''Touch the Earth'' is an album by a free jazz trio consisting of American 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 ...

, German bassist

Peter Kowald Peter Kowald (21 April 1944 – 21 September 2002) was a German free jazz and free improvising double bassist and tubist. Career A member of the Globe Unity Orchestra, and a touring double-bass player, Kowald collaborated with many European f ...

and German drummer

Günter Sommer Günter "Baby" Sommer (born 25 August 1943) is a German jazz drummer. Career Sommer was born in Dresden on 25 August 1943. His first instrument was the trumpet, which he studied at school. He started playing the drums aged 15 or 16. He studie ...

, which was recorded live in 1979 and released on the German FMP label. It was reissued on CD in a compilation titled ''Touch the Earth—Break the Shells'', with some tracks from ''

If You Want the Kernels You Have to Break the Shells ''If You Want the Kernels You Have to Break the Shells'' is an album by a free jazz trio consisting of German bassist Peter Kowald, American trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith, and German drummer Günter Sommer, which was recorded live in 1981 and relea ...

'', another album by the same trio.''Touch the Earth''
on FMP

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 ...

, Thom Jurek states about the ''Touch the Earth - Break the Shells'' reissue "This is music of the mind, certainly, but it is also from the body and the earth itself. This is free jazz that sings!." The ''

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 ...

'' review by John Murph says about the reissue "Both wild and peaceful, ''Touch The Earth-Break the Shells'', is an invigorating post-Art Ensemble of Chicago experience."Shanley, Mik
''Touch the Earth - Break the Shells'' review
at ''

Track listing

# "Gebr. Loesch" (Sommer) – 4:15 # "Touch the Earth" (Kowald) – 12:50 # "Wind Song in a Dance of Unity" (Smith) – 4:09 # "In Light" (Smith) – 12:08 # "Ein Stück Über Dem Boden" (Kowald) – 3:51 # "Radepur im Februar" (Sommer) – 7:34

Personnel

–

double bass The double bass (), also known as the upright bass, the acoustic bass, the bull fiddle, or simply the bass, is the largest and lowest-pitched string instrument, chordophone in the modern orchestra, symphony orchestra (excluding rare additions ...

– trumpet, flugelhorn, african thumb piano *

– drums, percussion, organ pipes

References

{{Authority control 1980 live albums 1980 collaborative albums Wadada Leo Smith live albums Peter Kowald live albums Günter Sommer live albums FMP Records live albums