Anthony Wilson: House of the Singing Blossoms

Guitarist Anthony Wilson is well known for his session and touring work with vocalists, including Diana Krall, Norah Jones, and Paul McCartney, as well as his time in the big band led by his father, the late trumpeter Gerald Wilson. But in the early 2000s, he also released four albums with his own nonet, sharing solo space with five horns, which taught him a great deal about writing and arranging. House of the Singing Blossoms captures Wilson's return to this format, recorded across two nights in March 2025 at Sam First, an intimate living room of a club located in Los Angeles near the LAX airport. The performances have been released on the club's own audiophile-quality record label, both digitally and as a limited edition double LP cut by renowned engineer Bernie Grundman. The result is exhilarating, with a nicely varied and paced setlist, stirring ensemble voicings, superb solos, and gorgeous stereo sound.

The elder Wilson's "Triple Chase," a tune from the 1980s, begins the set with a bang. An up-tempo swinger, it features exciting solos from alto saxophonist Nicole McCabe and tenor man Bob Reynolds in addition to the leader on his custom Monteleone archtop. The resonant sonority of that amplified instrument in Wilson's hands casts a spell on a misty "In A Silent Way," which the band evolves into a second Joe Zawinul tune, the strutting "Walk Tall," featuring an excellent solo by baritone saxophonist Henry Solomon. The nonet next moves on to saxophonist Bennie Wallace's woozy New Orleans-style groover, "Bordertown," on which all the horns have a chance to step out alone or in pairs, with trumpeter C.J. Camerieri to the fore. This tune also features a lovely solo by pianist Gerald Clayton. The Beatles' "Because" gets recast as a stately brass chorale before the nonet sounds the abstract introduction to Wilson's 11-minute title track, inspired by Sam First founder Paul Solomon's cover photograph. Clayton brings in the tune's main harmonic structure, soloing on top as drummer Mark Ferber establishes an exquisite swing using brushes. The next section creates an arch of arranged brass voicings under which the rhythm section returns to the introduction's abstraction, followed by Wilson's agile solo driven along by Ferber's now- muscular swing.

Disc two begins with the set's longest track, "Blues for Wandering Angels," another Wilson original and a highlight of the album. After a dreamy introduction, this minor blues settles into an elongated 6/8 groove over which trombonist Alan Ferber makes the most of his time in the spotlight, following which Wilson introduces an enigmatic muted arpeggio pattern on his guitar that is shadowed by Clayton, and the band shifts into a quiet Latin feel. Next comes a pair of pieces taken from Keith Jarrett's 1974 Impulse! LP Treasure Island: "Introduction & Yaqui Indian Folk Song" and "Le Mistral." The wistful former tune has that signature Jarrett folky feel, while the latter is a joyous romp on which Ferber's trombone and Wilson's guitar feature prominently, along with a lovely interaction between Anna Butterss' bass and Clayton's piano. The album ends with saxophonist Ben Wendel's "Simple Song." The main melody is, indeed, a simple stair-step theme, but Reynolds, a multi-Grammy award winner with Snarky Puppy, Alan Ferber, Clayton, and Mark Ferber all play exciting solos, their dancing around the tune bookended by Wilson's effective brass arranging.

House of the Singing Blossoms continues Sam First's wonderful series of releases documenting outstanding modern jazz played with the excitement of a live gig but captured with the sonic luxury of a top recording studio. It also confirms that Wilson—renowned for his talent as an accompanying guitarist—is also an arranger and bandleader with outstanding taste and style.   

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