Description :
Composer-arranger-bandleader and guitarist Anthony Wilson, the son of big band maestro Gerald Wilson, is one of the most brilliant musicians working in the US jazz scene today. A recipient of the IAJE's Gil Evans Fellowship ... [Show more]
Description:
Composer-arranger-bandleader and guitarist Anthony Wilson, the son of big band maestro Gerald Wilson, is one of the most brilliant musicians working in the US jazz scene today. A recipient of the IAJE's Gil Evans Fellowship Award, Wilson's rich, fluid and easy going style, with it's seductive references to Wes Montgomery and Kenny Burrell, is much in evidence on his latest album, Our Gang from the Groove Note label out of Los Angeles.
Playing with a much pared down structure of guitar trio with organ and drums (his previous recordings have been with much larger outfits) gave Wilson the freedom to focus more on his own inventive and incomparable skills as soloist, and his close rapport with drummer Mark Ferber and organist Joe Bagg, with whom he has been playing with regularly for the last 2-3 years, pays off richly in this session.
Wilson's previous three albums for the Mama label received a great deal of critical and commercial recognition. The self-titled debut album hit number 1 on the Gavin charts and received a Grammy nomination in the Large Jazz Ensemble category in 1997. His second album Goat Hill Junket also achieved great success both critically and on radio while his third album released in 1999 features talents such as Jeff Clayton, Greg Ellis and Jack Nimitz all performing a suite commissioned by the IAJE. Wilson also received a Downbeat International Critics Poll award for Composer Deserving Wider Recognition in 2000.
Wilson's Our Gang is the culmination of his more recent ideas, in both originals and standards, and this album includes some stunning performances of standards like Chitlins Con Carne (By Kenny Burrell), I Want You - She's So Heavy (from Abbey Road), and Prelude To A Kiss (Strayhorn).
The album also contains further evidence of Anthony Wilson's skill and talent as a composer as demonstrated by original compositions like Our Gang and Britta's Blues. The sterling back-up by Ferber and Bagg also deserves special mention with organist Bagg in particular exchanging great solos on the Hammond B-3 with Wilson.
Recorded by the A-list team of producer Joe Harley (ECM, Enja) and Mike Ross (engineer) at Cello Studios in Hollywood, this remarkable session serves not only to cement the much vaunted reputation established with the Mama albums but in fact greatly extends Wilson's high profile position as one jazz's finest talents.
There are many records and labels who declare themselves to be of "audiophile quality". Groove Note records all of their albums at the best studios in Hollywood (Oceanway, Record One, Cello, Sunset Sound) using a top Grammy nominated recording engineer, Michael C. Ross. All of our albums are recorded 100% analogue and the production masters are also mixed by 100% analogue by MC Ross. All albums are cut by one of the greatest mastering engineers in the world, Bernie Grundman, on an all analogue tube cutting system using all upgraded and modified vintage Sculley cutting lathes. All LPs plated and pressed by RTI on 180 gram audiophile vinyl.
Product Reviews :
"… a lush, plush, gorgeous-sounding album.... Anthony Wilson is an up and coming jazz guitar star" - Frank Doris, The Absolute Sound, Golden Ear Award 2001 Audiophile Audition, Best Jazz CDs of 2001.
"His harmonic sophistication, technical control and sheer, suave elegance place him in the ranks of the major jazz guitarists...The production/engineering team of Joe Harley and Michael C. Ross have been responsible for some of the best sounding recordings ever made...the electric guitar and Hammond B-3 are capable of the subtlest sonorities and most tantalizing depths". - Thomas Conrad, Stereophile Magazine.
"...harmonic sophistication, technical control and sheer suave elegance place (Wilson) in the major ranks of jazz guitarists". - Thomas Conrad, Downbeat, 4 Stars !
"Wilson is a fine, exceptionally fluid player" - Jim Ferguson, Jazz Times.
"A clever young cat who could become a jazz icon in the 21st century". -Ed Kopp/allaboutjazz.com.
"An easy swinging open-minded guitarist who offers a rich compelling sound". - Zan Stewart/LA Times [Hide]
