Dave Wilson Quartet

“Spiral”

(Summit Records DCD 544)

Dave Wilson is a saxophonist, composer, band leader and music educator based in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Born in New York State Wilson grew up visiting the jazz clubs of New York City in the 70’s where he saw many of the surviving giants of the music perform. Now an accomplished musician himself Wilson gigs extensively throughout Central Pennsylvania and Philadelphia averaging 150 gigs a year in a variety of jazz and world music styles.

“Spiral” is his third album as the leader of a quartet and follows “Through The Time” (2002) and “My Time” (2006). It is his first release for the Arizona based, nationally distributed, Summit record label and marks the introduction of a new all star group featuring pianist Phil Markowitz, bassist Tony Marino and the mighty Adam Nussbaum at the drums. All three have worked extensively with the great saxophonist Dave Liebman and the recruitment of three such heavyweight sidemen signals a conscious attempt to bring Wilson’s skills to the attention of the wider jazz audience.

The material on “Spiral” comprises of six Wilson originals plus five outside choices, three of these   being derived from pop and rock sources well removed from the usual jazz canon. Wilson plays both tenor and soprano and the album is a good advertisement for both his playing and writing abilities.

The album begins with Wilson’s own title track, a tricky, forceful theme rooted in the bop tradition but still thoroughly contemporary. There are exuberant solos from Markowitz on piano and Wilson on tenor with the whole thing being driven by Nussbaum’s precise, energetic drumming.

The second tune is “Elm”, written by pianist Ritchie Beirach, another long term Dave Liebman associate. The piece is the title track of Beirach’s 1979 piano trio for ECM, recorded with bassist George Mraz and drummer Jack DeJohnette. Beirach’s ECM output still sounds thoroughly contemporary and “Elm” is one of his most enduring pieces. Wilson and his colleagues do full credit to its time shifting Latin cadences with Wilson particularly effective on soprano and with Markowitz again featuring strongly with some beautifully lyrical playing.

Wilson’s own “Ocean Blue” has a breezy Brazilian feel with the composer’s relaxed, smoky tenor to the fore. The liner notes describe the piece as being “radio friendly” and it certainly maintains an easy going charm throughout. Wilson and Markowitz stretch out far enough to keep the music just the right side of the dreaded smooth jazz.

Wilson likes to interpret unusual outside material, often from the pop and rock fields. This album’s first foray into this area is a good natured take on The Grateful Dead’s “Friend Of The Devil” with Wilson on relaxedly lithe soprano sax.

The Wilson original “Summer Breezes” sustains the relaxed mood with the leader again probing gently on soprano. The mood alters markedly when Wilson switches to tenor for his powerful, anthemic arrangement of “My Own Prison” by Alt Christian rock band Creed. There’s an urgency about everybody’s playing here that really lifts the album following a succession of rather slight items. The more aggressive stance adopted by Wilson and his colleagues is also “radio friendly” in it’s own way. The Creed original was an FM radio hit and I can just imagine this capturing the attention of curious rock fans.

With Wilson still on tenor the original “Movin’ On” retains something of the creative tension as it broods moodily in a minor key before metamorphosing into something a little more uplifting. The performances here are intense with Wilson really digging in to deliver some of his most powerful playing of the set. Pianist Markovitz, who solos on virtually every number makes a typically fine contribution again here.

Wilson’s “Like GS 2” is the saxophonist’s updating of the late “Scott La Faro’s tune “Gloria’s Step” which found fame on the 1961 Bill Evans album “Live At The Vanguard”. Wilson’s adaptation is charming and with Markowitz sitting out Marino is allowed a spell in the limelight, rising to the challenge with a swinging, inventive, resonant bass solo as Nussbaum’s brushes chatter around him.
Wilson’s coolly elegant tenor is also right on the money in this hugely enjoyable re-imagination of a jazz classic.

“Remembering” features Wilson on a winning ballad performance of his own tune. His own lyrical soprano and Markowitz’s limpid piano are sympathetically supported by Marino and Nussbaum, the latter again showing great sensitivity with the brushes.

Toninho Horta’s “Francisca” sees Wilson stick to soprano on a relaxed and elegant performance that also includes features for Marino and Markowitz. This attractive tune recaptures something of the relaxed breeziness that was apparent on some of the earlier tracks on the record.

To close Wilson chooses “(You’re the) Biggest Part Of Me”, originally a hit for the soft rock act Ambrosia. It’s obviously a song that means a great deal to him and he plays it with a good deal of feeling. His explorations and those of the excellent Markowitz retain the song’s jazz credibilities in a laid back and lyrical performance.

“Spiral” is a well programmed jazz performance with much to recommend it. Wilson chooses an interesting selection of out side material and his own playing, on both tenor and soprano is excellent throughout. His three heavyweight colleagues support him well with Markowitz a particularly effective foil for the leader and Nussbaum’s drumming is a good mix of power and sensitivity. Overall there is good variation of mood and pace, but there are moments when the sound does tend to stray dangerously close to the blandness of smooth jazz.

All round though this is a highly accomplished record and a good advertisement for Wilson’s considerable abilities. However, despite it’s all star cast it’s probably not quite distinctive enough to propel him into the jazz premier league just yet. 

 

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