Biography:

 

• The Jazz Pilgrimage of Gerald Wilson; March 15, 2018; by Steven Loza (Author), Anthony Wilson (Foreword)  (2018)

 

Blues Musicians from the Area Gerald Wilson was Born – Shelby, Mississippi

 

• Robert Johnson – Robert Johnson – Love In Vain Blues (Takes 1&2) (1937)

 

• Charlie Patton – Spoonful Blues (Delta Blues 1929)

 

• Son House – Son House 1930 : Walking Blues (Delta Blues guitar)

 

• Skip James
  • Skip James – full album – Devil Got My Woman (1968)
  • Skip James – Hard Times Killing Floor Blues, American Folk and Blues Festival, Cologne Oct. 9, 1967

 

• Legendary Country Blues Guitarists

Commission Pieces Written For the Monterey Jazz Festival

 

• Happy Birthday Monterey Suite (1977) Performed by Airmen of Note (Air Force Band with Mundell Lowe, Clark Terry, John Lewis and Gerald Wilson) [no link]

 

• Commission Piece: Theme For Monterey (1998)

 

• “Lyons’ Roar” – The Gerald Wilson Orchestra

 

• Monterey Moods (Commission Piece 2007):

  • Gerald Wilson and the making of ‘Monterey Moods’
  • Monterey Moods Suite: I. Allegro
  • Monterey Moods Suite: II. Jazz Swing Waltz
  • Monterey Moods Suite: III. Ballad
  • Monterey Moods Suite: IV. Latin Swing
  • Monterey Moods Suite: V. Blues
  • Monterey Moods Suite: VI. Bass Solo
  • Monterey Moods Suite: VII. Hard Swing
  • I Concentrate on You
  • The Mini Waltz

 

• In-laws who appeared at the Monterey Jazz Festival:

  • Shuggie Otis with The Johnny Otis Show Live at Monterey, 1984

 

 

Gerald Wilson Orchestra Performances:

 

•  Josefina became his trademark song, and was the opening to his successful KABC radio show “Jazz Capsule” during the 70’s

 

• The Gerald Wilson Orchestra ‘in the studio’ recording ‘Before Motown’ from the CD DETROIT

 

• Gerald Wilson Orchestra blues for Yna Yna

 

• Gerald Wilson Orchestra Equinox

 

• Trumpeter Gerald Wilson, Blowing Strong

Huge Hit Written By Gerald Wilson

• Vive Tirado – recorded by the group El Chicano , became a kind of anthem in the Mexican American community.
  • Studio version of Vive Tirado

 

Artists Gerald Wilson Arranged For

• Duke Ellington
  • Duke Ellington, “Take the A Train”
  • Duke Ellington – Perdido
  • Sophisticated Lady
  • Don’t Get Around Much Anymore
  • First appearance at Monterey Jazz Festival was as a trumpeter in Duke Ellington’s Orchestra in 1960
• Count Basie – Count Basie And His Orchestra 1979 part 1
• Ella Fitzgerald – Regina Carter Celebrates Ella Fitzgerald at MJF60
• Billie Holiday – Billie Holiday at the 1958 Monterey Jazz Festival (Part One)
• Ray Charles
  • You Are My Sunshine
    • Mance Lipscomb version
• Jimmie Lunceford
  • JImmie Lunceford And His Orchestra
• and many others.

INFLUENCES

 

• Earth, Wind and Fire (also mentiond by Allison Miller and Miles Davis (who they opened for on theor first big tour.  Their studio was in Carmel Valley).
  • Getaway
• Mexican and other Latin American Music Forms
  • Paso Doble – Pasodoble clásico Español
  • Habanera – Alex Torres & His Latin Orchestra “Otra Noche Habanera”
  • Canción –
    • Alfred and Amaia – Tu Canción – Spain – National Final Performance
    • Daniela Spalla – Canción Decente
  • Mambo – Tito Puente – Five Beat Mambo
  • Cha Cha Chá – LAS CLASES DEL CHA-CHA-CHA, Recordando al gran TIN-TAN
  • Bolero
    • Trio Los Panchos
      • Trio Los Panchos – Quizas, quizas, quizas 
      • Eydie Gorme & Trio Los Panchos ◊ 1964
    • Alvaro Carillo – La Mentira
    • Javier Solis – ESCLAVO Y AMO
    • Las Mananitas (Lullaby)

• Classical Influences

  • Stravinsky
    • Stravinsky: Petroesjka / Petrouchka Concertgebouw Orchestra Live concert HD
    • Stravinsky: The Firebird / Gergiev · Vienna Philarmonic · Salzburg Festival 2000
    • Buell Neidlinger
  • Khachaturian (also influenced Miles Davis)
    • Masquerade Suite – Waltz
    • Sabre Dance / Rattle · Berliner Philharmoniker
  • Falla
    • Daniel Barenboim – Manuel de Falla – Nights in Spanish Gardens
  • Ravel
    • Maurice Ravel Bolero London Symphony Orchestra Valery Gergiev
  • Debussy
    • CLAUDE DEBUSSY: CLAIR DE LUNE
  • Bartok
    • Béla Bartók: Romanian Folk Dances
  • Kabalevsky
    • The Comedians
  • Rodrigo
    • CONCIERTO ANDALUZ for Four Guitars and Orchester
  • Beethoven
    • Ludwig Van Beethoven’s 5th Symphony in C Minor 
  • Gliere
    • Reinhold Glière – Symphony No.1 in E flat-major (1900)
  • Villa Lobos
    • Bachianas Brasileiras no 5 Filarmônica de Berlim
    • Bachianas Brasileiras 4 – Orquesta Simón Bolívar & Roberto Tibiriçá

Background Information:

• Monterey Jazz Festival’s 2nd Annual Jazz Legends Gala Honors Gerald Wilson, May 2, 2008

 

• NEA JAZZ MASTERS

 

• Gerald Wilson NPR Page

 

• At 93, Gerald Wilson makes Grammys a family affair

 

• Gerald Wilson dies at 96; multifaceted jazz musician

 

• Gerald Wilson: Composer, Arranger, Choreographer: An Overdue Ovation for a West Coast legend (JazzTimes)

 

• Gerald Wilson Wikipedia