''Heart's Reflections'' is a two-disc studio album by American jazz trumpeter

Wadada Leo Smith Ishmael Wadada Leo Smith (born December 18, 1941) is an American trumpeter and composer, working primarily in the field of creative music. He was one of three finalists for the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for Music for ''Ten Freedom Summers'', released on ...

. The album was released on May 16, 2011 via

Cuneiform Records Cuneiform Records is a record label in Silver Spring, Maryland. Founded in 1984, the label releases a mixture of musical styles, all with a Rock in Opposition aesthetic, including progressive jazz, jazz fusion, the Canterbury scene, and electron ...

label.

Reception

Glen Hall of ''

Exclaim! ''Exclaim!'' is a Canadian music and entertainment publisher based in Toronto, which features coverage of new music across all genres with a special focus on Canadian and emerging artists. The monthly ''Exclaim!'' print magazine publishes seven ...

'' stated "Trumpeter Smith wears his love for Miles Davis on his sleeve. And the vibe of Heart's Reflections echoes Electric-era Miles, with wah-wah, electric trumpet, yowling guitars, rock-solid drumming and jangling electric piano. But where Miles' music exuded sexuality, most of Smith's two-CD set is ostensibly dedicated to Sufi saint

Abu al-Hasan al-Shadhili Abu al-Hasan al-Shadhili () (full name: Abū al-Ḥasan ʿAlī ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAbd al-Jabbār al-Ḥasanī wal-Ḥusaynī al-Shādhilī) also known as Sheikh al-Shadhili (593–656 Hijri year, AH) (1196–1258 Anno Domini, AD) was an influ ...

... Even with a heavy-on-electronics, 14-piece group, Smith's music is consistently focused and expressive. Phil Johnson of ''

The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...

'' wrote "The astonishing 20-minute opening track might be called "Don Cherry's Electric Sonic Garden", but it's the wheedling tone and furious backbeat of the late Miles Davis that veteran free-jazz trumpeter Smith makes you think of most. Four electric guitarists among an ensemble of 14, with two laptop operatives squiggling away. You can argue that nothing on the double-CD quite equals it, or question the context of mystic spirituality, but Smith has made electric jazz sound dangerous again".

Track listing

Disc 1 Disc 2

Personnel

– trumpet * Pheeroan akLaff – drums, soloist *Casey Anderson – sax (alto) *Charlie Burgin – laptop, soloist *Casey Butler – sax (tenor) *Josh Gerowitz – guitar (electric), soloist * Michael Gregory Jackson – guitar (electric), mixing, producer, soloist * John Lindberg – bass (acoustic), soloist * Brandon Ross – guitar (electric), soloist * Angelica Sanchez – piano, soloist, Wurlitzer piano *Lamar Smith – guitar (electric) *Stephanie Smith – soloist, violin *

Skúli Sverrisson Skúli Sverrisson (born 23 October 1966) is an Icelandic composer and bass guitarist. He has worked with musicians Wadada Leo Smith, Derek Bailey (guitarist), Derek Bailey, Lou Reed, Jon Hassell, David Sylvian, Arto Lindsay, and composers ...

– six-string bass, bass (electric), soloist *

Mark Trayle Mark Trayle, born Mark Evan Garrabrant (January 17, 1955, in San Jose, California – February 18, 2015, in Ventura, California) was a California-based musician and sound artist working in a variety of media including live electronic music, impro ...

– laptop, soloist

References

{{Authority control Wadada Leo Smith albums 2011 albums Cuneiform Records albums