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Gerald Wilson-Detroit

mr jazz

By mr jazz
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mr jazz Enthusiast

mr jazz

Posted
Posted (edited)

on its way. Any thoughts? For me, always a pleasure to have a new recording by this seemingly ageless (91!) composer/arranger. lala has a cut-Blues on Belle Isle.

Edited by mr jazz
  • 2 weeks later...
felser Veteran

felser

Posted
Posted

Sirius/XM has been playing a few tracks off the latest release. Sounds like a good one.

I havent heard this or his other Mack Avenue releases, but was stunned at how good his 90's releases on MAMA were, possibly the strongest of his career (and I really like the 60's Pacific Jazz stuff), so have no problem imagining that this one could be really special.

BFrank Experienced

BFrank

Posted
Posted

Sirius/XM has been playing a few tracks off the latest release. Sounds like a good one.

I havent heard this or his other Mack Avenue releases, but was stunned at how good his 90's releases on MAMA were, possibly the strongest of his career (and I really like the 60's Pacific Jazz stuff), so have no problem imagining that this one could be really special.

Even better than "Detroit" is "In My Time" on Mack Ave, Felser.

Start with that one.

fasstrack Newbie

fasstrack

Posted
Posted (edited)

on its way. Any thoughts? For me, always a pleasure to have a new recording by this seemingly ageless (91!) composer/arranger. lala has a cut-Blues on Belle Isle.
Gerald Wilson is an inspiration to composers, as is Benny Golson---and not just b/c of their age. It takes a lifetime of thought and getting it right to get to be that good. I think anything Wilson puts out is worth getting. I loved his early 60s work with Joe Pass and others in the band.

BTW: His son Anthony is also a fine guitarist. He did a great job on the late, great Nancy Lamott's recording 'Sings the Lyrics of Johnny Mercer'. Duet on P.S. I Love You (the only tune he's on) was very nice.

Edited by fasstrack
mr jazz Enthusiast

mr jazz

Posted
  • Author
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the road we take back to our condo from town here in Rehoboth Beach is called State Street so naturally "State Street Suite" comes to mind. Another great Wilson release!

  • 9 months later...
John Tapscott Mentor

John Tapscott

Posted
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Detroit is a really fine CD which I've listened to quite a bit over the past few months. Typical strong Wilson themes, those fat and satisfying Wilsonian voicings, lots of hard swing. Great stuff.

One question - on the long track "Everywhere" (not part of the actual Detroit suite), there is a long but uncredited trombone soloist - it's either Dennis Wilson or Luis Bonilla. My guess is Wilson. Anyone know for sure? Since trombonists get too little appreciation anyway, I'd like to set the record straight.

Mack Avenue is a bit careless when it comes to listing soloists - they kind of screwed up the listing on Monterey Moods too, but I don't think they left anyone out.

Edited by John Tapscott
  • 8 months later...
  • 1 month later...
Lazaro Vega Explorer

Lazaro Vega

Posted
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Legacy features a couple of variations on classical music themes, notably Nessun Dorma as a vehicle for Sean Jones and maybe Gary Smulyan (the soloists, unfortunately, are not listed). There's also a variation of Stravinsky's The Firebird. All of these swing and are not "third stream." Then there's another approach at writing a suite for Chicago, which includes shorter movements than the previous State Street Suite (Sweet). Nice record -- his orchestral chords are very much his own. So many bands in their last stage lose their identity when the leader isn't a composer as well as "bandleader." This one sounds like a Gerald Wilson recording.

  • 4 months later...
JSngry Grand Master

JSngry

Posted
Posted

Just now hearing Legacy, and the writing is gorgeous, and gorgeously, expertly played. Not as "roaring" as a band made up of old-school big band road-dogs, but those times and most of those people are gone now, so that's that.

Solos are good, but quite often "New York-y" in a not-good way. Style over substance, and there's an alto & a trumpet soloist who sound embarrassingly "bluesy", and a tenor player whos all doodley-doodley. I do like Anthony Wilson and whoever it is playing the plunger trombone. The rhythm section, otoh, holds the band together just fine and frames the charts very nicely. I'd like more sweat and nasty, but like I said, that was then...

I'm keeping this one for the writing and the ensemble playing, both of which are outstanding. Memory has me hearing Harold Land, Carmell Jones, Bobby Bryant, Joe Maini, Anthony Ortega, Joe Pass, etc, playing the solos, and that little bit of self-deception works just fine.

Recommended, even with the hesitations about most of the solos.

mikeweil Veteran

mikeweil

Posted
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have u guys ever heard the Gearld Wilson Orchestra Of The Eighties lps on discovery? i have them all

I wish I had - only some excerpts so far, which were pretty good. Would be a great choice for a Mosaic Select.

John Tapscott Mentor

John Tapscott

Posted
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I found "Legacy" a disappointment compared to some of Gerald's earlier Mack Avenue CD's esp. "Detroit", "Monterey Moods" and "In My Time". Not quite as "meaty" or gripping, IMO. The recording quality is not what it could be, and the production is mediocre (no soloists listed- what's up with that?) Too bad it wasn't recorded on the west coast. The L.A. Wilson Band is better than the NY Wilson band.

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