Pianist and composer Vijay Iyer has announced the release of his highly anticipated new album, titled Defiant Life, featuring renowned trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith. Set to launch on March 21, this album marks their second collaboration, following the acclaimed A Cosmic Rhythm With Each Stroke in 2016. In a recent update, Iyer and Smith unveiled the album’s closing track, "Procession: Defiant Life," which is now available for listening.
Iyer has emphasized the profound conversations that shape their collaboration, stating, "Our time together, from the moment we meet right until the moment we play, is most often spent talking about the state of the world, studying histories of liberation, and sharing readings and historical references to ground ourselves in our present."
Defiant Life features an intriguing tracklist:
01 Prelude: Survival
02 Sumud
03 Floating River Requiem (for Patrice Lumumba)
04 Elegy: The Pilgrimage
05 Kite (for Refaat Alareer)
06 Procession: Defiant Life
Stay tuned for more updates on this groundbreaking album from Iyer and Smith as the release date approaches.
