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Sarah Wilson Lights Up Incandescence
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Episode Description
In this episode, host Steven Roby talks with Bay Area trumpeter and composer Sarah Wilson about her luminous new album Incandescence (Brass Tonic Records, 2025) and the creative path that led her from political puppet theater to leading an all-woman horn line in a brass-forward Bay Area ensemble. Wilson explains how visual art, community-based performance, and New Orleans street energy shaped the music on Incandescence, and why she wants audiences to experience the album as one immersive arc at her live shows.What we talk about
Growing up in Healdsburg, California and finding the trumpet again after college. How work in political/activist theater shaped her sense of rhythm and movement. Writing music in response to visual art, especially painter Thomas Reinhold. Building the Incandescence band: Kasey Knudsen (alto sax), Mara Fox (trombone), John Schott (guitar), Lisa Mezzacappa (bass), Jason Levis (drums). Why she wanted an all-woman horn line for this project. The stories behind the piece "Architecture in Space" and "Incandescence." How joy and a sense of time suspension are at the center of her music.Why this episode matters
Sarah Wilson is one of the Bay Area artists quietly building a personal musical language that still feels welcoming. The conversation is a great entry point for listeners new to her work, and a preview of what she brings to her concerts.About Sarah Wilson
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