Grammy-nominated guitarist/composer/arranger
Anthony Wilson teamed up with VCU’s Jazz Orchestra
I Tuesday night for an impassioned concert to coincide
with the release of the Jazz Studies Program’s newest
CD, “A Joyful Noise.”
Director of jazz studies Antonio García kicked off
the evening with the Mercer Ellington classic “Things
Ain’t What They Used to Be,” an up-tempo swing that
featured a seductive introductory bass solo by David
Ashby, a cool smoky story told by David Hood on the
alto saxophone and an aggressive bop-oriented display
by the cool and confident trumpeter Marcus Tenney.
Emotions were high as six of the J.O. I members
were playing their last Jazz Orchestra I concert at VCU
prior to graduation. Along with the three previously
mentioned, Reginald Chapman on bass trombone,
Jason Mathias on baritone saxophone and John Lilley
on tenor saxophone, all plan on “moving on to bigger
and better things,” García said.
Victor Lopez’s “Macumba” set the auditorium on
fire with a tricky Afro-Brazilian rhythm that featured
a three-piece percussion section composed of regulardrum-
set player Devonne Harris, Greg Loewer on
congas and Dean Christesen on clave. Christesen and
Loewer stayed right in the pocket while Harris killed it
on the timbales. Lilley took his best solo of the night,
which was laden with bluesy elements and showed a
deep understanding of the tropical rhythm. Split lead
trumpeter Rob Quallich soared above the riffs with a
range that would humble Arturo Sandoval.
Following that spicy number, Wilson came on stage
to perform his composition “Chorale.” A beautiful piece
that featured a four-part trombone-chorale introduction,
Wilson’s arranging chops proved to be worthy of
their reputation. As if it weren’t enough to merely wow
the crowd with deep sensual textures, Wilson’s solo was
as scary as it was soothing. He conducted the orchestra
like a shaman controlling the forces of nature-with
each variation in dynamics a response to the dramatic
sweeps of his hands. After this piece, Wilson thanked
each member of the orchestra and faculty for all they
had done to prepare for his arrival.
“It’s truly been an honor,” Wilson said.
Wilson’s tune “Karaoke” revealed a completely
different side of the composer.
“It’s a wacky word-kind of like my piece. I thought
it was an appropriate title,” Wilson said.
Featuring a wide variety of timbres using various
mutes, instrument pairings and countless shifts in key
and time, the song was an acid trip through a disturbing
colorful-candy Mardi Gras where John Zorn and Pat
Metheny jostle for power.
In keeping with the in-house arrangements, García
brought out a student fresh from the boot camp that
is Doug Richards’ jazz-arranging class to present his
first big-band chart. Jazz studies major James Beard
II was able to present and conduct his own take on
George Gershwin’s “Oh Lady Be Good.” Beard showed
promise and burgeoning wisdom-the band responded
well to his writing.
My favorite pieces of the evening came at the end,
and Wilson wrote both of them. “W-2 Blues” was a
vent on the popular theme of hating taxes and the
unpopular Iraq war. Alex Powers on trombone and
Jonathan Gibson on alto saxophone took thoughtful,
drawn-out solos that kept the drama tight without
spoiling the mood, while Harris and Wilson did well
to intensify the groove playfully.
“I don’t need to get on a soapbox about taxes and what
the government is doing with them,” Wilson said.
“Ted’s Tune” is a Wilson ballad inspired by the
late guitar guru Ted Greene, who inspired Wilson
at a younger age to play on a higher, more harmonically
conscious level. The chord changes illustrated
just that-a profound understanding of the world of
harmonies that showed how deep Wilson’s proficiency
in improvisation and composition really is.
Wilson and guitarist Karl Morse accompanied each
other over the complex tune and moved the crowd to
a thunderous applause.
The band closed the surreal evening with Sammy
Nestico’s “Ya Gotta Try,” at a tempo that would normally
make one’s head spin. A five-man sax solo was
the highlight with David Hood showing his comfort
at quick tempos.