Home » Jazz Articles » Steve Wilson
Jazz Articles about Steve Wilson
Steve Wilson: Soulful Sound
by C. Michael Bailey
MaxJazz, once touted as a "boutique label," now can boast being a full fledged jazz label with a vision. Beginning with the Vocal Series, then the Piano Series, and now the Horn Series, the label continues to pave new inroads into jazz performance and marketing. Inaugurating the new Horn Series is multi-instrumentalist Steve Wilson. But after listening to this disc, one would think the series should be called "Horn Vocals" (preempting the upcoming "Piano Vocals" series initiated by Patti Wicks). ...
Continue ReadingSteve Wilson: Soulful Song
by Jim Santella
Saxophonist Steve Wilson's extensive experience with the Mingus Big Band and Chick Corea's Origin make up only a shadow of the vast array of musical influences on his definition of jazz. His career has carried him to all facets of the jazz world: some adventurous and some laid back. Soulful Song represents a theme. The leader has brought his favorite sounds together into one album. Of his inspiration for this kind of musical celebration, Wilson says, “On the same [radio] ...
Continue ReadingSteve Wilson: Passages
by C. Andrew Hovan
Among some talented peers that would have to include Kenny Garrett and Jon Gordon, Steve Wilson is arguably one of the best alto saxophonists on the scene today. But it goes beyond that, because he has also established a unique approach to the soprano saxophone as well as the flute. Following his four decidedly mainstream affairs for Criss Cross and his first effort for Stretch, Generations, Wilson's sophomore release for Chick Corea's imprimatur is surely his most realized project yet ...
Continue ReadingSteve Wilson: Passages
by David Adler
Steve Wilson's second Stretch release is a triumph. It's more focused than 1998's Generations in that Wilson employs his regular working band this time around: pianist Bruce Barth, bassist Ed Howard, drummer Adam Cruz, and guest trumpeter Nicholas Payton. All the music is, in a word, alive. There are nine Wilson originals, one by Barth ("The Lexter," among the best), and one by Keith Jarrett ("Days and Nights Waiting"). Every track is full of color--melodically, harmonically, rhythmically. The band delivers ...
Continue ReadingSteve Wilson: Passages
by Jim Santella
With a straight-ahead ensemble playing mostly his own compositions, Steve Wilson moves between straight-ahead jazz and the more involved modern mainstream in groups of two, three, four and five. There’s something special added to each arrangement to make it unique. On “Eye of the Beholder," for instance, Wilson weaves in and out of modal harmonic situations while his supporting piano trio plays it straight. Steel pans are added for a unique melodic effect. “Q-B-Rab" struts with a super-confident New Orleans ...
Continue ReadingTom Varner: Swimming
by Glenn Astarita
Other than being a top flight and much in demand session musician, french hornist Tom Varner has rapidly established a reputation as being a formidable composer-leader resulting from a string of highly successful solo recordings. Here, on Swimming Varner helps inaugurate the promising newOmniTonelabel which has jumped out of the gate rather quickly with excellent new recordings by Frank Kimbrough/Joe Locke, Ron Horton (see Nov 99 AAJ reviews) and Joe Morris.Matters get off to a rousing start with ...
Continue ReadingSteve Wilson: Generations
by Jack Bowers
A glance at the personnel list confirms that Steve Wilson assembled a gold-standard rhythm section for his debut recording on Chick Corea's Stretch label. Miller, Drummond and Riley are about as seasoned as they come. Wilson himself is one of those enterprising and technically competent players with whom--for some murky reason--I am simply unable to connect on an emotional level, which is where one's response to music of any kind is usually sequestered. Miller, Drummond and Riley praise Wilson highly, ...
Continue Reading
