Teddy Wilson

His airy, effortless style, with its emphasis on lightly accompanied right-hand melody, was a key element in the transition from swing to bebop, and many modern jazz pianists took Wilson's approach as their starting point. His early recordings were percussive and forceful, but as he matured his technique became graceful, almost elegant. He was a gifted artist who used the full range of his instrument to his advantage. His recordings with Billie Holiday and Benny Goodman’s trio and quartet during the 1930s are considered classics.

Wilson was born in Austin, TX in 1912, his parents were both schoolteachers. They left Texas in 1918 for positions at the prestigious Tuskegee College in Talladega, AL, one of the pioneer black universities. Wilson studied music at both the Tuskegee Institute and Alabama's Talladega College.

Moving on to Detroit and Toledo, Ohio, he started by joining up with Speed Webb and Milton Senior before heading to Chicago, where he played with the likes of Erskine Tate, Eddie Mallory, Clarence Moore, Jimmy Noone and Louis Armstrong. He traveled to New York in 1933 to join Benny Carter's orchestra, the Chocolate Dandies. After Carter disbanded the following year to take a position as arranger with Goodman's band Wilson worked with an all-star group led by Red Norvo in 1934 and with Willie Bryant's band during 1934 and 1935. He met Goodman in 1935 and in 1936 was asked to join the bandleader's trio, which also included drummer Gene Krupa. Lionel Hampton joined soon after, making it a quartet. Wilson became the first African-American publicly featured in Goodman's line-up.

During his time with Goodman, Wilson put together several small groups for recording sessions, and began a long career as a freelance recording artist that culminated in his marvelous series of discs with Billie Holiday. Other sessions featured such artists as Lester Young, Roy Eldridge, Lena Horne, Ella Fitzgerald, Helen Ward, and Harry James. Wilson left Goodman in 1939 to form his own big band, which included such top musicians as Doc Cheatham, Ben Webster, Rudy Powell, and Hal Baker. Thelma Carpenter was vocalist. Wilson's subtle style failed to win over audiences, however, who often complained that his orchestra sounded ''too white.'' He disbanded the group after only a year and formed a sextet that played regularly at the Cafe Society in New York from 1940 to 1946.

After 1946 Wilson worked mostly as a soloist or in a trio. In 1946 he became a staff musician for CBS radio and operated his own music school, and produced a series of recordings, the “Teddy Wilson School for Pianists,” (reissued on Mosaic) to demonstrate various elements of jazz piano.

Teddy Wilson: Solo / Big Band

by David Rickert
October 21, 2010

Teddy WilsonSolo / Big BandStoryville Records2010 Teddy Wilson will always be primarily known for his work with the Benny Goodman band and the reliable piano accompaniment he provided for it on many classic records. After the big band era, although he teamed up with Goodman again from time to time, the majority of Wilson's career was spent leading his own ensembles. This 8CD (and 1DVD) box set canvases Wilson's entire career, ...

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Album Review

Teddy Wilson: In Copenhagen

Read "In Copenhagen" reviewed by Chris Mosey

by Chris Mosey
March 21, 2008

Teddy Wilson was a supremely elegant pianist, born in an age in which the music meant more than the image of its performers. Mrs Pearl Wilson's son Theodore was also an extremely polite and courteous individual. So it came as something of a suprise when, late in life, referring to rock music, he said, “It's like the whole earth vomiting." He ventured the opinion in Teddy Wilson Talks Jazz, a book of reminiscences told to Dutch Swing College Band guitarist ...

192

Album Review

Teddy Wilson: The Keystone Transcriptions

by Craig Jolley
October 1, 2001

One of the great swing era pianists Teddy Wilson arrived at a mature style early in his career. The first Wilson record I know of (with Benny Carter's wonderful, short-lived 1933 big band) introduces him as an advanced, gifted band pianist and soloist. Wilson's later records (He had a fifty-year career.) as a trio or solo pianist stand as elegant, logical, and swinging miniatures, but they generally lack the freshness of his 1930's playing. The tension from his left hand ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Teddy Wilson

Source: Michael Ricci
November 24, 2022

All About Jazz is celebrating Teddy Wilson's birthday today!

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Teddy Wilson

Source: Michael Ricci
November 24, 2021

All About Jazz is celebrating Teddy Wilson's birthday today!

Source: Michael Ricci
November 24, 2015

All About Jazz is celebrating Teddy Wilson's birthday today! His airy, effortless style, with its emphasis on lightly accompanied right-hand melody, was a key element in the transition from swing to bebop, and many modern jazz pianists took Wilson\'s approach as their starting point. His early recordings were percussive and forceful, but as he matured his technique became graceful, almost elegant. He was a gifted artist who used the full range of his instrument to his advantage... Read more. Place ...
read more

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Teddy Wilson

Source: Michael Ricci
November 24, 2014

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Teddy Wilson

Source: Michael Ricci
November 24, 2013

All About Jazz is celebrating Teddy Wilson's birthday today!

His airy, effortless style, with its emphasis on lightly accompanied right-hand melody, was a key element in the transition from swing to bebop, and many modern jazz pianists took Wilson\'s approach as their starting point. His early recordings were percussive and forceful, but as he matured his technique became graceful, almost elegant. He was a gifted artist who used the full range of his instrument to his advantage... Read more.

Place ...
read more