A few months ago Matt Wilson seemed to be all over every jazz mag that showed up in my mailbox. I didn’t really know his work, other than having heard him with Lee Konitz’s New Nonet at the 2006 Chicago Jazz Fest.
I guess all the press made me curious. The first thing of his that I picked up wasn’t his recent release that spawned the media blitz. Somewhat randomly I downloaded his album Humidity. I grabbed it in the middle of one of those eMusic end-of-the-month-grab-fests, that occur when I lose track of how many tracks I have (or haven’t) downloaded. It sat in my new music playlist for a while. One day in the car I heard something that grabbed me, and realized it was this album. It has the combination of things I like in music. Some groove, some humor and irreverence, some great improvised moments…
A few months later I heard a cut from the press pushed new CD (Scenic Route) on XM, so I grabbed it as well. A rather different vibe from Humidity, but a similar essence. More Matt Wilson that I liked.
Not too long after that a Cryptogramophone pre-release of “The Big Picture” by Trio M showed up in my mailbox, and who was the M in the drum chair, but Matt Wilson. The other M’s are Myra Melford and Mark Dresser. Another good CD with the drummer everyone digs.
I don’t think I have a man crush yet, but Matt if you read this and need a trombone player for your next project…