Don Wise

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Don Wise during a concert in Notodden , Norway, 2005

Donald Grover "Don" Wise (born March 24, 1942 in Westerly , Rhode Island ) is an American tenor saxophonist , clarinetist , songwriter and music producer . He gained greater attention as the congenial sideman of the singer-songwriter Delbert McClinton from Lubbock (Texas) , in whose band he was a member for twenty-three years, and in whose success he was instrumental. Since the early 1960s he has developed into a sought-after rhythm and blues and soul saxophonist and has played with many stars and greats of the scene, including Huey Lewis , Taj Mahal , Willie Nelson and Ray Charles , in his more than 50-year music career . Wise has released four solo CDs so far. In 2008 he officially withdrew from the music business in order to be able to devote more time to his private life. In addition to music, his passions include gardening , cooking and painting .

Wise is married and lives with his family in Knoxville, Tennessee , USA.

Musical career

At the beginning of his musical life, Wise learned to play the clarinet . At the age of 12 he switched to the saxophone, initially to an alto saxophone, and a year later to the tenor saxophone. He was inspired by the blues and rock 'n' roll of the 50s, but also played country music , swing and big band music . He joined his first band in 1957, the Rhythm Rockers . According to the company, the influences were in his musical career by musicians like Red Prysock , Sam "The Man" Taylor , Earl Bostic , David "Fathead" Newman , King Curtis , Sam Butera and Junior Walker in the foreground, the basis for his later high recognition value terms Sound, sound formation and playing technique.

Don Wise, Germany, November 1984

In addition to his stylistic diversity, this made Wise a sought-after session musician over the years. He toured the USA for a long time with various bands, often through West Texas in the 70s and 80s, and played with stars such as Jeffrey Osborne , Ruben Ramos, Chuck Jackson , Maxine Brown , Taj Mahal , Willie Nelson , Marcia Ball , Rickey Godfrey , Jimmie Dale Gilmore , Tower of Power , Huey Lewis , Hal Ketchum , Teresa James and Joe Ely . In 1989 he played as a member of the all-star band alongside a dozen or so R&B superstars, including Albert Collins , Dr. John , Billy Preston , Willie Dixon , Percy Sledge , Carla Thomas , Bo Diddley and Stevie Ray Vaughan , at the inaugural concert for the presidential election of George HW Bush . Another milestone was Ray Charles' invitation to a joint national TV concert at the ESPYs in New York City in 1997.

During the recording sessions in 1985 with a Texas rock band, Radio Zebra, with whom he had been on a four-week tour of Germany a few weeks earlier, Delbert McClinton made him the unexpected offer to take the place as saxophonist in his band. Wise seized the opportunity, remained a central pillar of the group for 23 years and was instrumental in the success of the singer-songwriter from Lubbock. Among other things, he was instrumentalist and co-producer on McClinton's Grammy nominated album Live from Austin from 1989 and was a musician on Cost of Living 2005, which eventually won the Grammy. A large fan base also grew in Europe, especially Scandinavia, which repeatedly led to longer stays outside the USA and also increased Wise's profile.

Wise has received a number of honors and has been recognized extensively in John Laughter's standard work, Contemporary Saxophone , with four solo contributions . The reviews in specialist journals and musician magazines were also consistently positive. In 1997 this led to the fact that he set out to produce a solo CD, which was to be followed by three more over the next eight years, until they fully met his requirements. All highly praised by the critics, colleagues such as Delbert McClinton, Marcia Ball, Big Joe Maher , Gary Bunton , Britt Johansen , Robin Griffin , Bugs Henderson, Teresa James and Steve Williams took part. His friend and co-producer Wally Moyers was also a constant point of reference, and many of the recordings were made in his Studio 84 in Lubbock. Wise also appeared as a composer , lyricist and singer .

In 2008 Wise left Delbert McClinton's band after a successful tour through Finland and Norway , in particular because of the touring exertions that had now lasted for decades, in order to devote more time to his family and hobbies. Every now and then he plays as a guest musician with various artists, including the band Mingo Fishtrap from Austin (Texas) , or on the occasion of Delbert McClinton's annual Sandy Beaches Cruise .

Instruments

"The Martin Tenor" saxophones by Don Wise

Wise has been playing “ The Martin Tenor ” built in 1951 with Otto Link 7S, metal Otto Link mouthpiece (adapted by “Doc” Tenney in Cedar Falls, Iowa) for many years . He also owns another silver Martin tenor saxophone from 1947, which he had bought a few years ago in exchange for a black wedge wedge with gold keys, as well as a Martin alto saxophone and a Conn soprano saxophone .

Awards

Discography

Extracts from productions in which Wise participated as a saxophonist, producer, composer and / or lyricist:

Solo CDs

Released on the Horn O 'Copia Recordings label .

  • 1997 In wise hands
  • 2000 In the verge of survival
  • 2002 Genuine snake
  • 2005 Swingin 'up a storm

Sideman, session / guest musician

  • 1981 Warhorse Band: Live in Lubbock
  • 1985 Radio Zebra: Different stripes for different types
  • 1988 Bugs Henderson & The Shuffle Kings: American Music
  • 1989 Delbert McClinton: Live from Austin
  • 1990 Genuine Houserockin 'Music, Vol. 4
  • 1991 The Best of Mountain Stage Live, Vol. 2
  • 1992 Hot Rhythm & Cool Blues - Texas Style
  • 1993 Bugs Henderson : Years in the jungle
  • 1997 Delbert McClinton: One of the Fortunate Few
  • 1998 Big Blues Extravaganza !: The Best of Austin City Limits
  • 1998 Bugs Henderson & The Shuffle Kings: Have Blues ... Must Rock
  • 2000 Kevin McKendree : Miss Laura's Kitchen
  • 2001 All Aboard: The Beach Boogie Train, Vol. 3
  • 2001 The Delta Riders: Kickin 'up Dust
  • 2002 Delbert McClinton: Room to Breathe
  • 2002 Todd Sharp: Walking All the Way
  • 2003 Johnny Flash & The Rockets: I Hear My Baby Knocking
  • 2003 Paul Craver: Let the Music Play
  • 2003 Delbert McClinton: Live
  • 2003 Bugs Henderson & The Shuffle Kings: We're a Texas Band - Live in Germany
  • 2005 Delbert McClinton: Cost of living
  • 2005 Teresa James: Rhythm Method
  • 2008 Rob Roy Parnell: Let's Start Something
  • 2010 Rickey Godfrey: Nasty Man
  • 2012 Topcat Records 20th Anniversary Extravaganza

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Don Wise Blog
  2. ↑ Interview with Don Wise on barikada.com ( Memento from December 31, 2013 in the Internet Archive )
  3. ^ A Celebration Of Blues And Soul: The 1989 Presidential Inaugural Concert
  4. ^ Review on Yonkers Tribune
  5. ^ Don Wise with Ray Charles LIVE at the ESPYs, New York City, 1997
  6. ↑ a b DarielB: Interview with Don Wise in March 2009
  7. ↑ Album information on Alligator Records
  8. ↑ a b c Interview with John Laughter on saxontheweb.net
  9. ^ John Laughter: Contemporary Saxophone . Publisher: Music Sales, 1999, ISBN 0-931759-58-7 .
  10. ↑ Rebecca West: Interview with Delbert McClinton, Medina Entertainment Center, 1999
  11. ^ Sandy Beaches Cruise
  12. ^ The Martin story
  13. ^ John Laughter: Sax on the web
  14. ^ Official Don Wise website
  15. ↑ Don Wise Credits from AllMusic.com
  16. ↑ Don Wise Credits from ArtistDirect.com
  17. ^ Review by Marc A. Cole on Blues on Stage
  18. ↑ Review by William Michael Smith on rockzilla.net ( Memento from August 7, 2013 in the web archive archive.today )
  19. ^ Review by Scott Yanow on allmusic.com
personal data
SURNAME Wise, Don
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Donald Grover
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American R&B and soul saxophonist and clarinetist
DATE OF BIRTH March 24, 1942
PLACE OF BIRTH Westerly , Rhode Island