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Wadada Leo Smith & Louis Moholo-Moholo: Ancestors

By Mark Corroto
October 26, 2012
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Wadada Leo Smith & Louis Moholo-Moholo: Ancestors

The Theology of the Body is an integrated vision of the human person as body, soul, and spirit. Attending the church of jazz, this amalgamation can be best illustrated+ with improvisation and, if so, this duo of trumpeter

Wadada Leo Smith

trumpet
b.1941

" data-original-title="" title="">Wadada Leo Smith and drummer

Louis Moholo-Moholo

drums
1940 - 2025

" data-original-title="" title="">Louis Moholo-Moholo is a sacred meeting.

Following the previous releases of Smith's duos with drummers

Gunter Baby Sommer

drums
b.1943

" data-original-title="" title="">Gunter Baby Sommer on Wisdom In Time (Intakt, 2007),

Adam Rudolph

percussion
b.1955

" data-original-title="" title="">Adam Rudolph on Compassion (Meta/Kabell, 2006),

Jack DeJohnette

drums
b.1942

" data-original-title="" title="">Jack DeJohnette with America (Tzadik, 2007) and

Ed Blackwell

drums
1929 - 1992

" data-original-title="" title="">Ed Blackwell (from 1986) on The Blue Mountain's Sun Drummer (Kabell, 2010), this current 2011 session invokes the spirit of the glorified body.

Together, Smith and Moholo-Moholo meld into one, the trumpet often imitating the human voice and, for the heartbeat, the drums.

Both musicians, comfortable in large ensemble settings, excel here in these intimate surroundings. Smith composed two tracks to Moholo-Moholo's one, with two improvisations rounding out the session. Are the drums influenced by Moholo- Moholo's South African roots? Certainly. He keeps a constant heartbeat pulse throughout, centering this recording on the humane, with compassionate strokes. This isn't a competition between the pair, it's more of an affaire de c?ur.

The ease of the opening "Moholo-Moholo/Golden Spirit," a leisurely stroll with muted trumpet and bass drum, gives way to the snappy snare rolls of "No Name In The Street, James Baldwin," with Smith blurting and blatting exclamatory statements into the air. Where others might utilize the tug of trading notes, these two simply build upon each other's sound. The drummer's "Siholaro" rumbles as thunder while Smith is at his most lyrical. The highlight of this disc is the five-part, 25-minute improvisation, "Ancestors." Begun with chimes and shakers, the piece transmogrifies into a spoken homage to jazz masters, from saxophonist

Sonny Rollins

saxophone
b.1930

" data-original-title="" title="">Sonny Rollins to drummer

Han Bennink

drums
b.1942

" data-original-title="" title="">Han Bennink.

The duo of Wadada Leo Smith and Louis Moholo-Moholo creates a warmhearted session that doesn't spare the beautiful.

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Track Listing

Moholo-Moholo/Golden Spirit; No Name In The Street, James Baldwin; Jackson Pollock, Action; Siholaro; Ancestors.

Personnel

Wadada Leo Smith

trumpet

Wadada Leo Smith: trumpet, percussion; Louis Moholo-Moholo: drums, percussion, voice.

Album information

Title: Ancestors | Year Released: 2012 | Record Label: TUM Records

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