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Reuben Wilson

In the late 60s, organist Reuben Wilson began ascending to his current status as a "godfather" of acid-jazz with "On Broadway", the first in a string of albums for Blue Note Records. With these recordings Wilson revealed a command of funk that helped redefine the soul jazz movement created by the likes of Jimmy Smith, Jimmy McGriff and Richard "Groove" Holmes. "l was impressed by the great players," Wilson said in an interview with Carlo Wolff for The Plain Dealer, But I thought the music could be well served by a pop feeling, I liked what drummers Bernard Purdie and ldris Muhammad were doing [Wilson has recorded with both drummers]. They were different from an Art Blakey or a Max Roach. Their appeal was to a younger crowd."

While some collectors believe his best work is represented on his five Blue Note releases, Wilson also laid down some trailblazing sides for the Groove Merchant and Chess/Cadet labels. During the '80s, "Got To Get Your Own," the title track to his 1974 Cadet album, caught on in dance clubs in England, "I was in Europe with the Fatback Band, when I heard about it," recalls Wilson. "All of a sudden, the news people from the trades and all were interviewing me separately from the Fatback Band. "That's when l found out l had this big record. "Got To Get Your Own", now an acid jazz classic, the song was reworked by Wilson for Organ Donor, his 1998 release for the Jazzateria label. Wilson's influence was still evident in the '90s thanks to such groups as US3 Tribe Called Quest and Nas sampling his compositions "Ronnie's Bonnie" and "Were In Love," along with his arrangement of "Inner City Blues," In 1995 Wilson toured Europe, Japan and North America as part of Guru's Jazzmatazz II, a crowd-pleasing all-star aggregation also featuring Kenny Garrett, Zachary Breaux and Donald Byrd.

Reuben Wilson, a former professional boxer who helped usher in a new musical era over 30 years ago, continues to have a profound influence on the modern music scene. "Today, I'm playing to the children of my original audience", Wilson noted. "I feel like l made a real contribution musically, and I feel very good about the fact that it's actually given me legend status in Europe." In 1997, Wilson received his first gold disc for his compositions on the US3 recording Hand On The Torch. That same year he collaborated with Dr.

Blue Note 50th Anniversaries for March

by Marc Cohn
March 7, 2019

We're off to Van Gelder's for Blue Note sessions from March 1969, including tracks originally from the Elvin Jones LP The Prime Element with Lee Morgan, George Coleman, and Joe Farrell. And there's Blue Note #7 from 1939, as well as 21st century music that grabbed my ears. Enjoy the show. Next week: listener favorites and we celebrate DrJ's birthday (BTW, he's '40') with some tunes that always show up on his car stereo system. R.I.P. Ira Gitler (18 Dec ...

My Blue Note Obsession

Reuben Wilson: Blue Mode – 1969

by Marc Davis
March 21, 2016

1969 was the grooviest year in a very groovy decade. The Beatles, on the verge of a breakup, urged everyone to get back and come together. The Temptations couldn't get next to you. And Sly Stone took everyone higher at Woodstock. At that very moment, in the waning days of 1969, Reuben Wilson funked us up with a classic acid-jazz album called Blue Mode. If you remember 1969, you already know what Blue Mode sounds like, ...

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Extended Analysis

Reuben Wilson: Revisited

by David A. Orthmann
December 4, 2011

Reuben Wilson Trio Revisited American Showplace Music 2011 For any organist mining the soul-jazz vein, it's tough to escape the long shadow of Hammond B-3 titans such as Jimmy Smith, Charles Earland, Richard “Groove" Holmes and Jimmy McGriff. On the other hand, invoking the memory of a few of the masters doesn't hurt an artist in reaching fans who crave sounds that stop short of Larry Young's mid 1960s, saxophonist John Coltrane-influenced innovations and ...

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Interview

Mastering the Groove: A Chat With Organist Reuben Wilson

by C. Andrew Hovan
October 6, 2003

In hindsight, it is possible to get too much of a good thing. Back in the '50s and '60s when a plethora of jazz recordings hit the jazz market like never before in the music's relatively short history, it was easy to take it all for granted. This was especially true of the organ combo records that ushered in the soul jazz movement of the late '60s. And with a critical backlash against the B3 organ as a viable jazz ...

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Album Review

Reuben Wilson: Organ Blues

by Jim Santella
February 1, 2002

Reuben Wilson’s blues band settles in nice and cozy. It’s a celebration! Nods to Jimmy Smith and Jack McDuff fit appropriately into a session of traditional good time blues. Melvin Butler lends a soulful persona that stands patiently in the shadow of the late Eddie Harris. Grant Green, Jr. and leader Reuben Wilson recall the great organ-guitar combinations jazz has espoused. Bernard Purdie drives the band with seasoned veteran chops.

Wilson’s career began 40 years ago in Los Angeles, playing ...

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Album Review

Reuben Wilson: Organ Blues

by Jim Santella
February 1, 2002

Wilson’s career began 40 years ago in Los Angeles, playing ...

364

Album Review

Reuben Wilson: Organ Donor

by Douglas Payne
May 1, 1998

Reuben Wilson (born 1935) is best remembered as one of Blue Note's funkiest organists, making five albums for the label between 1968 and 1971 (only Love Bug and the excellent Blue Mode are currently available on CD). He went on to record three more records for Groove Merchant, then he whipped up some disco for smaller labels and by the end of the seventies, he was gigging with the Fatback Band. Wilson disappeared from the scene until groups like Us3, ...

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Music Industry

Jazz Appreciation Month Finds A.R.C. Members Active

Source: Artists Recording Collective + the ARC Record Label
April 27, 2010

Jazz Appreciation Month, now celebrating its 9th anniversary, was initiated to honor those of yesteryear but to also showcase today's talent and expose it to new generations of jazz music lovers. This story features some Artists Recording Collective (ARC) News and Press Items during Jazz Appreciation Month.

DONALD HARRISON, JR. is featured in several capacities within the presentation and production aspects of the new HBO series, “Treme". Variety reported on April 14, 2010 that Sunday's “Treme" premiere garnered 1.1 million ...
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Performance / Tour

This Week At Iridium Dec. 15-19 The Organ Summit Part 2-Jimmy McGriff, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Reuben Wilson

Source: All About Jazz
December 13, 2004

December 13, 2004 To: Listings/Critics/Features From: JAZZ PROMO SERVICES Press Contact: JIM EIGO, [email protected] IRIDIUM JAZZ CLUB 1650 BROADWAY (Corner of 51st) NEW YORK, NY 10023 RESERVATIONS: 212-582-2121, www.iridiumjazzclub.com Sets at 8 & 10PM EVERY MONDAY LES PAUL AND HIS QUARTET EVERY SUNDAY JAZZ BRUNCH BUFFET- BOB DOROUGH TRIO EVERY TUESDAY THE MINGUS BIG BAND This Week at Iridium... Dec. 15-19 THE ORGAN SUMMIT PART 2 FEATURING: JIMMY McGRIFF, DR. LONNIE SMITH, REUBEN WILSON With MASTERS OF GROOVE: BERNARD PURDIE, ...
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Recording

Jazzateria Recordings Releases Reuben Wilson's Organ Blues on February 5, 2002

Source: All About Jazz

Just as a proud farmer might drive his tractor over freshly plowed dirt, spreading seed for new crops, Reuben Wilson sits behind the console of his Hammond B-3 organ, and uses the roots of rhythm and blues to develop tunes for future generations of organists. As the new plants sprout from the farmer's fertile soil, so does new music evolve from the bed-of-Blues laid down by Mr. Wilson… I'd call that true Organic Farming…

For it is the Blues that ...
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