Both a joyous act of communion and a solemn farewell,
Beginning of a Memory is a celebration of life, community and family expressed
with the virtuosic wit and embracing humor that has made Matt Wilson so beloved
in the jazz community as a drummer, composer and human being. Returning to the
studio as a leader for the first time since his wife Felicia lost her battle
with leukemia in June 2014, Wilson convenes the closest members of his extended
musical family, including all the members, past and present, of his
longest-running ensembles: the Matt Wilson Quartet, Arts & Crafts, and
Christmas Tree-O.
Due out May 27 from Palmetto Records, the result is a warm
and loving commemoration, featuring new renditions of many of Felicia's
favorite tunes from Wilson's past recordings interspersed with snippets of
studio dialogue that capture the spirit of the session. The release also marks
the 20th anniversary of Wilson's tenure on Palmetto and of his collaboration
with producer/label founder Matt Balitsaris, making Wilson's behind-the-scenes
collaborators as much a part of the Big Happy Family as his bandmates.
"I made this album to celebrate a community of people
and how much their love and support through all of this has meant to me,"
Wilson says. "It also celebrates her relationship with all these folks,
because Felicia had a really special relationship with each and every one of
them."
Wilson's Big Happy Family is a raucous clan whose members
span a considerable stylistic spectrum, spotlighting Wilson's sonically
inclusive versatility. The horn section alone brings together saxophonists Jeff
Lederer, Joel Frahm and Andrew D'Angelo with trumpeter Terell Stafford and
cornetist Kirk Knuffke; they all gathered together in the studio with Wilson
and bassists Martin Wind and Paul Sikivie.
Improbably, that recording session was done without written
arrangements, adding to the raw, informal feeling of the album and showcasing
the camaraderie among Wilson and the various members of the family. "Just
letting the cats play is risky business," Wilson admits, "but I was
really into that. It was nice to see what would emerge. I love the courageous
trust that everyone had. It was a pretty vulnerable situation to be in, but the
vulnerability opened up everybody's sound to put them in a different light.
Each and every one of them are characters, but the moment and the surroundings
welcomed them into other territories.
"This was a very special occasion," adds Martin
Wind. "Matt creates a very special atmosphere because of his style of
leading. He picks the guys who he trusts and loves and then he puts the music
in front of us. He trusts our instincts and decision-making and he's
exceptional in the sense that he embraces everything that you could possibly
come up with. There's no such thing as a wrong musical decision when you play
with Matt."
Chris Lightcap added his bass parts later, as did pianist,
organist and accordion player Gary Versace. Long-distance contributions also
came in from Larry Goldings, who contributes a loving and tender solo rendition
of "How Ya Goin'" on prepared upright piano from L.A., while original
MWQ bassist Yosuke Inoue chimes in all the way from Japan with an unexpectedly
moving solo version of '80s schlock-pop masterpiece "Endless Love."
Most of the pieces on the album have been associated
exclusively with one of Wilson's groups or another, making nearly every track
simultaneously a revival and a discovery for the various members. The conjoining
of bands also carries that feeling of familiarity and freshness into the
ensemble itself. At the same time it felt like a homecoming with Balitsaris
producing and engineering, Michael MacDonald mastering, and former label GM Pat
Rustici cooking for the band.
The most deeply personal moment comes on "Flowers for
Felicia," a heartwrenchingly intimate piece that combines the melodies of
Wilson's "Orchids," written for his wife, and one of her favorite
songs, the Carter Family classic "Wildwood Flower." She's also there
in spirit on the title track, on which Knuffke plays the melody that Felicia
originally performed on violin for the original recording on 2003's Humidity.
But equally indebted to Felicia's memory is the album's most unruly moment, an
impromptu romp through "Schoolboy Thug," originally recorded on
1998's Going Once, Going Twice and a song that she adored.
"She liked the music that was pretty nutty at
times," Wilson says with a chuckle. "I know she would love that
version of 'Thug.'"
"We all knew we were gathering that day for a special
purpose," recalls Jeff Lederer. "It was a day of remembering, it was
a day of celebration - of Felicia, of Matt, of the special bond between them
which was music, and so much more. Each
one of us in the room had our own unique relationship with Felicia and with
Matt and knew that, even more than usual, there was a special purpose to the
music we played that day."
That spirit infuses every note on Beginning of a Memory.
Moments of uninhibited joy collide with passages of bittersweet sadness, but
all of it combines with Matt Wilson's emotional openness, empathy and
exuberance to conjure a mood of wistful optimism.
"I wanted this to be a landmark representing new
beginnings and celebrating all the new memories that are starting," Wilson
sums up. "No matter what goes on in life, we have to welcome new things
all the time but also celebrate the gifts that we've been given - and all of
these musicians are full of gifts."
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