Steve Wilson (jazz musician)

Steve Wilson
Wilson, performing with the Steve Wilson Quartet, in Charlottesville, Virginia
Background information
Origin	Hampton, Virginia, U.S.
Genres	Jazz, R&B, funk
Occupation(s)	Musician, educator
Instruments	Saxophone, flute, piccolo, clarinet
Years active	1986 -present
Labels	Blue Note/EMI
Associated acts	Out of the Blue, Chick Corea, Steve Wilson Quartet, Generations, Lewis Nash, Yoko Kanno, The Blue Note 7, Steve Wilson and Wilsonian's Grain
Website	http://www.stevewilsonmusic.com
Notable instruments
Saxophones: Selmer Mark VI Alto 60,000 series, Yamaha 62R Soprano Flutes: Muramatsu C Flute, Trevor James Alto Flute Haynes Piccolo Buffet R-13 Clarinet

Steve Wilson (born in 1961) is an American jazz multi-instrumentalist, who is best known in the musical community as a flautist and an alto and soprano saxophonist. He also plays the clarinet and the piccolo. Wilson has maintained a busy career working as a session musician, and has contributed to many musicians of note both in the recording studios, but as a sideman on tours. Over the years he has participated in engagements with several musical ensembles, as well as his own solo efforts.

Wilson has not confined himself to the studio and stage. He has held teaching positions in several schools and Universities, as well as holding jazz clinics.

Biography

As a teenager, Wilson played in various rhythm and blues and funk bands. After a year accompanying singer Stephanie Mills, he attended Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia, where he majored in music. In 1987 he moved to New York, where he established himself as a sideman. He performed with the American Jazz Orchestra, the Mingus Big Band, and the Smithsonian Jazz Orchestra, among others. In 1988 he toured Europe with Lionel Hampton. Early in his career he was a member of Out of the Blue, a group which featured young Blue Note artists.

Wilson was the subject of a 1996 New York Times profile, entitled "A Sideman's Life". That year he joined the Dave Holland Quintet. From 1998-2001 he was a member of Chick Corea's Origin sextet. He played and recorded on Japanese composer Yoko Kanno's debut album, Song to Fly and part of The Seatbelt's New York Musicians during that period.

In 1997 he formed the Steve Wilson Quartet with pianist Bruce Barth, Double bassist Ed Howard and drummer Adam Cruz. The group has performed together for over a decade and produced two CDs. He also heads a larger ensemble, Generations, which performs jazz classic and original compositions, and he has performed in a duo with drummer Lewis Nash.

Wilson performing with The Blue Note 7 at the Manchester Craftsmen's Guild in Pittsburgh April 4, 2009

In May 2007 he performed as a soloist for Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip during the Jamestown, Virginia quadricentennial. Wilson is on the faculty at the Manhattan School of Music, City College of New York, State University of New York at Purchase, and Columbia University. He has been an artist-in-residence at the University of North Carolina, Hamilton College, Old Dominion University, and with the CITYFOLK arts program in Dayton, Ohio. A septet formed that year in honor of the 70th anniversary of Blue Note Records. The group recorded an album in 2008, entitled Mosaic, which was released in 2009 on Blue Note Records/EMI, and toured the United States in promotion of the album from January until April 2009. The group plays the music of Blue Note Records from various artists, with arrangements by members of the band and Renee Rosnes.

In 2010, Wilson celebrated his 50th birthday at Jazz Standard in New York City. He led six bands in six nights, with famed jazz musicians. They included Karrin Allyson, Carla Cook, Bruce Barth, Ed Howard, Adam Cruz, Lewis Nash, Ugonna Okegwo, Jeff "Tain" Watts, Freddie Hendrix, Christian McBride, Mulgrew Miller, Geoffrey Keezer, Linda Oh, and John Wikan. One special feature was the inclusion of a string section to play music from Bird with Strings. It was composed of Diane Monroe, Nardo Poy, Joyce Hammann, Chern Hwei, and Troy Stuart. The Wall Street Journal wrote a full length feature article. "The Sideman Becoms the Star" gave Wilson a glowing review.

Discography

As leader

• New York Summit (Criss Cross, 1991) with Mulgrew Miller, James Genus
• Step Lively (Criss Cross, 1993) with Cyrus Chestnut, Freddie Bryant, Dennis Irwin
• Generations (Stretch, 1998) with Mulgrew Miller, Ray Drummond
• Passages (Stretch, 1999) with Nicolas Payton, Bruce Barth, Ed Howard, Adam Cruz
• Soulful Song (MAXJAZZ, 2003) with Rene Marie, Carla Cook, Bruce Barth, Ed Howard, Adam Cruz
• Home (We Always Swing, 2010) Co-Leader with Bruce Barth, Recorded Live in Columbia, MO

As sideman

• Carl Allen/Rodney Whitaker, Get Ready (Mack Avenue)
• Karrin Allyson, In Blue (Concord)
• Karrin Allyson, Ballads: Remembering John Coltrane (Concord)
• DMP Big Band, Tribute to Duke Ellington (DMP)
• DMP Big Band, Carved in Stone (DMP)
• Rob Bargad, Better Times(Criss Cross)
• Bruce Barth, Morning Call (Enja)
• Bruce Barth, In Focus (Enja)
• Bruce Barth, Hope Springs Eternal (Double Time)
• Bruce Barth, East and West (MAXJAZZ)
• Noah Baerman, Soul Force (Lemel)
• Louie Bellson, Live from NYC (Telarc)
• David Berkman, Handmade (Palmetto)
• David Berkman, Communication Theory (Palmetto)
• Chris Berger, Conversations (KSJazz)
• Paul Bollenback, Soul Grooves (Challenge Records)
• Jimmy Bosch, Singing Trombone (Ryko)
• Don Braden, After Dark (Criss Cross)
• Michael Brecker, Wide Angles (Verve)
• Donald Brown, Car Tunes (Muse)
• Donald Brown, Send One Our Love (Muse)
• Bill Bruford, Earthworks Underground Orchestra (Summerfold)
• Freddie Bryant, Take your Dance into Battle (Jazz City/Spirit)
• Freddie Bryant, Boogaloo Brasiliero, Fresh Sound
• Freddie Bryant, Kaleidoscope, Fresh Sound
• Laverne Butler, A Foolish Thing To Do,MaxJazz
• Charlie Byrd, Louis, Concord
• Don Byron, Bug Music, Nonesuch
• Ron Carter, Great Big Band, EMI
• Billy Childs, The Child Within, Shanachie/Cachet
• Avishai Cohen, Adama, Stretch Records
• Chick Corea, Corea.Concerto, Sony/Stretch (Grammy Winner)
• Chick Corea, Rendezvous in New York, Stretch Records
• Chick Corea, Elektric Band: To The Stars, Stretch Records
• Chick Corea & Origin, Live at the Blue Note, Stretch Records
• Chick Corea & Origin, A Week at the Blue Note, Stretch Records
• Chick Corea & Origin, Change, Stretch Records
• Chick Corea & Origin, Originations, Stretch Records
• Roz Corral, Telling Tales, Blu Jazz
• Steve Davis, Portrait in Sound, Stretch Records
• Dena DeRose, Introducing Dena DeRose, Amosaya
• Dena DeRose, Another World, Sharp Nine
• Kenny Drew, Jr., Follow the Spirit, Sirocco
• George Duke, Duke, BPM
• Billy Drummond, Native Colors, Criss Cross
• Greg Gisbert, On Second Thought, Criss Cross
• Darrell Grant, Truth and Reconciliation, Origin Records
• Edsel Gomez, Cubist Music, Zoho Music
• Kevin Bruce Harris, Folk Songs/Folk Tales, Enja
• Stefon Harris, A Cloud of Red Dust, Blue Note
• Kevin Hays, El Matador, Jazz City
• David Hazeltine, How It Is, Criss Cross
• Joe Henderson, Big Band, Verve (Grammy Winner)
• Dave Holland, Points of View, ECM (Grammy Winner)
• Chie Imaizumi, A Time of New Beginnings, Capri Records
• Ingrid Jensen & Project O, Now As Then, Jig Records
• Ingrid Jensen, Vernal Fields, Enja
• Kelley Johnson, Make Someone Happy, Sapphire
• Ronnie Jordan, A Brighter Day, Blue Note/Angel
• Yoko Kanno, Song To Fly, Victor Entertainment
• Geoffrey Keezer, Falling Up, MAXJAZZ
• Jonny King, Meltdown, Enja
• Steve Kroon, El Mas Alla (Beyond, Kroonatune)
• Mike LeDonne, Tribute to Milt Jackson, Double-Time
• Victor Lewis, 3 Way Conversation, Red Records
• Dave Liebman, Classique, Owl
• Gunnar Mossblad, The Seasons Reflected Soul Note/CAM
• Didier Lockwood, Storyboard, Dreyfus
• Kevin Mahogany, Songs & Moments, Enja
• Pete Malinverni, Make A Joyful Noise, ArtistShare
• Christian McBride, Kind of Brown, Mack Avenue
• Mulgrew Miller, The Sequel, MAXJAZZ
• Allison Miller, 5AM, Stroll
• Foxhaven, Bill Mobley New Light Space Time
• Stephanie Mills Tantalizingly Hot 20th Century Fox
• Gunnar Mossblad Convergence Mossblad Music
• Gunnar Mossblad & The Manhattan Sax Ensemble, The Dogwalk, GPC Recordings
• Shunzo Ohno Maya Three Blind Mice
• Junko Onishi Junko Onishi Nippon Crown
• Leon Parker Belief Sony
• Leon Parker Awakening Sony
• Clarence Penn Saomaye Verve Japan
• Ken Peplowski A Good Reed Concord
• Ralph Peterson Art of Blakey Blue Note
• Ralph Peterson Reclamation Project Evidence
• Ralph Peterson The Fo'tet Plays Monk Evidence
• Ralph Peterson V Blue Note
• Ralph Peterson Volition Blue Note
• Leslie Pintchik Quartets Ambient Records
• Mika Pohjola Northern Sunrise Blue Music Group
• Dianne Reeves, The Calling: A Tribute to Sarah Vaughn, Blue Note (Grammy Winner)
• Dianne Reeves, Christmas Time Is Here, Blue Note
• Renee Rosnes For The Moment, Blue Note
• Michele Rosewoman Qunitessence/Harvest Enja
• Michele Rosewoman Quintessence / Guardians of the Light Enja
• Maria Schneider Sky *Blue Artist Share
• Loren Schoenberg Manhattan Work Song Jazz Heritage
• Loren Schoenberg Out of this World TCB Music
• David Schumacher Another Life Amosaya
• Jae Sinnett The Sinnett ngs J-Net Records
• Jae Sinnett House and Sinnett Positive *Music
• Neal Smith Live at Smalls Smalls Live
• Smithsonian Jazz Orchestra Big Band Treasure-Live *Smithsonian
• Terell Stafford New Beginnings MAXJAZZ
• Terell Stafford Time to Let Go *Candid
• Bill Stewart Telepathy *Blue Note
• Joan Stiles Hurly-Burly Oo-Bla-Dee
• Sunny Sumter Getting to Know You J. Jordan Music
• Tom Varner Swimming Omnitone Records
• Melissa Walker Invitation to Love Enja
• Michael Weiss Soul Journey Sintra Records
• Scott Wendholt From Now On Criss Cross
• Buster Williams Joined at the Hip TCB
• James Williams Jazz Dialogues, Vol. 1, Will Power Finas Music
• James Williams Jazz Dialogues, Vol. 4, Music For A While Finas Music
• James Williams & ICU Truth, Justice & the Blues *Evidence
• James Williams & ICU We've Got What You Need Evidence
• James Williams Quintet Live at Mills Hall La Dome
• Gerald Wilson Monterey Moods Mack Avenue
• Gerald Wilson In My Time Mack Avenue
• Michael Wolff Joe’s Strut Wrong Records
• Anthony Wonsey Exodus Alfa Jazz
• Yosuke Yamashita Field of Grooves Verve

External links

• Jazz Corner - Steve Wilson
• Steve Wilson on Blue Music Group
• Jazz News - Steve Wilson: Band Leader, Sideman, Historian, Educator, "Jazz Master"