American Jazzscapes of the Middle East - Songs
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“Taif: Prayer in the Garden of Hijaz” is a long piece of music written (composed) by the jazz trumpeter and composer Wadada Leo Smith himself, who sometimes uses the name Ishmael Wadada Leo Smith. It was first performed in 2008 and later released as a live recording, played by Smith on trumpet with percussion and a string quartet, which gives it a rich, serious sound. The title tells you a lot about what it is “about,” even though there are no words: “Taif” is a city in Saudi Arabia, and “Hijaz” is a region there, so the piece is meant as a kind of musical prayer set in a garden in that holy area. One description calls it a “sonic supplication to the Creator,” which means it is like a deep musical prayer where the player thinks about human weakness and asks God for help. The music itself is calm in some spots and intense in others, and a strong trumpet passage can be heard as the voice of the prayer, but the composer has also said that this piece is best heard and felt, not explained in words, so listeners are invited to sit quietly and let their own thoughts and feelings grow while it plays.

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