Graeme Wilson

Biography
Press

Graeme Wilson is a saxophonist whose playing features on over 30 albums including releases by his own Quartet, Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra, ACV, Ushaw Ensemble and Bill Wells. His writing for ensembles large and small, including six jazz works for John Warren’s Voice of the North Jazz Orchestra, has been performed at venues such as Sage, Gateshead and Festspielhaus Hellerau, Dresden. Recent work includes duo releases A Cast of Thousands with Raymond MacDonald and Shoes for Losers with Andy Champion; an album of songs based on Italo Calvino stories for new group Monsterosa featuring vocalist Rebecca Hollweg; and a score commissioned by Hexham Jazz Festival for the silent film Die Bergkatze. He has performed with the likes of Fred Frith, Marilyn Crispell, John Faddis, Julian Siegel and Scottish National Jazz Orchestra and co-leads the improvised music and dance collaborative Something Smashing. The FMR release of his work with sculptor Cath Keay for Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra, A Bit in the Air, was nominated for Scottish Jazz Album of the Year in 2018. He has written and lectured widely on the psychology of improvisation; The Art of Becoming (with Raymond MacDonald) is published by Oxford University Press (2020)

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'The band are terrific...The Seasons of the City stands alone as a beautiful jazz collection... There are no longueurs; the music drives forward with fascinating variety' - UK Jazz News review

'punchy, intense and demanding intricacies... the whole session is a love letter to daring spontaneity' Jazzwise review of Shoes for Losers

'...sense of completeness and coherence. Mutual awareness and communication are key to the record's success' All About Jazz review of A Cast of Thousands

'The band are terrific...The Seasons of the City stands alone as a beautiful jazz collection... There are no longueurs; the music drives forward with fascinating variety' - UK Jazz News review

'punchy, intense and demanding intricacies... the whole session is a love letter to daring spontaneity' Jazzwise review of Shoes for Losers

'...sense of completeness and coherence. Mutual awareness and communication are key to the record's success' All About Jazz review of A Cast of Thousands

'Wilson solos with muscular, fluent authority above the tight, propulsive grooves... The closing “Friction Motor” is an invigorating acoustic jazz workout powered by Champion’s rapid bass walk and Sinclair’s dynamic drumming that features Edis’ cascading, highly physical McCoy Tyner-esque piano and the leader’s barnstorming tenor. Abscondit represents another impressive offering from Graeme Wilson. His writing is consistently adventurous, often playful, and explores a variety of jazz styles and genres' The Jazz Mann review

'the personnel possess a magnetic aura which, over several hours of listening, doesn’t diminish. Perhaps it’s the perfect balance of the saxophonist’s sit-up-and-listen compositions and the close-knit assuredness of the performances, but opener "Searchlight Nevada" feels rooted in tradition as it buoyantly swings out... in bristling, big-band-style "The New Wallaw", Wilson and his quartet conjure the West Coast esprit of Stan Getz – quite a firecracker. Amidst all of this animation, arguably the album’s finest show-stopper is most affecting tenor and piano dialogue "Spinning Slowly". On a first hearing, this exquisite interlude demanded a number of replays to enjoy its sumptuous, descending tenor phrases and modal piano cascades; an absolute treasure from Wilson and Edis. "Turquoise‘s" blithe momentum is maintained by Edis, Champion and Sinclair, with Graeme Wilson’s song-like, chromatic invention a delight... Sure Will Hold a Boat is a surefire winner.' London Jazz News review

'Marilyn Crispell's account with tenorist Graeme Wilson shifts from call-and-response to a neck-and-neck gallop. The comparisons are fascinating, on an ambitious improv/compositional venture full of surprises, virtuosity, lyrical understatement, and uncompromising energy.' Jazzwise review of Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra, Parallel Lines Unbroken 1&2

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