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LaDonna Smith

LaDonna Smith has been on the international new music scene for well over 30 years. An active performer, recently recording and touring with Misha Feigin, Russian guitarist/balalai/poet, recently published an exciting current release, Deviant Shakti, with NY percussionist/drummer Michael Evans. From Birmingham Alabama, she is an active educator & avid presenter of improvised music in her native geographic area. By networking with organizers and musicians from other cities, and through her work with the improvisor journal, she has been responsible for keeping improvised music alive in the South Eastern United States. In 1996 & 2004 she organized the Birmingham International Improvisation Festival, which featured performers from Sweden, Russia, Japan and Ukraine in concert and workshop, as well as a host of regional and national participants in music, theatre, and dance. She plans to host another major regional festival celebrating the 30 year anniversary of "the improvisor" in 2010.

On violin and viola, LaDonna has created a style of improvisation that is uniquely her own. Alternating classical and extended techniques, she explores her instrument, painting scenarios and sound pictures as she plays. She has performed at practically every major improvisation festival and many of the New Music Festivals. She has toured Europe on numerous occasions, playing solo and in collaboration with local musicians. Her travels have taken her to the former USSR, Siberia, and Japan. In addition, she and guitarist, Davey Williams, have toured North America and Europe many times as Trans Duo. She currently tours with Misha Feigin, guitarist/balalai in the duo STRINGTREK. See www.myspace.com/stringtrek She manages the recording label, TransMuseq, and maintains the improvisor, the international journal of free improvisation, printed eleven editions, currently published exclusively on the web. She has also recorded for Table of the Elements, Parachute, Say Day-Bew, Victo, Rastacan, Leo, Roulette, Ictus, and Dice.

Awards

As a non self promoter, hailing from the state of Alabama, where arts support is not strong, and the Senators could not give "two hoots", LaDonna takes no awards.

Gear

I enjoy beautiful, full bodied violins..my favorites change. But my viola is a Lawrence LaMay, Wisconsin, 1969. Who cares about gear? I use what's at the hall, sometimes I supplement a high quality phantom powered condensor mic.


Tags

59

Performance / Tour

Jazz This Week: Al Jarreau, Peter Martin, Davey Williams and Ladonna Smith, Mardra Thomas and Reggie Thomas, and More

Jazz This Week: Al Jarreau, Peter Martin, Davey Williams and Ladonna Smith, Mardra Thomas and Reggie Thomas, and More

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman

It's a busy pre-Valentine's Day weekend for jazz and creative music in St. Louis, and with weather forecasters predicting at least a temporary respite from the deep freeze, it should be a good weekend to get out and about. Here are some of the notable shows coming up: Tonight, pianist Peter Martin continues his eponymous concert series with a solo piano performance at the Sheldon. Martin hasn't done a lot of solo gigs here in St. Louis, but his CD/EP ...

Primary Instrument

Viola

Willing to teach

Beginner to advanced

Credentials/Background

As a teacher, not only has she given many workshops on free improvisation throughout the U.S. and Canada to schoolchildren and college students, but for 30 years, she has taught violin to hundreds of children in Birmingham, Alabama, and is the Director of the Birmingham Suzuki Violin Association. In 1998, she took 24 students and 14 adults to Japan to participate in the 42nd National Suzuki Concert in Tokyo. The Suzuki Violinists also performed their own concerts in Nagano, and a Sister City International Friendship Concert in Hitachi. In 2000, she went to China to study string pedagogy there with People to People, and gave a workshop to string students at the International School in Souzjou. Since 1995, she has been core violin faculty of the Central Pennsylvania Suzuki Institute, specializing in violin master classes, groups, jazz and free improvisation.

Clinic/Workshop Information

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Jeffrey Morgan
saxophone

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

DEVIANT SHAKTI

Transmuseq
2009

buy

Floating Bridges

Trans Museq
2007

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Yokel Yen

Trans Museq
2006

buy

Transmutating

Trans Museq
1993

buy

Eye Of The Storm

Trans Museq
1992

buy

Laboratory Affair

Trans Museq
1988

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