Gerald Wilson - Theme for Monterey

Styles: Jazz, Big Band

Year: 1998

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 63:26

Size: 145,5 MB

Art: Front

( 6:30)  1. Romance

(12:18)  2. Lyons' Roar

( 9:31)  3. The Lone Cypress

( 8:50)  4. Spanish Bay

( 6:53)  5. Cooking on Cannery Row

(13:29)  6. Summertime

( 5:51)  7. Anthropology

In 1997, bandleader/arranger Gerald Wilson was commissioned by the Monterey Jazz Festival to write an original piece to be performed at that year's festival. Wilson's goal was to compose a melody that the audience would leave the venue singing to themselves. He succeeded by casting his "Theme for Monterey" in five different styles, with his big band interpreting the theme in a variety of moods as a ballad, a Latin romp, a medium-tempo piece and a shouting conclusion. His memorable five-part suite has solos by his son, guitarist Anthony Wilson, trumpeter Oscar Brashear, pianist Brian O'Rourke, trombonist George Bohanon, trumpeter Carl Saunders, Randall Willis on tenor, and others. Also on this CD are a couple pieces commissioned by the Ira and Leonore Gershwin Foundation, reworkings of "Summertime" and "Anthropology." Wilson was proud that he was able to give five-part harmonies to every melody note in the latter piece (Charlie Parker's original based on "I Got Rhythm"). Highly recommended. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/theme-for-monterey-mw0000037123

Personnel: Gerald Wilson - arranger, conductor;  Ron Barrows, Oscar Brashear, Carl Saunders, Snooky Young – trumpet;  Leslie Benedict, George Bohanon, Isaac Smith – trombone;  Louis Taylor - soprano saxophone;  Scott Mayo - soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone;  Randall Willis - alto saxophone, tenor saxophone;  Carl Randall - tenor saxophone;  Jack Nimitz - baritone saxophone;  Brian O'Rourke – piano;  Eric Veliotes, Anthony Wilson – guitar;  Trey Henry – bass;  Mel Lee - drums

Theme for Monterey

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Gerald Wilson Big Band - Moment Of Truth

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 1989
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:32
Size: 93,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:47)  1. Viva Tirado
(4:26)  2. Moment Of Truth
(5:57)  3. Patterns
(2:58)  4. Terri
(2:41)  5. Nancy Jo
(5:40)  6. Milestones
(5:06)  7. Latino
(4:29)  8. Josephina
(3:25)  9. Emerge

Gerald Wilson's Pacific Jazz albums of the 1960s were arguably the most significant of his career. This CD reissues his second record of the period and has among its highlights the original version of "Viva Tirado" (a catchy number made into a surprise pop hit by El Chicano later in the decade) and a driving rendition of "MIlestones"; the other seven songs (six of which are Wilson's originals) are also quite enjoyable. Among the more notable soloists are trumpeter Carmell Jones, both Teddy Edwards and Harold Land on tenor, guitarist Joe Pass, and pianist Jack Wilson. Recommended. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/moment-of-truth-mw0000654233

Personnel: Gerald Wilson - arranger and conductor; John Audino, Jules Chaiken, Freddie Hill, Carmell Jones, Al Porcino  - trumpet; Lou Blackburn, Bob Edmondson, Lester Robertson, Frank Strong - trombone; Bob Knight - bass trombone; Joe Maini - alto saxophone; Bud Shank - alto saxophone, flute; Teddy Edwards, Harold Land - tenor saxophone; Jack Nimitz, Don Raffell - baritone saxophone; Jack Wilson - piano; Joe Pass - guitar; Jimmy Bond - bass; Mel Lewis - drums; Modesto Duran - congas

Moment Of Truth

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Ron Jefferson, Tricky Lofton & Carmell Jones - Love Lifted Me & Brass Bag

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 79:24
Size: 182,3 MB
Art: Front

( 5:52)  1. Ivy League Blues (Newborn)
( 4:42)  2. Love Lifted Me (Trad.)
(10:26)  3. For Carl Perkins (Vinnegar)
( 5:31)  4. Little One (Jefferson)
( 5:57)  5. Flamingo (Grouya-Anderson)
( 6:53)  6. Georges Dilemma (Powell)
( 5:27)  7. Moten Swing (Moten-Moten)
( 5:21)  8. Mood Indigo (Ellington-Bigard-Mills)
( 4:13)  9. Angel Eyes (Dennis-Brent)
( 5:22) 10. Celery Stacks at Midnight (Bradley-Harris)
( 3:48) 11. Brass Bag (Wilson)
( 6:51) 12. Ow! (Gillespie)
( 3:17) 13. Bluer Than That (Wilson)
( 5:39) 14. Canadian Sunset (Heywood-Gimbel)

Ron Jefferson, the sensitive jazz drummer, was something of a paradox: a jazzman who, for several years, labored just below the level of general public recognition in the East, only to find, as a founding member of pianist Les McCanns successful trio, an enthusiastic audience and wholehearted recognition of his talents on the West Coast jazz scene. And with his album Love Lifted Me he also shone as the fine leader of a persuasively swinging and remarkably consistent quintet in which Bobby Hutcherson plays with a joie de vivre that harks back to a young Milt Jackson. Aside from the driving lines of Wilbur Browns tenor, the most provocative soloist is Tricky Lofton, whose blithe, lusty trombone is a refreshing updating of the earthy style of an earlier jazz day. Tricky is also co-leader, with trumpeter Carmell Jones, of the second album here, Brass Bag, on half of which he features with some fullbodied, four-trombone ensemble support, and in the other half shares solos with Lou Blackburn. Jones adds his consistent and lyrical solo voice, and Frank Strazzeris piano contributions are bright and lively, while Gerald Wilsons deft arrangements make effective use of the trombone choirs rich, dark ensemble sound. https://www.freshsoundrecords.com/ron-jefferson-lawrence-tricky-lofton-albums/5829-love-lifted-me-brass-bag-2-lps-on-1-cd.html

Personnel:  Carmell Jones (tp), Lawrence 'Tricky' Lofton, Bob Edmondson, Wayne Henderson, Frank Strong, Lou Blackburn (tb), Wilbur Brown (ts), Bobby Hutcherson (vib), Frank Strazzeri (p), Leroy Vinnegar (b), Ron Jefferson (d), Gerald Wilson (arr)

Love Lifted Me & Brass Bag

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Various - Legends & Lions: Blues

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:17
Size: 133.4 MB
Styles: Jazz/Blues
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[6:09] 1. Terry Gibbs - St. Louis Blues
[5:37] 2. Sean Jones - Blues For Matt B
[6:48] 3. The Gerald Wilson Orchestra - Equinox
[6:20] 4. Cedar Walton - Willow Weep For Me
[2:58] 5. Oscar Brown, Jr. - But I Was Cool
[6:08] 6. Kenny Burrell - River's Invitation
[4:55] 7. Ilona Knopfler - Unchain My Heart
[4:51] 8. Terry Gibbs - Jumping With Symphony Sid
[5:39] 9. Eugene Maslov - Groove Merchant
[8:46] 10. The Gerald Wilson Orchestra - Blues For Manhattan

Legends & Lions: Blues is a series assembled by Detroit's Mack Avenue label that pairs its roster's veteran artists with its up-and-coming personas thematically. The first two volumes in the series -- Swingin' and Swoonin' -- were successful in their way. The Blues volume is another attempt at the formula and it meets with very mixed results. First off, one wonders how the label defines the word blues. The version of John Coltrane's "Equinox" here, by the brilliant Gerald Wilson Orchestra, brings out the blues in its soloist's parts, but the band underscores the changes and stretches them until the blues all but disappears. Far more successful is their second number "Blues for Manhattan (The Diminished Triangle)" where the blues are out, front and center, and it's a killer track to close with Too bad everything here isn't that good. Ilona Knopfler's reading of "Unchain My Heart," is, for this performer, typically daring and uses a polyrythmic approach to the blues. The cut feels more like Santana playing the blues with a female vocalist, until the strings kick in. It works beautifully. Terry Gibbs' version of "Jumpin' with Symphony Sid" is strident but stiff, as is the version of "St. Louis Blues" that's so laid-back it's almost unrecognizable. It should be mentioned that some of the sidemen on these sessions are very prominent names in jazz -- Eddie Gómez, Ralph Moore, Jon Faddis, Renee Rosnes, Cedar Walton, Jimmy Heath, and Oscar Brown, Jr. (whose "But I Was Cool," is one of the real high points here) just to name a few. Interesting but forgettable, Legends & Lions: Blues doesn't quite measure up to Mack Avenue's previous compilations. ~Thom Jurek

Legends & Lions= Blues mc
Legends & Lions= Blues zippy

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Gerald Wilson Orchestra - On Stage

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:42
Size: 88.6 MB
Styles: Big band
Year: 1965/2018
Art: Front

[3:10] 1. Los Moros De Espana
[2:59] 2. Who Can I Turn To
[4:24] 3. Ricardo
[2:35] 4. Musette
[5:50] 5. In The Limelight
[7:25] 6. Lighthouse Blues
[4:01] 7. El Viti
[3:43] 8. Lately
[4:30] 9. Perdido

Arranger Gerald Wilson led one of the finest big bands of the 1960s. This out of print LP features the L.A. orchestra in top form although, since it is a studio album, its title is inaccurate. Trumpeter Bobby Bryant, tenors Teddy Edwards and Harold Land, altoist Anthony Ortega, guitarist Joe Pass, and (on five of the nine cuts) the organ of Jack Wilson are the dominant solo voices but it is the charts that give this orchestra its own personality. Highlights include "Who Can I Turn To," "Lighthouse Blues," and "Perdido." ~Scott Yanow

On Stage mc
On Stage zippy

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Gerald Wilson Orchestra - Feelin' Kinda Blues

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:22
Size: 85.6 MB
Styles: Jazz-Funk, Bop
Year: 1965/1981
Art: Front

[3:46] 1. When I'm Feelin' Kinda Blue
[4:15] 2. Freddie Freeloader
[2:25] 3. Do Anything You Wanna
[2:25] 4. Yesterday
[6:09] 5. Watermelon Man
[2:38] 6. Yeh, Yeh
[4:41] 7. One On The House
[2:52] 8. I Got You (I Feel Good)
[5:07] 9. I Concentrate On You
[2:59] 10. Well, Son, Shuffle

Flute, Piccolo Flute, Saxophone – Anthony Ortega; Guitar – Dennis Budimir; Piano – Phil Moore III; Reeds – Curtis Amy; Soprano Saxophone – Curtis Amy; Tenor Saxophone – Teddy Edwards; Trumpet – Bobby Bryant, Freddie Hill, Nat Meeks; Trumpet, Arranged By, Leader – Gerald Wilson; Vibraphone [Vibes] – Victor Feldman.

This live CD reissue features the 1960s Gerald Wilson Orchestra in prime form. Surprisingly Wilson did not contribute any of the ten songs (which are highlighted by "When I'm Feeling Kinda Blue," "Freddie Freeloader," "Watermelon Man," and "Well, Son Shuffle") but his arrangements make all of the pieces sound fresh and swinging. The main soloists are tenor saxophonist Teddy Edwards (who is featured on seven of the songs), trumpeters Bobby Bryant and Freddie Hill, guitarist Dennis Budimir, and altoist Anthony Ortega. ~Scott Yanow

Feelin' Kinda Blues mc
Feelin' Kinda Blues zippy

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Gerald Wilson - Big Band Modern

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 1954
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:06
Size: 153,8 MB
Art: Front

( 6:03)  1. Algerian Fantasy
( 2:49)  2. Bull Fighter
( 5:49)  3. Lotus Land
( 2:41)  4. Theme
( 4:19)  5. Mambo Mexicano
( 3:23)  6. Black Rose
( 3:12)  7. Romance
( 2:54)  8. Since We Said Goodbye
( 5:46)  9. Hollywood Freeway
( 4:08) 10. Sea Breeze
( 2:58) 11. Nice Work If You Can Get It
( 4:03) 12. Indiana
( 1:53) 13. It Had to Be You
( 4:29) 14. Out of Nowhere
(12:33) 15. Hollywood Freeway

First time on CD for this ultra-rare album by the Gerald Wilson Orchestra, the only studio session recorded by Wilson under his own name between 1947 and 1961 and features seven bonus tracks. Includes never before heard solos by tenor stars Wardell Gray, Zoot Sims and Stan Getz and one of a kind arrangements by Wilson! 

The bonus tracks are from a 1950 concert recorded in San Francisco which is, without a doubt, an essential addition to Wilson's recorded legacy, and an extremely important discographic discovery. In fact, this concert has never been previously released on any format. It was originally recorded in Stereo, which was a completely new technology in 1950. ~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Big-Band-Modern-Gerald-Wilson/dp/B000FTW2M0

Personnel:  Arranged By, Conductor – Gerald Wilson;  Alto Saxophone – Jerry Dodgion, Sonny Criss, Willie Smith; Baritone Saxophone – Bill Green; Bass – Addison Farmer , Red Callender;  Drums – Gus Gustafson, Lee Young;  Piano – Cedric Haywood, Gerald Wiggins; Tenor Saxophone – Frank Haynes , Paul Gonsalves , Teddy Edwards;  Tenor Saxophone [Guest] – Stan Getz , Wardell Gray, Zoot Sims;  Trombone – Atlee Chapman, Britt Woodman, Henry Coker, Isaac Bell , John Ewing , Melba Liston , Robert Wagner, Trummy Young;  Trumpet – Allen Smith, Clark Terry, Ernie Royal, Gerald Wilson, John Anderson , Louis Grey , Walter Williams

Big Band Modern

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Gerald Wilson Orchestra - Monterey Moods

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:44
Size: 137,0 MB
Art: Front

( 6:12)  1. Allegro
( 9:09)  2. Jazz Swing Waltz
( 7:09)  3. Ballad
(11:36)  4. Latin Swing
(10:01)  5. Blues
( 2:27)  6. Bass Solo
( 1:40)  7. Hard Swing
( 6:00)  8. I Concentrate On You
( 5:26)  9. The Mini Waltz

A decade ago, when he was commissioned to write music to commemorate the fortieth anniversary of the Monterey Jazz Festival, Gerald Wilson produced the memorable, double Grammy Award-nominated Theme for Monterey (MAMA Records,1998). Now the 89-year-old dean of American Jazz composers has scored another triumph, saluting the festival's golden anniversary with a picturesque seven-part suite, Monterey Moods, that musically epitomizes the scope and character of that annual event. The motif is deceptively simple: a three-note idea used in various ways as the bedrock of each movement (Allegro/Jazz Swing Waltz/Ballad/Latin Swing/Blues/Bass Solo/Hard Swing), much as a single melodic phrase was deftly rearranged to underscore each section of Theme for Monterey. Wilson's orchestra introduced Moods at the Monterey Festival and recorded it in a studio for Mack Avenue Records. The album's playing time has been increased to nearly an hour by appending Wilson's atmospheric arrangement of Cole Porter's "I Concentrate on You (featuring son Anthony Wilson's mellow guitar) and his gregarious "Mini Waltz (solos courtesy of trumpeter Jimmy Owens, baritone saxophonist Ronnie Cuber and special guest Hubert Laws on flute). The suite is almost entirely upbeat; even the slower-paced "Ballad simmers in a Basie-like groove behind heated solos by Laws and tenor saxophonist Kamasi Washington. The remaining movements personify their names, using Wilson's spare entrée as a springboard for a series of bright and swinging vignettes marked by powerful rhythms and persuasive solos. The rhythmic muscle is supplied by Anthony Wilson, pianist Renee Rosnes, bassist Peter Washington and drummer par excellence, Lewis Nash. The improvisations for the most part are by Laws, Cuber, Owens, Wilson, trumpeters Terell Stafford and Sean Jones, saxophonists Kamasi Washington, Ron Blake, Antonio Hart and Steve Wilson. Peter Washington is also showcased on the suitably named "Bass Solo. Writing a suite like Monterey Moods would be a daunting task at any age, let alone for someone on the doorstep of his ninetieth birthday. But Wilson has risen to the challenge, composing another in a series of masterful compositions whose evolution began nearly seventy years ago. In the liner notes, Wilson says he's looking forward to "the sixtieth celebration at Monterey. So are we. ~ Jack Bowers https://www.allaboutjazz.com/monterey-moods-gerald-wilson-mack-avenue-records-review-by-jack-bowers.php
 

Personnel: Gerald Wilson: composer, arranger, conductor; Jon Faddis: trumpet, flugelhorn; Frank Greene: trumpet, flugelhorn; Sean Jones: trumpet, flugelhorn; Jimmy Owens: trumpet, flugelhorn; Terell Stafford: trumpet, flugelhorn; Steve Wilson: alto and soprano sax, flute; Antonio Hart: alto and soprano sax, flute; Ron Blake: tenor sax; Kamasi Washington: tenor sax; Ronnie Cuber: baritone sax; Dennis Wilson: trombone; Luis Bonilla: trombone; Jay Ashby: trombone; Douglas Purviance: bass trombone; Renee Rosnes: piano; Anthony Wilson: guitar; Peter Washington: bass; Todd Coolman: bass; Lewis Nash: drums. Special guest: Hubert Laws: flute.

Monterey Moods

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Gerald Wilson - Everywhere

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 1968
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:49
Size: 77,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:45)  1. Everywhere
(6:10)  2. Out of This World
(2:42)  3. Pretty Polly
(2:59)  4. M. Capetillo
(4:17)  5. Little Bit of Soul
(3:12)  6. Do I Love You?
(4:21)  7. Del Oilvar
(5:20)  8. Mini Waltz

Very hip stuff from Gerald Wilson – about as tight and hard as you can get for 60s big band work! The players on the set aren't listed clearly, but we can be sure that they're some of Gerald's usual contemporaries the best of the mid 60s LA soul jazz and avant bop scene, all working together to craft some incredibly groovy tunes with a high degree of soul. The album has lots of nice instrumental touches, from electric harpsichord to vibes to guitar, all woven through the mostly original tunes that make up the set. Tracks include "M Capetillo", "Del Olivar", "Little Bit Of Soul", "Do I Love You", and "Mini Waltz". (Cover has light wear.) © 1996-2017, Dusty Groove, Inc. https://www.dustygroove.com/item/49998

Personnel:  Gerald Wilson - arranger, conductor;  Gary Barone (tracks 2, 3, 6 & 8), Bobby Bryant (tracks 2, 3, 6 & 8), Dick Forrest, Steve Huffsteter (tracks 1, 4, 5 & 7), Bill Mattison (tracks 1, 4, 5 & 7), Alex Rodriguez – trumpet;  Thurman Green, Lester Robertson, Frank Strong – trombone;  Mike Wimberly - bass trombone;  William Green - flute, piccolo;  Ramon Bojorquez, Henry DeVega (tracks 2, 3, 6 & 8) - alto saxophone;  Anthony Ortega - alto saxophone, flute, alto flute;  Hadley Caliman, Harold Land - tenor saxophone;  Richard Aplanalp - baritone saxophone;  Bobby Hutcherson – vibraphone;  Jack Wilson - piano, organ;  Joe Pass – guitar;  Stanley Gilbert (tracks 2, 3, 6 & 8), Buddy Woodson (tracks 1, 4, 5 & 7) – bass;  Frank Butler (tracks 2, 3, 6 & 8), Carl Lott (tracks 1, 4, 5 & 7) – drums;  Moises Obligacion - congas (tracks 1, 4, 5 & 7);  Hugh Anderson - percussion

Everywhere

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Gerald Wilson Orchestra - Legacy

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:00
Size: 114,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:35)  1. Variation on a Theme by Igor Stravinsky
(9:58)  2. Virgo
(7:36)  3. Variations on Clair de Lune
(6:20)  4. Variation on a Theme by Giacomo Puccini
(7:05)  5. September Sky
(2:09)  6. A Jazz Mecca
(3:43)  7. A Night at the El Grotto
(1:55)  8. Riffin' at the Regal
(3:09)  9. Cubs, Bears, Bulls, and White Sox
(1:07) 10. 47th St. Blues
(1:01) 11. Blowin' in the Windy City
(2:17) 12. A Great Place to Be

The beauty of listening to an orchestra in fine form is like being treated to an oceanic swell of music that rises and falls, creating great harmonic waves of sound. This further regales the intellect with the swish of brushstrokes as the music changes in color, from sometimes thick, dark dripping shades, evoking brooding emotion to the pale and moist shades of elation in an ever-changing palette. Then there are the timbres that refresh the soul and the rhythms that dance as soloists and ensemble engage in endless maneuvers, to bring the music to life. This and so much more is something to that flows effortlessly and endlessly from the Gerald Wilson Orchestra on Legacy. The vibrant force of the music is unstoppable, as Wilson draws music from the soul of each member of his ensemble.

Aside from the sophistication of the music putting it in a stellar region all its own Wilson digs ever so deeply into his own heart and soul, and finds the magical element of the blues in its most visceral and elemental form. That and the almost vanishing aspect of great jazz: swing. So whether he is paying homage to one of his fellow-musicians, albeit from another era Igor Stravinsky, or Giacomo Puccini or Claude Debussy Wilson calls up the swagger and wickedly sensuous swish of rhythmic swing. Like the other masters of the attitudinal strut, Duke Ellington, his old mentor, Jimmie Lunceford, Count Basie and a handful of others, Wilson can make music dally almost languorously and yet move up and down and side to side in a hip-grinding manner. He is that young of heart.

With a handful of notes, a few bars of music tossed in the air like an expert juggler, Wilson creates sweeping sketches of impressionistic beauty in each case. The bone-crunching thunder of his "Variations on a Theme by Igor Stravinsky" is followed closely by an exquisitely complex wave of harmonic majesty in his homage to Debussy in "Variations on Clair de Lune." The deepest of emotion and painter-like brush-strokes are reserved for the Puccini impression. In all of these pieces, Wilson's joyous character is retained, as he makes the music of his ancestors meld with the Europeans, like an expert alchemist working the brass in bright bronzed shades, and hammering the metal into submitting to sheets of sound, tempered by virtuoso rhythm. No credit is given to soloists here, and the breaks are short, but the pirouetting cadenzas, but the technical virtuosity and the deep emotion of each are unparalleled.

Guitarist Anthony Wilson contributes "Virgo," a muscular, yet pliant and soaring piece that mimics the constellation. Eric Otis seems in tune with the magic and mystery of brassy musical alchemy in the wonderfully crafted "September Sky." But it is the unstoppable "Yes Chicago Is... (Suite)" that is ultimately the centerpiece. Legacy is a heartfelt homage to a city that has clearly touched Wilson to his very soul; one that he wants enshrined in gorgeous, joyful music. ~ Raul D´Gama Rose  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/legacy-gerald-wilson-mack-avenue-records-review-by-raul-dgama-rose.php

Personnel: Gerald Wilson: conductor; Lewis Nash: drums; Renee Rosnes: piano; Peter Washington: bass; Anthony Wilson: guitar; Antonio Hart: alto saxophone, flute; Dick Oatts: alto saxophone, flute; Kamasi Washington: tenor saxophone; Ron Blake: tenor saxophone; Jay Brandford: baritone saxophone; Gary Smulyan: baritone saxophone; Frank Greene: trumpet, flugelhorn; Sean Jones: trumpet, flugelhorn; Tony Lujan: trumpet, flugelhorn; Freddie Hendrix: trumpet, flugelhorn; Jeremy Pelt: trumpet, flugelhorn; Mike Rodriguez: trumpet, flugelhorn; Dennis Wilson: trombone; Luis Bonilla: trombone; Alan Ferber: trombone; Douglas Purviance: trombone.

Legacy

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Gerald Wilson Orchestra - State Street Sweet

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:28
Size: 129,8 MB
Art: Front

(2:46)  1. State Street Sweet
(6:06)  2. Lakeshore Drive
(7:50)  3. Lighthouse Blues
(5:22)  4. Come Back to Sorrento
(4:06)  5. The Serpent
(5:58)  6. The Feather
(6:29)  7. Caprichos
(8:48)  8. Jammin' in C
(6:37)  9. Carlos
(2:23) 10. Nancy Jo

Bandleader/arranger Gerald Wilson's first recording in several years is a success. He revisits "Carlos" (featuring trumpeter Ron Barrows) and "Lighthouse Blues" and performs some newer originals including "State Street Sweet," "Lakeshore Drive" and "Jammin' in C." With such soloists as trumpeters Barrows, Bobby Shew, Tony Lujan and Snooky Young, altoist Randall Willis, tenors Louis Taylor, Plas Johnson (showcased on "Come Back to Sorrento") and Carl Randall, pianist Brian O'Rourke and guitarists Anthony Wilson and Eric Otis, this edition of the Gerald Wilson Orchestra is quite strong but it is the leader's colorful and distinctive arrangements that give the band its personality. Recommended. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/state-street-sweet-mw0000645243

Personnel: Eric Otis, Anthony Wilson (guitar); Louis Taylor, Jr. (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone); John Stephens, Randall Willis (alto saxophone); Carl Randall, Jr., Plas Johnson (tenor saxophone); Jack Nimitz (baritone saxophone); Bobby Clark , George Graham, Ron Barrows, Snooky Young, Tony Lujan, Frank Szabo, Bobby Shew (trumpet); Alex Iles, Thurman Green, Charles Loper, Ira Nepus (trombone); Maurice Spears (bass trombone); Brian O'Rourke (piano); Mel Lee (drums);  Gerald Wilson (Arranger).

State Street Sweet

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Gerald Wilson - Detroit

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:51
Size: 144,2 MB
Art: Front

( 5:30)  1. Blues on Belle Isle
( 8:47)  2. Cass Tech
( 6:40)  3. Detroit
( 7:07)  4. Miss Gretchen
( 7:12)  5. Before Motown
( 8:47)  6. The Detroit River
(12:32)  7. Everywhere
( 6:12)  8. Aram

Commissioned by the Detroit International Jazz Festival and premiered on the occasion of the composer's 91st birthday, Gerald Wilson's six-movement "Detroit Suite" demonstrates that after nearly seven decades in the music business, the nonagenarian composer and arranger still has a great deal to offer in terms of musical creativity. Wilson spent the latter part of his teen years in the Motor City, where he studied trumpet, piano, percussion, and composition at Cass Technical High School from 1934-39, and he still regards Detroit as a "hometown." 

The opening "Blues on Belle Isle," which is named for a park on a island in the Detroit River, features the alto sax of Randall Willis, trumpeter Sean Jones, violinist Yvette Devereaux (following in the footsteps of the young Jean-Luc Ponty, who occupied this chair in the Wilson ensemble four decades ago), and guitarist and Gerald's son Anthony Wilson, who has been a mainstay of the Diana Krall quartet for the past several years. "Cass Tech," Wilson's paean to his alma mater, is a variation on Benny Golson's "Along Came Betty" in much the same fashion as Bill Holman's take on "Stompin' at the Savoy" for Stan Kenton over a half-century ago. The ballad "Detroit" spotlights Willis on flute, Jones on fluegelhorn, and the tenor sax of Kamasi Washington (Jones and Washington appear on both the Los Angeles and New York sessions). Based on the chord changes of Billy Strayhorn's "Chelsea Bridge," "Miss Gretchen" salutes Mack Avenue founder and president Gretchen Valade with solos from pianist Brian O'Rourke and the Harmon-muted trumpet of Winston Byrd, plus Devereaux (adapting the classic Ben Webster solo from the release to her violin) and Anthony Wilson. Latin rhythms a la Wilson's "Carlos" and "Viva Tirado" predominate in "Before Motown" (which bears absolutely no connection with the musical genre of that name), with Bobby Rodriguez's trumpet, Les Benedict's trombone, and the tenors of Washington and Louis Van Taylor all capturing attention. "The Detroit River," on the other hand, resembles Count Basie on steroids, as trumpeter/contractor Ron Barrows, veteran soprano saxophonist Jackie Kelso, trombonist Eric Jorgensen, Devereaux, Van Taylor, O'Rourke, and Anthony Wilson all contribute to this hyper-charged swinger.

The two remaining tracks, "Everywhere" (a remake of the title cut from a 1968 Pacific Jazz LP by Wilson) and "Aram," are from the same sessions as Wilson's 2005 New York, New Sound (his Mack Avenue debut) and feature the New York ensemble. Flute legend Hubert Laws highlights the modal "Everywhere," while "Aram" (possibly named for the Soviet-era Armenian composer Aram Khachaturian) offers frequent rhythmic shifts between jazz-waltz and straight-ahead 4/4 tempi supporting powerful solos by trumpeter Terell Stafford (Director of Jazz Studies of the Boyer College of Music at Philadelphia's Temple University, and a member of NYC's celebrated Vanguard Jazz Orchestra) and altoist Antonio Hart. ~ Robert J.Robbins  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/detroit-gerald-wilson-mack-avenue-records-review-by-robert-j-robbins.php

Gerald Wilson – Conductor;  Ron Barrows - Contractor, Trumpet;  Brian O'Rourke – Piano;  Mel Lee – Drums;  Trey Henry – Bass;  Carl Randall - Tenor Sax;  Jackie Kelso - Alto & Soprano Sax;  Kamasi Washington - Tenor Sax;  Louis Van Taylor - Baritone & Tenor Sax;  Randall Willis - Alto Sax & Flute;  Terry Landry - Baritone Sax;  Bobby Rodriguez – Trumpet;  Rick Baptist – Trumpet; Winston Byrd – Trumpet;  Eric Jorgensen – Trombone;  Les Benedict – Trombone;  Mike Wimberly – Trombone;  Shaunte Palmer – Trombone;  Yvette Devereaux – Violin;  Sean Jones - Trumpet, Flugelhorn;  Anthony Wilson - Guitar

Detroit

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Gerald Wilson Orchestra - In My Time

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:14
Size: 172,6 MB
Art: Front

(10:22)  1. Sax Chase
( 7:27)  2. Dorian (The Diminished Triangle)
( 4:25)  3. Ray's Vision At The U 

( 8:47)  4. Blues For Manhattan
( 7:45)  5. Lomelin
(10:26)  6. A.E.N.
( 5:48)  7. Musette
(11:09)  8. So What
( 5:06)  9. Love For Sale
( 3:54) 10. Jeri

While the question of who's our finest contemporary big band composer/arranger could be debated for days on end without any resolution, there's no doubt about who's the dean. Gerald Wilson, who celebrated his 87th birthday in September, wrote his first chart ("Yard Dog Mazurka ) for the Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra circa 1940. In case you're keeping score, that's 65 years ago. That's remarkable enough; what's even more so is that the compositions and arrangements on In My Time, Wilson's second album with his "New York Orchestra for Mack Avenue Records, are as sharp and invigorating as almost anything he has written to date, and that's no hype or exaggeration. Wilson's no late bloomer, but somehow his phenomenal creative powers have remained unimpaired for more than six decades. 

The album's centerpiece is the three-part Diminished Triangle suite, commissioned by the California Institute for the Preservation of Jazz in '04 and premiered last April. The first and third movements embody all the hallmarks of Wilson's brassy, swinging style, while the slow-paced second movement's theme borrows liberally from Duke Ellington's "In a Sentimental Mood, which isn't a criticism, merely an observation. When one has heard as many tunes as Wilson has, such correspondence is presumably subconscious. "Sax Chase is, as the name implies, a snappy showcase for the saxophones, individually and collectively, while the atmospheric "Lomelin, featuring lead trumpeter Jon Faddis and tenor Ron Blake, invokes Wilson's love of Spain in general and the bull ring in particular (as did his masterpiece of many years ago, "Viva Tirado ).

The able rhythm section, guided by the splendid Canadian pianist Renee Rosnes, has the first two minutes of the fiery "A.E.N. to itself, and guitarist Russell Malone is the main man on the mellow "Bluesette. Wilson next turns his attention to standards, both jazz and popular, with dapper arrangements of Miles Davis' "So What and Cole Porter's "Love for Sale before bringing down the curtain with another of his lively compositions, "Jeri," named for his first-born daughter. Besides Faddis, Blake, Rosnes and Malone, Wilson's teeming stable of top-notch soloists includes trumpeters Jimmy Owens, Jeremy Pelt and Sean Jones; saxophonists Kamasi Washington, Dustin Cicero, Steve Wilson (especially charming on soprano) and Gary Smulyan; bassist Peter Washington; and trombonists Dennis Wilson and Luis Bonilla.

On In My Time, Gerald Wilson proves again that he is a musical marvel, able not only to maintain an artistic edge at age 87, but also to keep pace with composers and arrangers half a century or more younger. Simply put, he's one of the great writers of our time or any time, which you can easily verify for yourself. ~ Jack Bowers  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/in-my-time-gerald-wilson-mack-avenue-records-review-by-jack-bowers.php

Personnel: Gerald Wilson: composer, conductor, arranger; Jon Faddis, Frank Greene, Jimmy Owens, Jeremy Pelt (1,6,7,10), Eddie Henderson (1-5,8,9), Mike Rodriguez (6,7,10), Sean Jones (2 -5,8,9): trumpet; Jerry Dodgion: alto, soprano saxophone, flute; Steve Wilson: alto saxophone, flute; Dustin Cicero: alto saxophone; Ron Blake: tenor saxophone, flute; Kamasi Washington: tenor saxophone; Gary Smulyan: baritone saxophone; Benny Powell, Dennis Wilson, Luis Bonilla: trombone; Douglas Purviance: bass trombone; Renee Rosnes: piano; Russell Malone: guitar; Peter Washington: bass; Lewis Nash: drums.

In My Time

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