FUNDACJA SLUCHAJ (RELEASED NOVEMBER 5, 2026)
There are several similarities between the ancient Papyrus of Ani and the latest recording of the same title from bassist Joe Fonda, trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith and drummer Reggie Nicholson. Like the original document, which took the form of a continuous scroll, the music of Papyrus of Ani unfolds through a series of sonic explorations with one note, solo, and musical exchange leading naturally to the next. Created around 1250 BCE, the Papyrus of Ani included prayers and songs dedicated to deities such as Ra and Osiris. The recording Papyrus of Ani includes “Bobby Naughton, Requiem for a Friend,” dedicated to the late vibraphonist Naughton, a musician with whom both Fonda and Smith were active during their membership in the of the Creative Music Improvisers’ Forum in the early 1970s; “Relentlessness for Maciej, written for Polish jazz journalist and executive producer of Fundacja Sluchaj, Maciej Kartowski; and “The Egyptian Obelisk in Central Park,” dedicated to members of Smith’s family. While the original Papyrus of Ani features cursive hieroglyphs and vibrant color vignettes, Fonda. Smith and Nicholson craft a musical document of six improvisations rich in flowing sequences of trio, duo and solo interludes enhanced by vibrant tones, undulating rhythms and hypnotic modes. Fonda and Smith pick up where they left with Smith’s 1989 Procession of the Great Ancestry release. Fonda’s shifting arco and pizzicato playing shapes Smith’s signature bursts, growls, whispers and blasts. His flute playing on “Relentlessness for Maciej” adds another tonal dimension to Smith’s musical lines. Although Papyrus of Ani marks Nicholson’s first recording with Fonda and Smith, the drummer fits comfortably into the proceedings, contributing an array of delicate to robust percussive accents. It took 3,138 years for someone to discover the magical and mystical scroll known as the Papyrus of Ani. It shouldn’t take you more than a minute to discover the magic and mystery of Fonda, Smith and Nicholson’s Papyrus of Ani. Just head to your favorite music retailer, and all will be revealed.
BOTTOM LINE: Bassist Joe Fonda first encountered the music and teachings of trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith in the early 1980s. Since that time, the two have recorded twice together (1982 and 1989). Papyrus of Ani brings them together again, this time with drummer Reggie Nicholson, for a session that is mystical, conversational and exceptional!
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