Pianist and composer Vijay Iyer and the legendary trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith have built a unique, telepathic connection over three decades of sporadic collaborations. Their latest project, Defiant Life, marks their second duo album for ECM, following 2016’s A Cosmic Rhythm With Each Stroke. Iyer reflects on the recording, explaining, “This session was shaped by our ongoing sorrow and outrage over the past year’s injustices, but also by our belief in human potential.”
When Iyer and Smith collaborate, their discussions rarely focus on the music itself. Instead, they delve into the current state of the world, drawing on historical references—a specialty of Smith’s—to ground themselves in the present moment. From there, the music flows naturally. Defiant Life features six pieces, two of which are notated, and these two are central to the album’s theme. They honor individuals who led defiant lives: Smith’s “Floating River Requiem” is dedicated to the Congolese prime minister Patrice Lumumba, assassinated in 1961, while Iyer’s “Kite” is a tribute to Palestinian writer and poet Refaat Alareer, killed in Gaza in 2023. The remaining four pieces are entirely improvised, showcasing the unique creative synergy between the two artists. Iyer plays piano, Rhodes, and electronics, while Smith performs on unadorned trumpet.
The duo’s music is characterized by their use of space as a third collaborator, a shared sense of pacing, and a deliberate choice of notes. The overall tone is meditative, lyrical, and calming, with occasional shifts to more celebratory moments. These shifts stand out due to the weight of their otherwise melancholic compositions. Their music builds tension and release with remarkable subtlety, and while they rarely play flurries of notes, every note they choose resonates with intent. Their “aesthetic of necessity” is predominantly peaceful, though it can turn ominous and intense when needed, creating a sublime beauty unlike anything else, except perhaps their earlier duo work and Smith’s 2024 collaboration with pianist Amina Claudine Myers, Central Parks Mosaics of Reservoir, Lake, Paths, and Gardens.
The album opens with “Prelude: Survival,” which begins with percussive thumps, agitated trumpet bursts, and minimalistic piano motifs. As Iyer builds a soft electronic foundation, the piece sets a mysterious, somber mood that lingers throughout much of the album. This mood transitions seamlessly into “Sumud,” where the reverberating Rhodes notes accentuate Smith’s soft, whispering trumpet. The second half of the piece grows in intensity, building to an almost violent crescendo before fading into an ethereal, airy conclusion.
“Floating River Requiem” starts with dark piano tones but brightens when Smith’s trumpet enters, alternating between celebratory and ominous sounds. Iyer mostly stays in the darker tonal range but introduces a sprightly section toward the piece’s middle. “Elegy: The Pilgrimage” remains largely mournful, with occasional rays of light from Iyer’s piano. It is perhaps the most hypnotic track on the album, with Smith’s metallic trumpet creating a chilling atmosphere. “Kite” evolves slowly, developing into a stunning exchange between Smith’s enveloping trumpet and Iyer’s delicate Rhodes, building into a peaceful, mesmeric wave of lyrical sound. The album concludes with “Procession: Defiant Life,” which offers a slightly brighter conclusion, combining the same textures from earlier tracks while incorporating bursts of agitation akin to those heard at the opening.
While some may find the album’s meditative pace too quiet or introspective, Defiant Life is best appreciated in a quiet, focused environment, much like the attentive listening that Iyer and Smith bring to their collaboration. Only in such a space can you fully experience the calm and profound beauty of this exceptional work.
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