Jimmy Wilson: The Syncopation of Old and New Spawns "Future History"
by Deardra Shuler
Contents
New York City shed a misty, dark gray overcast, thick with a humidity
that augured impending rain. It teased the air as I picked up the
phone to call my interview. The deep voice that answered the phone
at the other end, in Baltimore, was in the midst of a thunderstorm.
Torrents of rain pounded the rooftop and leaked in through trumpeter
Jimmy Wilson's windows while flashes of electrical light streaked
the sky. Heavy winds whistled outside his door as we talked about
his life and his CD, "Future History." The clouds passed
over while we strolled down the memory lane of his past. We discussed
his musical family and how his grandfather knew WC Handy and was
even offered the opportunity to play in WC's band.
"My grandfather, James H. Wilson, Sr., founded the Music Department
at Alabama A&M University in Huntsville, Alabama. The school
was doing poorly financially. My grandfather took over the accounting
and brought the school back from almost complete failure. He loved
music and was best friends with WC Handy," recalled Jimmy.
Handy was the composer of scores of musical renditions, among them: "Beale
Street Serenade," "The Memphis Blues" and "The
St. Louis Blues." WC became world-famous as the "Father
of the Blues." "Although, Handy, invited my grandfather
to play in his band my grandfather declined, deciding to stay home
and raise his many children. However, there were always musicians
in my grandfather's house; music was something the entire family
enjoyed. My mother, who was originally from Fredrick, Maryland died
of cancer in 1991. My father, who is still alive, married again but
that marriage only lasted about a year and a half. His wife up and
left him and took the cats, Ozzie and Harriet, with her, so my father
is all by himself now. He is getting frail, so I try to stick close
by," mused the trumpeter, who is also skilled on the Fugelhorn
and Cornet.
Wilson, who was born in Baltimore, began playing at age six. He
later played in jazz bands and local bands while in high school.
He attended the Preparatory Department of Peabody Conservatory of
Music until the money ran out. "Once, that happened, I continued
playing with local bands, eventually forming my own band." Because
Wilson's home is equipped with a digital recording studio, he is
able to add much of the instruments needed, except for drums, which
must be added elsewhere, to his works in progress. "I do projects
for other people also. In fact, I recently finalized a record of
house music entitled: "Glad Today," that I put out with
the deejay, Kevin James. I produced three songs and played the horn
over the tracks on that recording which Kevin is presently in Japan
marketing. I will try anything musically once. Why not?" queried
Jimmy.
Flipping to the back of Wilson's latest accomplishment, I'm drawn
to a quote that says: "In order to plan for the future you have
to remember the past." "A quote that best describes the
work in my CD, "L'historie Futur" (Future History)," claims
Wilson, is: The history of music can't go on into the future, unless
new works are added to the great works of the past." Aaron Copeland
said that," offers Jimmy.
Apparently, Wilson took Copeland's words to heart in his latest
CD. His mix blends together a medley of sound reminiscent of Miles
Davis's chaotic cacophony, "Bitches Brew." Added to the
brew, is a smattering of vocals, and smooth, modern, and contemporary
jazz, which combines in a potpourri of syncopated rhythms; the origins
of which, appear to be distinctly Wilsonesque. "I like all of
Miles stuff. One of my favorites is "Jack Johnson" and
I think "Bitches Brew" is one of the most ground breaking
records of all times," claims Wilson as he spoke of the influence
Miles has on his music.
Some of the musicians that lent their talents to "Future History" were
violinist Mark Wood; Chester Thompson on drums; Scott Ambush, Gerald
Veasley, Gary Grainger, George Hazelrigg on keyboards and Geoff Hazelrigg
on bass; Gary Thomas on tenor sax; Dave Fairall on sax and clarinet;
Alfredo Mojica on percussion; Dawn Robinson on vocals and N'dinga
Gaba on turntables. "It took me eleven months to do this album.
I wanted to give it heroes and tragedy, almost like an opera. I wanted
it to be imaginative as well as good, creative playing. That is why
I added the dialogue. I found a young lady and explained what I wanted
her to do and in a day or so she wrote a piece. My music really doesn't
have a category. If hard pressed, I guess I would call it "Adult
contemporary jazz." It drives me nuts why there always needs
to be a category. If you make good music, it has a tendency to have
all styles. You could call it anything… new age, world beat,
jazz, whatever."
Wilson, also created a piece, called, "Identity," which
was produced by Lamont Terry Battle who played bass for Herbie Mann.
John Whitney was on guitar. It featured Dennis Chambers, Chester
Thompson, and Alfredo Mojica on percussion. "I had opera singer
Kathleen Stapleton come sing. I was trying to get just that right
feel. "Identity," was more difficult to do because I was
just learning distribution and how to put the music together. It
took about a year and half for me to finally get it out of Maryland
and into some other cities. Eventually, I had to get a manager who
could help me with distribution and then I hired a radio promoter.
It was extremely expensive. It seemed all the money I was making
on the CD sales was going right back out into distribution. "Future
History," however, is my chance to make something more imaginative.
Both CDs are like a book, a continuation of my musical odyssey," claimed
the talented artist.
Wilson was a bandleader for a while. He also produced the CD, "Foreward," for
the Hazelrigg Leonard Group under his record label, Replicant Records.
Occasionally, Jimmy lends his deep voice to voiceovers. "I have
done phone lines for The Psychic Network, Chinos, and some odd commercial
jobs," said the single jazzman.
Interested parties can go to Jimmy's website at www.replicantrecords.com
to check out his offerings.
I end this article while listening to "Emergence," the
4th cut on Jimmy Wilson's Identity' CD. Somehow, this only
seems fitting, since its clear that Wilson's music fuses into a new
emergence of jazz that gives birth to a rainbow of musical sounds
and styles. A form of creative jazz making that can only become more
innovative as Wilson continues the odyssey of musical exploration
that will lead him to his future history.
