The Year of the Elephant
{{about|the music album|the Islamic historical event|Year of the Elephant}}
{{Infobox album
| name = The Year of the Elephant
| type = studio
| artist = Wadada Leo Smith
| cover = The_year_of_the_elephant_cover.jpeg
| alt =
| released = 2002
| recorded = April 18 and 19, 2002
| venue =
| studio = MRS Recording Studio, New York City
| genre = Jazz
| length = 60:30
| label = Pi Recordings
| producer = Wadada Leo Smith
| chronology = Wadada Leo Smith
| prev_title = Red Sulphur Sky
| prev_year = 2001
| next_title = Luminous Axis
| next_year = 2002
}}
The Year of the Elephant is the twenty-fifth studio album by American jazz trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith which was recorded in 2002 and released on Pi Recordings.{{cite web |title=Wadada Leo Smith discography |url=http://www.jazzlists.com/SJ_Leo_Smith.htm |website=Jazz Lists |publisher=jazzlists.com |access-date=4 June 2018}} It was the second recording by his Golden Quartet featuring pianist Anthony Davis, bassist Malachi Favors and drummer Jack DeJohnette.[https://pirecordings.com/album/pi04 The Year of the Elephant] at Pi Recordings
Reception
{{Music ratings
| rev1 = AllMusic
| rev2 = The Penguin Guide to Jazz
| rev3 = Tom Hull
| rev3score = B+{{cite web |title=Tom Hull: Grade List: Wadada Leo Smith |url=http://tomhull.com/ocston/nm/get_gl.php?n=wadada+leo+smith |publisher=Tom Hull |access-date=9 July 2020}}
}}
In his review for AllMusic, David R. Adler states "Both Davis and DeJohnette are credited on synthesizer, but the sounds they employ are remarkably close to the old-fashioned, analog Wurlitzer. Combined with Favors' resonant, grooving basslines and DeJohnette's loose straight-eighth rhythms the result is somewhat akin to Miles Davis in the In a Silent Way period."{{allMusic|last=Adler|first=David R.|class=album|id=mw0000224338|title=Wadada Leo Smith - The Year of the Elephant: Review|accessdate=October 16, 2015}}
The Penguin Guide to Jazz describes the album as "A surprisingly straight-ahead jazz record, strongly influenced by electric-period Miles Davis."{{cite book|last = Cook|first = Richard|author-link = Richard Cook (journalist)|author2 = Brian Morton|author-link2 = Brian Morton (Scottish writer)|title = The Penguin Guide to Jazz on CD|edition = 8th|series = The Penguin Guide to Jazz|year = 2006|publisher = Penguin|location = London|isbn = 0141023279|pages = [https://archive.org/details/penguinguidetoja00cook_1/page/1211 1211]|url-access = registration|url = https://archive.org/details/penguinguidetoja00cook_1/page/1211}}
The All About Jazz review by Dan McClenaghan says "Smith's horn work is very Miles-like, the wounded, open horn cry, the plaintive and introspective mute work, the judicious use of silence."McClenaghan, Dan. [http://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-year-of-the-elephant-wadada-leo-smith-pi-recordings-review-by-dan-mcclenaghan.php The Year of the Elephant review] at All About Jazz
In his review for JazzTimes Duck Baker notes that "Even though '70s Miles is a frequent departure point for The Year of the Elephant, jazz-rock fans may not feel comfortable with the music while listeners who usually have trouble with rock-type rhythms may be amazed to hear them used in such a creative context."Baker, Duck. [http://jazztimes.com/articles/13455-the-year-of-the-elephant-wadada-leo-smith-s-golden-quartet The Year of the Elephant review] at JazzTimes
Track listing
:All compositions by Wadada Leo Smith
- "Al-Madinah" - 10:01
- "Piru" - 10:51
- "The Zamzam Well a Stream of a Pure Light" - 8:56
- "Kangaroo's Hollow" - 7:06
- "The Year of the Elephant" - 9:19
- "Miles Star in 3 Parts: Star/Seed/Blue Fire" - 14:17
Personnel
- Wadada Leo Smith - trumpet, flugelhorn
- Anthony Davis - piano, synthesizer
- Malachi Favors - bass
- Jack DeJohnette - drums, synthesizer
References
{{reflist}}
{{Wadada Leo Smith}}
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