In What Language?

In What Language? is a collaborative studio album by American jazz pianist Vijay Iyer and American hip hop musician Mike Ladd. It was released on Pi Recordings in 2003.

In What Language?
Studio album by
Vijay Iyer & Mike Ladd
ReleasedOctober 21, 2003 (2003-10-21)
Recorded
  • April 30, 2003
  • May 2–3, 2003
Studio
  • Sorcerer Sound, New York
  • TME Studios, New York
Genre
Length68:58
LabelPi Recordings
Producer
Vijay Iyer & Mike Ladd chronology
Your Life Flashes
(2002)		 In What Language?
(2003)		 Blood Sutra
(2003)

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Billboardfavorable[2]
Pitchfork8.3/10[3]
PopMattersfavorable[4]
Tom HullA–[5]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings[6]

Joe Tangari of Pitchfork gave the album an 8.3 out of 10, writing, "What might make In What Language? truly important ... is that it's focused intently on probing social issues in meaningful ways."[3] Chris Nickson of AllMusic gave the album 4 out of 5 stars, commenting that "Written originally to be performed on-stage in a theatrical setting, it transfers well to a purely recorded medium, dense and demanding, but ultimately satisfying, inasmuch as it leaves the listener full of questions and less certain about the world."[1] Lyn Horton of All About Jazz stated that "These composers have instituted a new paradigm for 21st century opera."[7] Anastasia Tsioulcas of Billboard wrote, "With Iyer working as composer and Ladd as librettist, the two weave together elements of jazz, hip-hop and spoken-word art into a new, subversive kind of song cycle."[2]

Track listing
No.TitleLength
1."The Color of My Circumference I"4:10
2."The Density of the 19th Century"5:15
3."Terminal City"1:55
4."Rentals"2:44
5."Security"3:39
6."DeGaulle"6:37
7."TLC"2:39
8."Three Lotto Stories"4:49
9."The Color of My Circumference II"2:09
10."Iraqi Businessman"2:42
11."Taking Back The Airplane"4:54
12."The Color of My Circumference III"2:29
13."Innana After Baghdad"2:32
14."In What Language"4:05
15."Asylum"6:21
16."The Color of My Circumference IV"5:51
17."Plastic Bag"6:07

Personnel

Credits adapted from liner notes.

  • Vijay Iyer – piano, keyboards, electronics, production, mixing, liner notes
  • Mike Ladd – vocals (1, 2, 3, 9, 12, 16, 17), electronics, production, mixing, liner notes, photography
  • Latasha N. Nevada Diggs – vocals (2, 5, 8, 13), electronics (13)
  • Allison Easter – vocals (2, 6, 11, 13, 15)
  • Ajay Naidu – vocals (4, 7, 10, 14)
  • Rudresh Mahanthappa – alto saxophone
  • Ambrose Akinmusire – trumpet
  • Dana Leong – cello, flugelhorn, trombone
  • Liberty Ellman – guitar
  • Stephan Crump – double bass
  • Trevor Holder – drums
  • Scotty Hard – production

References
  1. Nickson, Chris. "In What Language? - Vijay Iyer". AllMusic. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
  2. Tsioulcas, Anastasia (February 7, 2004). "Billboard Picks". Billboard: 38.
  3. Tangari, Joe (March 15, 2004). "Vijay Iyer / Mike Ladd: In What Language?". Pitchfork. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
  4. Braidwood, Stefan (May 6, 2004). "Vijay Iyer & Mike Ladd: In What Language?". PopMatters. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
  5. Hull, Tom. "Tom Hull: Grade List: Vijay Iyer". tomhull.com. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  6. Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (9th ed.). Penguin. p. 751. ISBN 978-0-141-03401-0.
  7. Horton, Lyn (April 29, 2005). "Mike Ladd And Vijay Iyer: "In What Language?" Live". All About Jazz. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
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