By Pete Fallico

The word "retro" has become a popular descriptor for much of the so-called "Acid-Jazz" of this decade. As if to reach back in time and "make new" a sound that was shelved and commercially ignored, new jazzers use the groove of the seventies as a vehicle for their modern day message. When I ask certain artists who recorded for Blue Note and Prestige in the late sixties and early seventies whether or not they now approve of this recapitulation of their Soul-Jazz, most nod favorably. Some feel that it would make better sense to record the original artists again (most of whom can still be found), and still others see the opportunities that are presented and don't feel they need a formal invitation to come to the party. One such player has been Reuben Wilson.

Reuben has joined forces with such groups an Guru's Jazzmatazz II and, more recently, Rargroov. He looks ahead to projects with the English group, Pugh, and whatever also comes his way. "I appreciate this," says Reuben. "The stuff I was doing years ago conceptually, like a mix of Jazz and Funk, now these kids are into that. They have little things that we couldn't do then because of the economics. They make changes but actually these changes were ideas that I had originally but couldn't quite get done at the time ... So it's like a late production of what was in mind in the first place." Reuben's contribution to Blue Note's successful Us3 release qualified him for a Gold Record and helped direct more opportunities his way. He has become one of the veterans who is definitely in favor of the current collaborations with Hip-Hopers. "They work," claims Reuben, "I think it's very good because the kids are growing musically and, basically we're already there in the sense of the knowledge side of it. It gives them good experience and helps them in their concepts of music … for an older person to play with them. .and yet you have that freshness in the music, so to speak."

One of Reuben's bigger hits for Blue Note was his Love Bug album of 1969. "We did it in six hours," he reminds us, "Today, they take weeks and months because they have a wider audience and it's worth spending the money an production." In the seventies and before, the Jazz audience was smaller and it was rare for a Jazz recording to make that 'hit' status that, say, "Misty" made for Richard 'Groove' Holmes. The production and/or promotion money was not there and consequently, Jazz records were found in smaller markets. Once in a while a fluke would appear as with Reuben's Cadet recording, that ironically came out as the label went under, but managed to generate a tremendous response in England. A particular cut called, "Got to Get Your Own" caught on like wild fire. "It's like, if it had gotten the promotion here that it did there, then I would have had a huge hit (in the USA)."

Most of Reuben's professional career has centered around the organ. It's only been it the last four or five years that he has incorporated piano in his performing. He was born in Mounds, Oklahoma on April 9, 1935, but soon moved to Pasadena, California where he attended school and dreamed of a life in sports. He's a self taught musician, for the most part. "My mother used to play piano a lot, and my father actually did a lot of singing but didn't play an instrument. My sister played piano and my brother played saxophone ... so I was really around a lot of music." Reuben's love of sports took him to the boxing ring where he fought twelve times professionally, knocking out ten of his opponents. He even made it to the finals of the Golden Gloves Championship as a heavy weight before finally hanging up the gloves. "There's one thing about fighting," warns Reuben, "you can win but they're still going to get you some time during that fight so that's not a lot of fun." An even bigger revelation, however, came to him the night he went to hear band leader Johnny Pope, Jr.. "I wasn't even into music at the time when I met Johnny at some dance he was playing," Reuben recalls, "I was standing there listening to him and he said to me, 'Do you play?' ... Well, I said, 'I play a little piano but never with an organized group before.' He said, 'Come on' ... so I played and shortly after that we exchanged numbers and he asked me if I'd be interested in playing the organ. I said, 'Why not?' and that's the way my organ playing started." It didn't take long for Reuben to got the feel of that organ as he grew more comfortable with it and less inclined to play piano.

Inspired by Billy Larkin and the omnipresent Jimmy Smith, Reuben Wilson began carving out his own reputation in Los Angeles and Las Vegas with mixed renditions of Jazz and Pop tunes. He and others like Lonnie Smith and Charles Earland began to steer the organ through Pop tunes of the day that helped create a funky, R&B style of Jazz. He recorded several albums for Blue Note that put him in the studio with such greats as Grant Green, Sam Rivers, Lee Morgan and George Coleman. "That's sort of the reason I came to New York anyway," explains Reuben, "to get these opportunities with these people because they never were out on the coast a lot or when they did come, they were with a group".

As the seventies ended, it was the disco sound that seemed predominant in the music industry. Reuben found himself playing with a band called Fatback for a year and a half. "Then, of course, I came back into jazz where I belong." Like so many other organists during that time, he shifted to other, more portable, keyboards. This was a necessary strategy for those who wanted to survive in the business that was rapidly becoming "high tech". As a result of this, many musicians became displaced or their whereabouts became blurred. I, for one, lost track of Reuben Wilson, and wondered where he went as the eighties were ending and the authentic Jazz organ sound was slowly resurrecting its claim. Fortunately for Reuben, the enthusiasm for his music had resurfaced in England again. They literally "got the jump" on our own buying public and attention was being paid to not only Reuben Wilson but "Big" John Patton and Lonnie Smith. (I wonder if past-due attention can somehow be paid to others who have seemingly been lost in the shuffle).

As for Reuben, the offers to record and perform are well deserved and greatly appreciated as the revitalization of Soul- Jazz appears to be an important component in the evolution of Acid-Jazz. He is very much in the mix with a recent recording at the club SOB's in New York, and side work with the New York Funkies (Hip Hop Bop - Meldac 30011) and Nat Nixon's Harlem All-Stars (Sax Rack Records). Reuben's visibility is no longer blurred nor is his vision of the future as he prepares for fatherhood once again, and the furthering of funky Jazz in his musical life. Rock that Hammond, Reuben, we're right behind you.

Reprinted with permission from Pete Falico. Copyright © 1996.