - https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/spiritual-dimensions/id396961845
Bandcamp - http://cuneiformrecords.bandcamp.com/album/spiritual-dimensions
Wayside - http://www.waysidemusic.com/Music-Products/Smith--Wadada-Leo---Spiritual-Dimensions-2-x-CDs__RUNE290-291.aspx

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:

Wadada Leo Smith – trumpet
Vijay Iyer – piano, synthesizer
John Lindberg – bass
Pheeroan AkLaff – drums
Don Moye – drums

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:

Wadada Leo Smith – trumpet
Nels Cline – guitar
Michael Gregory – guitar
Brandon Ross – guitar
Lamar Smith – guitar
Okkyung Lee – cello
John Lindberg – double bass
Skuli Sverrisson – electric bass
Pheeroan AkLaff – drums

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

"...not only as inventive and adventurous as he was when he was a younger player, but his creativity and ability to direct a band into new territory is actually farther reaching than ever before. This is brilliant work." – All Music Guide

For more information:
http://www.cuneiformrecords.com/
http://twitter.com/cuneiformrecord
http://www.facebook.com/cuneiformrecords
https://www.instagram.com/cuneiformrecords/