Tao-Njia

1996 studio album by Wadada Leo Smith

Tao-Njia

Studio album by

Wadada Leo Smith

Released| 1996
Recorded| November 17 & December 14, 1995
Studio| Capital Recording, Los Angeles, CalArts, Valencia, California
Genre| Jazz
Length| 43:00
Label| Tzadik
Producer| Wadada Leo Smith
Wadada Leo Smith chronology
| Kulture Jazz
(1993)  | Tao-Njia
(1996)  | Golden Hearts Remembrance
(1997)

|
|

Tao-Njia is a studio album by American jazz trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith which was recorded in 1995 and released on the Tzadik Records' Composer Series.[1]

## Music[edit]

"Another Wave More Waves" is performed by Smith's ensemble N'Da Kulture. "Double Thunderbolt" is a composition in six movements created as a memorial for Don Cherry with poetry by Smith's wife, Harumi Makino Smith. On the title track, the trumpeter is backed by the California E.A.R. Unit, a chamber ensemble conducted by Stephen "Lucky" Mosko.

## Reception[edit]

Professional ratingsReview scores

Source| Rating
AllMusic| [2]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz| [3]
Down Beat| [4]
Tom Hull| B[5]

In her review for AllMusic, Joslyn Layne states "Incorporating personal philosophy and beliefs into his compositions through mood and accompanying texts, Smith creates a warm album of spiritual instrumental music."[2]

The Penguin Guide to Jazz notes "Recent years have seen Smith personally and musically involved with Oriental culture, and this is strongly reflected in Tao-Njia. Acoustically, it is one of his most remarkable records, a rich montage of sounds that are at once new and immediately familiar."[3]

The Down Beat review by John Corbett says "Tao Njia's three pieces are gentle, deceptively spacious compositions loaded with the gestural oomph of a master calligrapher. One might call them 'chamberish,' but that would be to miss their stylistic breadth, their Asian classical overtones and the force of Smith's soloing."[4]

## Track listing[edit]

All tracks are written by Wadada Leo Smith

No.| Title| Length

|
|

1.| "Another Wave More Waves"| 9:30
2.| "Double Thunderbolt: Memorial for Don Cherry"| 12:14
3.| "Tao-Njia"| 21:16
Total length:| 43:00

## Personnel[edit]

* Wadada Leo Smith – trumpet, flugelhorn, bamboo flute, nohkan, axatse, monophony-bar, Indian low bell, Japanese high bell, pre-recorded mbira
* David Philipson – two low drums, frame drums, bansuri, axatse, Tibetan temple bells
* Mika Noda – vibraphone, tubular bells, timpani
* Harumi Makino Smith – poetry
* Dorothy Stone – flute, alto flute, piccolo
* Martin Walker – clarinet, bass clarinet
* Vicki Ray – piano, celesta
* Robin Lorentz – violin
* Erika Duke – cello
* Stephen Lucky Mosko – conductor

## References[edit]

1. ^ "Wadada Leo Smith discography". Jazz Lists. jazzlists.com. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
2. ^ a b Layne, Joslyn. Wadada Leo Smith - Tao-Njia: Review at AllMusic. Retrieved November 17, 2015.
3. ^ a b Cook, Richard; Brian Morton (2002) [1992]. The Penguin Guide to Jazz on CD. The Penguin Guide to Jazz (6th ed.). London: Penguin. p. 1361\. ISBN 0-14-051521-6.
4. ^ a b Corbett, Joihn. Tao Njia review. Down Beat April 97. Print.
5. ^ "Tom Hull: Grade List: Wadada Leo Smith". Tom Hull. Retrieved 9 July 2020.

Authority control databases |

* MusicBrainz release group

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*[No.]: Number