Reuben Wilson

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Reuben Wilson (* 9. April 1935 in Mounds, Oklahoma ) is an American soul jazz - organist . He plays on the Hammond B3 .

Reuben Wilson is from Oklahoma and went to school in Pasadena , where he met Bobby Hutcherson . Wilson started learning the piano by himself and moved to Los Angeles at the age of 17 , where he married a nightclub singer and came into contact with the local music scene. During this time he switched to the organ and performed in the Caribbean Club . Eventually he met Richard “Groove” Holmes , who had a strong influence on his future style.

In December 1966, Wilson moved to New York, where he formed a trio with drummer Tommy Derrick , The Wildare Express , which only existed for half a year. He then worked with Grant Green , Roy Haynes and Sam Rivers when the Blue Note label noticed him and signed a recording deal with him.

He was on the list of soul jazz organists Blue Note worked with in the 1960s; between 1968 and 1971 he recorded five albums for the label, which, however, would only find their attention in later years - with the revival of soul and acid jazz . His first album On Broadway was made in a quartet with Tommy Derrick in October 1968. In March 1969 he recorded the album Love Bug with guest soloists such as Lee Morgan and Grant Green . With his fourth album from 1970, Groovy Situation , Wilson took a more commercial direction; In July 1971, Set Us Free was his last album for Blue Note.

However, his career soon stumbled. He recorded three more albums in the mid-1970s and played as a session musician with jazz, funk and rock musicians. At the end of the 1980s, however, he experienced a comeback with acid jazz and became something of a cult figure.

Wilson's music was then rediscovered by a new generation of listeners; through sampling his titles were revised; like in albums by bands like A Tribe Called Quest , Us3 , Brand New Heavies and Nas . In 1995 he toured Guru's Jazzamatazz Revue, wrote new titles and founded a formation; In 1996 he recorded two albums, Live at SOB's and Organ Donor . In 1997 Organic Grooves Lonnie Smith and Doug Carn was born. In 2004 he recorded the album Fun House with Melvin Sparks .

Discography (selection)

  • On Broadway ( Blue Note Records , 1968)
  • Love Bug (Blue Note, 1969)
  • Blue Mode (Blue Note, 1969)
  • Groovy Situation (Blue Note, 1970)
  • Set Us Free (Blue Note, 1971)
  • The Sweet Life ( Groove Merchant , 1972)
  • Bad Stuff (Groove Merchant, 1973)
  • The Cisco Kid (Groove Merchant, 1974)
  • The Sweet Life (1974)
  • Bad Stuff (1975)
  • Got To Get Your Own (1975)
  • Down With It (1998)
  • Organ Donor (1998)
  • Organ Blues (2002)
  • Boogaloo To The Beastie Boys (2004)
  • Fun House (2005)
  • Movin 'On (2006)
  • The Godfathers of Groove (2008)
  • Azure Te (2009)
  • The Godfathers of Groove (2010)

literature

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Audio sample
personal data
SURNAME Wilson, Reuben
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American soul jazz organist
DATE OF BIRTH April 9, 1935
PLACE OF BIRTH Mounds, Oklahoma