Honorary Doctorates for Don Cheadle and Wadada Leo Smith

The California Institute of the Arts has given honorary Doctor of Arts degrees to film maker Don Cheadle and jazz trumpeter, improviser and educator Wadada Leo Smith.

74 year old Smith, a Pulitzer Prize-nominated musician, worked with CalArts for over 20 years teaching improvised music and Cheadle is currently a member of the CalArts Board of Trustees, having graduated from the Institute’s School of Theater in 1986.

Cheadle has recently achieved notoriety as co-writer, director, producer and main star of the film ‘Miles Ahead,’ portraying Miles Davis. Wadada Leo Smith recently released an album with pianist Vijay Iyer for lagacy label ECM called ‘A Cosmic Rhythm With Each Stroke’ which has received Jazz FM plays on Jez Nelson’s Somethin’ Else and Chris Philips’ Blueprint programmes late night at the weekend.

Wadada Leo Smith