Creative Music for 40 Years

Wadada Leo Smith | Jakob Bro | Skúli Sverrisson | Matthías Hemstock

In November, the American trumpeter and composer Wadada Leo Smith embarks on his final European tour, marking the culmination of an extraordinary career spanning more than six decades.

Over the past 40 years, Wadada has visited Iceland nine times to perform and teach, profoundly influencing the country’s jazz and contemporary music scene. He has collaborated with many Icelandic musicians, including Skúli Sverrisson, Matthías Hemstock, Magnús Trygvason Elíassen, and Hilmar Jensson.

This concert in IÐNÓ on November 18 celebrates Wadada’s remarkable career and expresses gratitude for his lasting contribution to Icelandic music.

Performers:

• Wadada Leo Smith – trumpet

• Jakob Bro – guitar

• Skúli Sverrisson – bass

• Matthías Hemstock – drums

The Artists

Wadada Leo Smith

A pioneering figure in American jazz and contemporary music, Wadada is widely regarded as one of the leading trumpeters of our time.

• Ranked #2 Trumpeter of the Year in DownBeat Critics Poll (August 2025)

• His duet album with Amina Claudine Myers ranked #6 among the year’s best releases

• Nominated for the DownBeat “Hall of Fame”

• His monumental work Ten Freedom Summers was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize in 2013

• Has taught composition at Bard College, CalArts, and Harvard University

• Recipient of UCLA’s Medal (2019), the campus’s highest honor, joining names such as Ella Fitzgerald, Henry Mancini, Herb Alpert, Quincy Jones, Toni Morrison, and Bill Clinton

• Inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters (2023)

His most recent ECM release, Defiant Life (with pianist Vijay Iyer), has received high critical acclaim. For this Icelandic farewell concert, Wadada performs with Jakob Bro, Skúli Sverrisson, and Matthías Hemstock.

Jakob Bro

The Danish guitarist and composer Jakob Bro has gained international recognition for his distinctive sound and expressive lyricism. He has released more than 20 albums, collaborating with many world-renowned artists. His latest ECM release received 5 stars from The Guardian. Bro has performed in Iceland several times, including at Reykjavík Jazz Festival 2022 and again in May 2025 on a national tour.

Skúli Sverrisson

The Icelandic bassist and composer Skúli Sverrisson has appeared on over 100 recordings, performing with artists such as Wadada Leo Smith, Hildur Guðnadóttir, Bára Gísladóttir, Hilmar Jensson, Jim Black, Chris Speed, Laurie Anderson, Ryuichi Sakamoto, and David Sylvian. He also served as musical director for Laurie Anderson’s ensemble and remains one of Iceland’s most influential jazz and contemporary musicians.

Matthías Hemstock

Drummer and percussionist Matthías Hemstock studied at the FÍH Music School in Reykjavík and at Berklee College of Music in Boston. He has performed with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra and across genres including free improvisation, Latin music, rock, pop, and jazz. One of Iceland’s foremost jazz drummers, he recently received a grant from the Kristján Eldjárn Memorial Fund for his contribution to Icelandic music.