''Saturn, Conjunct the Grand Canyon in a Sweet Embrace'' is the second album of a live duo performance 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 ...

and reedist

Anthony Braxton Anthony Braxton (born June 4, 1945) is an American experimental composer, educator, music theorist, improviser and multi-instrumentalist who is best known for playing saxophones, particularly the alto. Braxton grew up on the South Side of Chi ...

, which was recorded in 2003 at New York's Tonic club and released on

Pi Recordings Pi Recordings is a jazz record label founded by Seth Rosner in 2001. He was soon joined as partner by Yulun Wang. Pi specializes in avant-garde jazz. Its first two albums were by Henry Threadgill. Pi's roster includes Amir ElSaffar, Anthony Brax ...

. This album, along with ''

Organic Resonance ''Organic Resonance'' is a live album by American jazz trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith and reedist Anthony Braxton, which was recorded live at New York's Tonic club in 2003 and released on Pi Recordings. It was their first full duo recording.

'', is the first recording dedicated entirely to Wadada and Braxton's duo music.''Saturn, Conjunct the Grand Canyon in a Sweet Embrace''
at Wadada Leo Smith website

Reception

In his review for

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...

, Scott Yanow states "A rhythm section is not needed for these two masterful musicians, who have played together on an infrequent basis since the late '60s, for they form their own themes, harmonies, and rhythms." ''

The Penguin Guide to Jazz ''The Penguin Guide to Jazz'' is a reference work containing an encyclopedic directory of jazz recordings on CD which were (at the time of publication) currently available in Europe or the United States. The first nine editions were compiled b ...

'' says "Widely admired on first release, these are curiously disappointing sets that never seem to find the two players on common ground." The

All About Jazz ''All About Jazz'' is a website established by Michael Ricci in 1995. A volunteer staff publishes news, album reviews, articles, videos, and listings of concerts and other events having to do with jazz. Ricci maintains a related site, ''Jazz Near ...

review by Rex Butters says "Any project involving either of these two players is exhilarating and imaginative, but together in duet they pull aside the curtain to expose the wondrous machinations of the creative process."Butters, Rex
''Saturn, Conjunct the Grand Canyon in a Sweet Embrace'' review
at

In a double review for ''

JazzTimes ''JazzTimes'' was an American print magazine devoted to jazz. Published 10 times a year, it was founded in Washington, D.C., in 1970 by Ira Sabin as the newsletter ''Radio Free Jazz'' to complement his record store. Coverage After a decade ...

'' Duck Baker notes that "There is enormous variety of feeling and approach not just from track to track but within each performance, though describing these things is challenging."Baker, Duck
''Saturn, Conjunct the Grand Canyon in a Sweet Embrace'' review
at ''

Track listing

# "Composition No. 316" (Anthony Braxton) - 28:52 # "Saturn, Conjunct the Grand Canyon in a Sweet Embrace" (Wadada Leo Smith) - 13:21 # "Goshawk" (Wadada Leo Smith) - 8:58

Personnel

trumpet The trumpet is a brass instrument commonly used in classical and jazz musical ensemble, ensembles. The trumpet group ranges from the piccolo trumpet—with the highest Register (music), register in the brass family—to the bass trumpet, pitche ...

flugelhorn The flugelhorn (), also spelled fluegelhorn, flugel horn, or flügelhorn, is a brass instrument that resembles the trumpet and cornet, but has a wider, more conical bore. Like trumpets and cornets, most flugelhorns are pitched in B♭, though ...

saxophones The saxophone (often referred to colloquially as the sax) is a type of Single-reed instrument, single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of brass. As with all single-reed instruments, sound is produced when a reed (mouthpi ...

References

{{Authority control 2004 live albums 2004 collaborative albums Wadada Leo Smith live albums Anthony Braxton live albums Pi Recordings live albums