Two extraordinary musicians and old friends have just released a masterpiece on the ECM label. Pianist and polymath Vijay Iyer and trumpet player Wadada Leo Smith share a profound empathy, a way of seeing the world and its history as a means of grounding themselves in a meaningful present. This album, Defiant Life is conditioned by their ongoing sorrow of the cruelties of the past year, but also their faith in human possibility. It is an eloquent commentary on life, on friendship and on the importance of art and music in a bleak global landscape.
RTÉ lyric fm, Saturday 6th September, 10pm-1am
