Matt Wilson's Arts & Crafts - Wake Up (to what's happening!)

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Matt Wilson's Arts & Crafts
Wake Up! (to what's happening)
(Palmetto)

Wake Up! (to what's happening) is a very enjoyable program of straight ahead jazz (with a twist) from drummer Matt Wilson. The album starts with a pair of originals; the rest of the album is covers. "Sticky Mack" is an upbeat, lyrical tune by pianist and organist Larry Goldings that has a hint of irony. Wilson's "Free Range Chicken" has an expressive trumpet solo by Terell Stafford who uses the plunger mute to obtain some voicelike growling effects and Goldings has a loose, chunky organ solo.

Jaki Byard's slightly edgy post bop tune "Aluminum Baby" sounds like it could be a lost standard. It has some nice acoustic piano and muted trumpet playing. Vocalist Curtis Stigers guests on "There Comes A Time," a tune by drummer Tony Williams from 1970.

The Jobim ballad "Luiza" features solos by Stafford (who deserves some wider recognition for his playing) on flugelhorn and Goldings. Wilson starts off the folk tune "Cuban Carnival Tune" by playing the melody on drums before continuing with some clickety-clack stick work as he's joined by trumpet and clarinet. A beautiful, subdued version of Charlie Haden's "Silence" follows which features Goldings on organ and Wilson on brushes.

There's some nice flugelhorn and trumpet on Claire Fischer & Frankie Laine's often recorded ballad "We'll Be Together Again." (I was amused by the Ellington riff on piano at the two minute mark.) And "Fast Edd" is a fast and twisty tune by former Either/Orchestra bassist Bob Nieske. The album ends with an instrumental version of "There Comes a Time," featuring organ and trumpet.

Wilson is a member of New York's Jazz Composer's Collective; recordings from members of the collective invariably feature a varied program of interesting originals and covers tunes and excellent playing, as is the case on this new release by Wilson's Arts & Crafts quartet—good tunes and playing on a set worth a listen! — ALAN LANKIN

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Matt Wilson's Arts & Crafts: Wake Up! (to what's happening) (Palmetto)

Release Date: 14 September 2004

Personnel: Terell Stafford (trumpet, flugelhorn); Larry Goldings (piano, organ); Dennis Irwin (bass, clarinet); Matt Wilson (drums, percussion)

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last update 23 October 2004

Matt Wilson's Arts & Crafts Wake Up! (to what's happening) (Palmetto)

Matt Wilson's Arts & Crafts
Wake Up! (to what's happening)
(Palmetto)