Wadada Leo Smith and Orange Wave Electric: Fire Illuminations

  Devotees of the three volumes of the Wadada Leo Smith and Henry Kaiser’s Yo Miles! projects will be happy to latch on to Wadada Leo Smith and Orange Wave Electric’s Fire Illuminations. This digital-only project on Smith’s own Kabell imprint features Wadada’s bright and incisive trumpet against the swirling backdrop of multiple electric guitarists (Nels Cline, Brandon Ross and Lamar Smith in various combinations), the twin electric basses of Bill Laswell and Melvin Gibbs, the free-funk drumming of longtime Smith associate Pheeroan akLaff and percussionist Mauro Refosco. Sound designer Hardedge adds subtle electronics to a couple of tracks. As usual, Smith’s inspirations come from all over the cultural spectrum. His touchstones for this collection of tracks recorded over several years include the poet and playwright Ntozake Shange, Muhammad Ali, and drummer Tony Williams. Most of the music is heavily influenced by the late electric period of Miles Davis, with long, layered grooves and a gleaming trumpet on top. On the finale, Muhammad Ali and George Forman Rumble in Zaire Africa, the first few minutes feature disjointed stop and start rhythms with akLaff’s drums up front as Cline wails over ominous bass lines. Eventually, Smith joins the fray with his bright and authoritative trumpet. Wadada’s music continues to surprise and delight, and Fire Illuminations is no exception. Recommended. 

Kabell KB112 (digital only); Wadada Leo Smith (tpt) Nels Cline (g, exc on 2 & 3) Brandon Ross (g on 1 & 4) Lamar Smith (g, exc on 5) Bill Laswell, Melvin Gibbs (el b)Pheeroan akLaff (d) Mauro Refosco (perc, exc on 5) Hardedge (elec on 1 & 4); no locations specified, January 2019-2021; 1) Ntozake Shange/ 2) Muhammad Ali's Spiritual Horizon/ 3) Fire Illuminations Inside the Particles of Light/ 4) Tony Williams/ 5) Muhammad Ali and George Forman Rumble in Zaire Africa; 48:32. wadadaleosmith1.bandcamp.com