Alex Wilson brings Equatorial Currents to his First Jazz Trio Release
Fresh from a year’s world tour as arranger/musical director and featured pianist for
artists Rodrigo y Gabriela, Alex Wilson, who is based in Zürich, Switzerland, forges
ahead with an exciting new world-jazz recording project.
Alex Wilson - Alex Wilson Trio
Release Date: 15th April
Label: Alex Wilson Records
Number: AWCD9
Distributor: Cadiz
Listening Link (public)
www.alexwilsonrecords.com
www.cadizmusic.com
Alex Wilson (piano)
Davide Mantovani (bass)
Frank Tontoh (drums- tracks 1-3, 6-8)
Tristan Banks (drums – tracks 4, 5, 9)
THE ALBUM
A combination of live and studio recordings, this is Alex Wilson's ninth album, but his
first for acoustic piano trio. It is thus a new departure, but is also a thought-through
amalgamation of the wide range of experiences gathered and remembered from two
decades touring the world, working as a professional musician at the highest level.
Brimful of energy and ideas, this album is a strong statement about the breadth and
interconnections of Alex Wilson's musical heritage – and of his virtuosity and
musicianship.
Wilson's has lived with the cross-currents of music, particularly the equatorial currents
linking West African music with the music of the Caribbean and Latin America.
Alex Wilson also remembers seeing some of the piano greats at close quarters as a
teenager. The lightning-fast playing of Oscar Peterson, the sublime and heartfelt swing of
Monty Alexander and the hard-edged piano of Eddie Palmieri, for example, have left
their mark.
THE TRIO
Davide Mantovani is the bassist. He has been described as the secret ingredient behind
many world music projects. He studied African music intensively in Senegal, and worked
for several years with Seckou Keita. He is also the regular bassist in Zoe Rahman's trio.
Frank Tontoh, drummer is the son of Mac Tontoh, a founding member of the High Life/
Afropop group Osibisa (with whom Frank has also toured). Frank began his musical
studies in Los Angeles, continuing at Trinity College of Music after moving back to
London to study Composition and Arranging. He has been a key musician in a range of
diverse groups: Amy Winehouse, Jack Bruce, Ernest Ranglin, Matt Bianco, Don
Blackman, George Michael and Craig David.
Tristan Banks is a drummer who has long been inspired by fusion artists and South
American rhythms. He was already in such demand as a drummer that he was obliged to
turn down the opportunity to study at the New School in New York. He eventually went
to Brazil in 1994 where he furthered his knowledge of Afro-Brazilian rhythms.
THE MUSIC
1. Fly – (Steve Winwood) Wilson says: “ I chose this tune from the point of view of a
'music fan' - I like to switch my muso head off from time to time.” The original four
chords from the Stevie Winwood song, followed by the melody stated in the left hand, are
the starting-point for an extended structure which takes the listener through joyous
grooves drawing on rumba and songo, implied rhythms such as Afro-Puerto Rican bomba
and Cuban 3-2 clave. The trio shows what an integrated unit it is with perfectly calibrated
fades to nothing, then re-starting in completely unrelated tempi.
2. Kalisz– An original by Alex Wilson, named after the ancient city in central Poland
which has hosted an International Jazz Piano Festival since 1974, and invokes the intense
experience around piano competitions. Virtuosic, the opening chord to acts as reference
point and springboard for an energetic work-out.
3. Remercier les travailleurs - This traditional Malian melody was taught to Alex Wilson
by Madou Sidiki Diabaté. In this track, recorded live, chromatic Mandé music meets
jazz. The track opens with introductory piano runs imitating the sound a kora with
uncanny realism, before moving into piano territory recalling Monty Alexander.
4. Solar – (Miles Davis) A live recording at Pizza Express Dean St. Alex Wilson credits
Italian drummer Davide Giovannini with the idea of giving the Miles Davis tune a Cuban
danzón structure . Like Alex Wilson, drummer Tristan Banks has played in Cuban bands
since his teens: conjuring the sound of Cuban conga drums from the drum kit is second
nature.
5. We Work the Black Seam Together (Sting)– When Wilson was 15 years old, living in
Vienna, his father took him to a Sting concert. Kenny Kirkland was the pianist that night.
“He played a long solo piece and that day, my life's ambition was set”. This recording is a
homage to that formative experience and Alex's arrangement journeys hrough Jamaican
steppers to nyabinghi to drum and bass as backdrop to the piano melody and
improvisation.
6. Jasmina (Frank Tontoh) – A rhythmically infectious composition by drummer Frank
Tontoh in which his Ghanaian roots create a jubilant Highlife-inspired. It has a bass
feature for Davide Mantovani in which the bass doesn't just walk, it dances. Mantovani
brings his knowledge of West African music to the forefront, throwing out and
responding to the challenge of asymmetrical rhythms.
7. The Quest (Alex Wilson) – Recorded Live at the Warwick Arts Centre, Wilson was
determined to record this album despite tearing an ankle ligament the day before
recording started. It is dedicated to anyone who is on some kind of quest and it seems to
have a narrative. Has a kind of vocal, 'sung' quality and it is actually quite dark and slow,
driving the point home with repetition
8. Arab Spring (Davide Mantovani) –– “A composition that reflects the ebb and flow of
revolution” Recorded live at the Warwick Arts Centre and based on the Arab Spring
uprising. It has heavily syncopated sections, but there is an unstoppable forward motion,
and the intensity builds organically, inevitably.
9. What is This Thing Called Love (Cole Porter) – “This takes me back to the period
when I first started out as a pianist for Latin and jazz jam sessions in pubs and clubs in
London. I remember it with great fondness.” Recorded live, back in Soho, the track
culminates with Tristan Banks spellbinding drum solo.
TOURING PROJECTS
Alex Wilson Trio - the live band of this new album
Trio Mali Latino - As a sequel to the success of the 2010 Mali Latino project, the
exciting second chapter uses the core of the original rhythm section and features Alex on
piano, Hammond and bass pedals! Jazz and Latin rhythms stripped back to their African
roots – yet fresh, vibrant and definitely modern.
RECENT NEWS
 Wilson is fresh off a successful winter tour of Asia and Australia as featured guest
with Rodrigo y Gabriela which included a sold out performance at the Sydney
Opera House and a rapturous reception at Tokyo's Orchard Hall.
 Alex's ongoing close artistic relationship with veteran guitarist Ernest Ranglin
saw a performance at the famous Fuji Rock Festival in Japan in the summer of
2012
FORTHCOMING
 Wilson is performing with fellow Peruvian pianist Cesar Correa for the opening
night of the Steinway Festival on 21st March 2013 at the Pizza Express Dean St in
Soho, London. Also on the bill that night are Jason Rebello & Dave Newton and
Gábor Cseke & János Nagy.
 The new project Trio Mali Latino (see touring projects) sees its first
performances at Cheltenham Jazz Festival (4th May) and the Songlines
Encounters Festival (8th June)
PRESS QUOTES
“.. superb pianist .. he has a sweeping musical awareness and a formidable
technique." - John Fordham, The Guardian
“Impressive London Latin jazz pianist successfully blends Cuban, Bhangra, reggae
and ballsy jazz with ease.” - Time Out London
“"The go-to guy for salseros who value the music as much as the dancing." Jane
Cornwell, Songlines
“His playing is fantastic, his arrangements are fantastic, he gets involved giving 100%”
- Rodrigo y Gabriela
“one of the most original jazz-driven exponents of the art .. Dynamic music ….” Guardian
“.. Alex Wilson is dynamite .. (he) .. really does play Latin-jazz, in the sense of
fearlessly improvising with structures and notes. He's a tireless student of the music of
Southern and Central Americas .. a sophisticated performer” - John L Walters, The
Guardian
SUMMARY
Producer: Alex Wilson
Engineers: Luc Saint-Martin, Oliver Crawshay & Ben Thackeray
Album Design: Brian Hanlon, OG Media Group
Photography: Michael Valentine Studio
Mixed and Mastered at: Wolf Studios, London by Dominique Brethes
INTERVIEW REQUESTS/FOLLOW UP
Press & Radio: Sebastian Scotney – + 44 7768 288 988/ + 44 20 7014 2818
sebastianscotney@gmail.com
BOOKING/ MANAGEMENT
Peter Conway Management
www.peterconwaymanagement.com
peter@peterconwaymanagement.com / + 44 20 8378 1012
ARTIST WEBSITES
www.alexwilson.net
www.facebook.com/alexwilsonpiano
www.soundcloud.com/alexwilson
RECORD COMPANY
www.alexwilsonrecords.com