Steve Wilson

Steve Wilson is an American jazz saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist; he also plays flute, clarinet and piccolo. He is also a veteran educator. A Grammy-and-jazz poll winner, he records under his own name, but is also a prolific sideman. He backed Albert King at 16, but it was recording session work and membership in Out of the Blue and the Ralph Peterson Quintet that established his reputation. Wilson’s New York Summit debut appeared in 1992, Blues For Marcus followed the next year, Step Lively was issued in 1995, and Four For Time in ’96, the year joined Dave Holland’s and Leon Parker’s groups. In 1998 he joined Chick Corea & Origin, with whom he cut five albums by 2001. Wilson’s Soulful Song was issued in 2003, and Sit Back, Relax & Unwind in 2017. He joined Christian McBride’s studio and touring bands in 2020, and in 2023, saw the re-release of Live At Umbria Jazz in duo with Lewis Nash. Wilson was born in Virginia and began studying clarinet, then saxophone, then oboe and drums while in grade school. He played in various soul and funk bands while in high school and in 1977 played in the horn section behind Albert King on Albert Live. After graduating high school, he played with Stephanie Mills for a year, then enrolled in the music program at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, where he studied with the Heath Brothers, Jon Hendricks, John Hicks, Frank Foster, and Ellis Marsalis. During breaks and summers, he played recording sessions and worked as a live musician for The Four Tops and Sophisticated Ladies. Wilson moved to New York in 1987 and the following year toured the U.S. and Europe with Lionel Hampton. In 1988 he won a role with O.T.B. (Out of the Blue), the Blue Note-assembled collective of its young lions, and appeared on 1989′s Spiral Staircase alongside pianist Renee Rosnes. He was invited to join former O.T.B. drummer Ralph Peterson’s quintet for 1989′s V, and played alongside Geri Allen and Terence Blanchard. The floodgates opened for Wilson after that. He became a first-call sideman, and the subject of a New York Times profile “A Sideman’s Life,” highlighting his work with Peterson, Buster Williams, pianists Michele Rosewoman, Rosnes, and Joanne Brackeen, the Mingus Big Band and several orchestras. Wilson signed to Criss Cross and issued 1992′s New York Summit, his leader debut. Blues For Marcus followed the next year, Step Lively was issued in 1995, and Four For Time in ’96, ending his tenure with the label. During his time with Criss Cross, he worked on albums by Peterson, Don Braden, Louie Bellson, Donald Brown, and Ingrid Jensen. In 1996 Wilson joined drummer / composer Leon Parker’s group for tours and recordings on Columbia, as well as the Dave Holland Quintet. His debut with the band was 1998’s Points Of View. That same year, Wilson released the album Generations for Stretch Records with pianist Mulgrew Miller, drummer Ben Riley, and bassist Ray Drummond. Chick Corea served as executive producer and invited Wilson to join his Grammy-winning sextet, Origin. They recorded five albums together before disbanding in 2001 — Live At The Blue Note, A Week At The Blue Note, Change, Concerto: Spain For Sextet & Orchestra / Piano Concerto No.1 with the London Symphony Orchestra, and Originations. Wilson later worked with the pianist live, in The Chick Corea Elektric Band. In 2001, Wilson released Passages for Stretch, backed by Nicholas Payton, Bruce Barth, Adam Cruz, and Ed Howard. He also played on British guitarist Ronny Jordan’s A Brighter Day for Blue Note. In 2002, Wilson resumed his prolific session work, and recorded albums with Karrin Allyson (In Blue), Miller (The Sequel), and Williams (Joined At The Hip). The following year, Wilson issued Soulful Song for MAXJAZZ with guest vocalists Rene Marie, Carla Cook, and Phillip Manuel and issued a powerful and provocative performance. In addition to original material the set offered covers of tunes by Stevie Wonder, Corea, Abbey Lincoln, Gil Scott- Heron, Earth, Wind & Fire. Wilson commented in the press release: “It’s a tribute Black radio … that was particularly inclusive in its programming and a galvanizing force in the community. On the same station one could hear R&B, jazz, blues, gospel, comedy, local news and affairs, and social commentary.” That year he also appeared on recordings by Ingrid Jensen, Terell Stafford, and James Williams. In 2004, he guested on Chick Corea Elektric Band’s To The Stars, and in 2008 joined fellow co-headliners Lenny White, Buster Williams, and George Colligan on Hancock Island - The Music of Herbie Hancock. He became a recording and touring member of the Maria Schneider Orchestra (he remains a member), and joined The Blue Note 7, assembled by the label to record and tour the U.S. during its 70s anniversary; in 2009 issued a lone studio album titled Mosaic. Also in 2009 he appeared alongside Chris Potter, Stafford, and others on Coming Together, and the following year collaborated in duo with pianist Bruce Barth on Home: Live In Columbia, Missouri. In 2014, Wilson and trumpeter Rex Richardson co-led Blue Shift, a quintet date for Summit Records. He also served as Harvey Keitel’s music consultant, contributed to the score for Lulu on the Bridge, and joined the faculty at City College of New York (CCNY) as director of jazz studies. He was a co-billed guest soloist on Portraits and Places by the Scott Reeves Jazz Orchestra. The following year he released Live In New York: The Vanguard Sessions, credited to Steve Wilson & Wilsonian’s Grain. Wilson teamed with veteran drummer Lewis Nash for Live At Umbria Jazz in 2015. In 2017 Wilson issued the vinyl-only Sit Back, Relax & Unwind for JMI Recordings, leading a quartet with bassist Ben Williams, drummer Willie Jones III, and keyboardist Ray Angry. In addition to touring on his own that year, he joined the Christian McBride Big Band — his first recorded appearance with them was on Bringin’ It — and recorded with the Chick Corea/Steve Gadd Band for Chinese Butterfly. The following year he guested on Williams’ Audacity, and was a featured guest on Without A Trace by the Scott Reeves Jazz Orchestra. In 2019 Wilson joined the faculty at Ravinia’s Stean’s Music Institute in Chicago, IL. He ssrves with Billy Childs and Rufus Reid as co-director. Wilson also found time to appear on recordings by R&B singer Philip Bailey and jazz trombonist Michael Dease. In 2020, Wilson hunkered down, recording The Movement Revisited, and For Jimmy, Wes And Oliver with McBride, played on Schneider’s Data Lords, Childs’ Acceptance, and Lakecia Benjamin’s breakthrough, Pursuance: The Coltranes. In 2021, Wilson could be heard on Christian McBride & Inside Straight’s Live At The Village Vanguard, and Erin Propp and Larry Roy’s We Want All The Same Things. Two years later, Wilson and Nash’s Live At Umbria Jazz was re-released; further, the saxophonist contributed to albums by Michael Davis and Hip-Bone Big Band (Open City) and the John La Barbera Big Band (Grooveyard). ~ Thom Jurek