| The Year of the Elephant | |
| Type: | studio |
| Artist: | Wadada Leo Smith |
| Cover: | The_year_of_the_elephant_cover.jpeg |
| Released: | 2002 |
| Recorded: | April 18 and 19, 2002 |
| 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.[1] It was the second recording by his Golden Quartet featuring pianist Anthony Davis, bassist Malachi Favors and drummer Jack DeJohnette.[2]
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."
The Penguin Guide to Jazz describes the album as "A surprisingly straight-ahead jazz record, strongly influenced by electric-period Miles Davis."[3]
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."[4]
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."[5]
All compositions by Wadada Leo Smith