Wadada Leo Smith Festival, April 8-9 in New Haven

Source: Firehouse 12.

Legendary composer and trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith presents the CREATE Festival

April 8 & 9, 2017 at Firehouse 12 in New Haven, CT

The first-ever celebration of Smith’s visionary compositions features five ensembles performing classic works and several world premieres

Saturday, April 8

12-2:00pm Seminar

A presentation centered around a dialogue about Wadada Leo Smith’s music and some of the pieces being performed over the two days, with Jesse Gilbert, video artist. Premium coffee brewed by Wadada and Creole gumbo prepared by Gianna Chachere.

7:00pm Concert

1. Young People’s Opening Act LaStar
Lamar Smith, guitar, plus two musicians TBA

2. Dark Lady of the Sonnets

3. Excerpt from Rosa Parks Oratorio
The Montgomery Bus Boycott: 381 Days: Fire

Mbira
Pheeroan Aklaff, drums and percussion
Min Xiao Fen, pipa and voice
Wadada Leo Smith, trumpet
with RedKoral Quartet and Jesse Gilbert, video artist on Rosa Parks Oratorio

4. String Quartets 9 and 10, World Premiere
String Quartet No. 9
Ma Rainey
Marian Anderson
Rosa Parks
Angela Davis

String Quartet No. 10
Ellingtonia
Reminiscing in Tempo

RedKoral Quartet
Shalini Vijayan, violin
Mona Tian, violin
Lorenz Gamma, viola
Ashley Walters, cello
Anthony Davis, piano on String Quartet #10

5. Excerpts from America’s National Parks
New Orleans; National Cultural Park, World Premiere Yellowstone; the Spirit of America

Wadada Leo Smith’s Golden Quintet
Wadada Leo Smith, trumpet
Anthony Davis, piano
Ashley Walters, cello
John Linberg, bass
Pheeroan Aklaff, drums
Jesse Gilbert, video artist

Sunday, April 9

12-2:00pm Seminar

A presentation of a dialogue concerning the symbolic music language Ankhrasmation, with Jesse Gilbert, video artist. Premium coffee brewed by Wadada and Creole gumbo prepared by Gianna Chachere.

7:00pm Concert

1. Young People’s Opening Act
Musicians TBA

2. String Quartet #12, Pacifica
Viola Quartet with Trumpet and electronics

The Sextet
Stephanie Griffin, viola
Gwen Lester, viola
Tanya Kalmanovitch, viola
Jason Kao Hwang, viola
Hardedge, electronics
Wadada Leo Smith, trumpet

3. New premiere, TBA

New Delta Ahkri
Wadada Leo Smith, trumpet
Dwight Andrew, saxophones/flutes
Bobby Naughton, vibraphone

4. Excerpts from America’s National Parks
Mississippi River
Yosemite

Wadada Leo Smith’s Golden Quintet
Wadada Leo Smith, trumpet
Anthony Davis, piano
Ashley Walters, cello
John Linberg, bass
Pheeroan Aklaff, drums
Jesse Gilbert, video artist