Wadada Leo Smith - Education

Artist Statement

My first musical reflection began at 12 years of age. I was concerned with who was a composer and what they did. Through research I discovered that "composers compose music." I had composed my first compositions, so my conclusion was that I was a composer. A year later I began to perform with delta blues bands in nightclubs and other venues, and was active throughout the South and Midwestern America.

Through musical reflections I realized that music had a philosophical, theoretical and practical usage in the construction of art objects; and that the creative musical languages consist of compositional forms (known musical elements) and improvisational forms (unknown musical elements). The composition and improvisation are constructed through musical activities and the very special inspired musical moments that the artist/composer/performer wishes to reveal.

For fifty years my research and artistic development has been to create a notational language and design compatible systems to illustrate my artistic expression.

In the performance context the ensemble provides the key evidence for the success of the piece and determines the quality of the composition/improvisation experience, which also confirms my research.

Since 1967 my compositions, improvisations and Ankhrasmation language for improvisers, all employ the rhythm-units, sound-units, improvisation-units, and symbolic-units systems in music performance. For example, the rhythm-unit concept is one that accepts a single sound or rhythm, a series of rhythm-sounds, or a grouping of more than one series of sound rhythm as a complete piece of music. The value given to an audible unit is always followed by the relative equivalence of silence. My compositions "Divine Love" (1977, ECM Records) and "Luminous Axis" (2002, Tzadik) are good representations of the rhythm-unit concept.

In my Ankhrasmation language for improvisers all the elements are scored and controlled through symbolic notation.

For example, these symbols are depicted on sonic staffs with adjustable sound partials. Since this system was designed, all of the music I have worked on has dealt with the philosophical and technical attitude upon which it is based. "Tastalun" (appears on 'Divine Love', 1977/ECM Records) is an Ankhrasmation piece scored for three muted trumpets, and is a good example of this music language.

Music is a part of our society and is intimately connected with the survival of humankind, and in every way its values are just as important as the political and economical shpere of the society. Creative contemporary artists today require more support from private sector and businesses, in order to compete in the social realm and to share influence with the political and economic realities of the society in the construction of a better and safer world. In fact if creative artists are given the same kind of economical support and become a substantial part of the national budget many of the problems that society faces today may not become the main issues. Perhaps humanism could be our main focus; art connected to society provides a basis for that.

Leo Smith , 9.23.78