Phil Wilson (trombonist)
Encyclopedia
Phillips Elder Wilson, Jr. (born January 19, 1937 in Belmont, Massachusetts
) is a jazz trombonist, arranger, and teacher. He might be best known as an instructor at the Berklee College of Music
and a former chairman at the jazz division of the New England Conservatory of Music
.
He began on piano, but was advised to switch to trombone due to his having a mild form of dyslexia
. This condition did not hamper his music and by fifteen he had turned professional. He played for Herb Pomeroy
's band from 1955 to 1957 and after that toured with the Dorsey
brothers. He would also work with Woody Herman
's band and in the 1960s wrote music for Buddy Rich
.
By the mid-1960s he had made a name for himself as an educator. He had joined the faculty at Berklee in 1965. He formed an ensemble there that became one of the most well-regarded college jazz bands.
Belmont, Massachusetts
Belmont is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston. The population was 24,729 at the 2010 census.- History :Belmont was founded on March 18, 1859 by former citizens of, and land from the bordering towns of Watertown, to the south; Waltham, to the west; and Arlington, then...
) is a jazz trombonist, arranger, and teacher. He might be best known as an instructor at the Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music, located in Boston, Massachusetts, is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known primarily as a school for jazz, rock and popular music, it also offers college-level courses in a wide range of contemporary and historic styles, including hip...
and a former chairman at the jazz division of the New England Conservatory of Music
New England Conservatory of Music
The New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, is the oldest independent school of music in the United States.The conservatory is home each year to 750 students pursuing undergraduate and graduate studies along with 1400 more in its Preparatory School as well as the School of...
.
He began on piano, but was advised to switch to trombone due to his having a mild form of dyslexia
Dyslexia
Dyslexia is a very broad term defining a learning disability that impairs a person's fluency or comprehension accuracy in being able to read, and which can manifest itself as a difficulty with phonological awareness, phonological decoding, orthographic coding, auditory short-term memory, or rapid...
. This condition did not hamper his music and by fifteen he had turned professional. He played for Herb Pomeroy
Herb Pomeroy
Irving Herbert "Herb" Pomeroy, III was an influential swing and bebop jazz trumpeter and educator...
's band from 1955 to 1957 and after that toured with the Dorsey
Dorsey
Dorsey is a surname, and may refer to several people, including:*Anne Hanson Dorsey, American novelist*Arnold George Dorsey, birth name of British-American singer Engelbert Humperdinck*Candas Jane Dorsey, Canadian poet and science fiction novelist...
brothers. He would also work with Woody Herman
Woody Herman
Woodrow Charles Herman , known as Woody Herman, was an American jazz clarinetist, alto and soprano saxophonist, singer, and big band leader. Leading various groups called "The Herd," Herman was one of the most popular of the 1930s and '40s bandleaders...
's band and in the 1960s wrote music for Buddy Rich
Buddy Rich
Bernard "Buddy" Rich was an American jazz drummer and bandleader. Rich was billed as "the world's greatest drummer" and was known for his virtuosic technique, power, groove, and speed.-Early life:...
.
By the mid-1960s he had made a name for himself as an educator. He had joined the faculty at Berklee in 1965. He formed an ensemble there that became one of the most well-regarded college jazz bands.
Discography
- 1968: Prodigal Sun (Freeform)
- 1975: The Sound of the Wasp (ASI)
- 1976: That's All (Famous Door) with John BunchJohn BunchJohn Bunch was an American jazz pianist.-Biography:Born and raised in Tipton, Indiana, a small farming community, he studied piano with George Johnson, a well-known Hoosier jazz pianist...
- 1977: Live and Cookin (Outrageous) with Howie SmithHowie SmithHowie Smith, is a saxophonist, composer, jazz musician and educatorHowie Smith was born in Pottsville, Pennsylvania in 1943...
- 1980: New York Axis (Famous Door)with John Bunch, Vic DickensonVic DickensonVic Dickenson was an African-American jazz trombonist. Dickenson's career started out in the 1920s and led him through musical partnerships with such legends as Count Basie , Sidney Bechet and Earl Hines...
, Butch MilesButch MilesButch Miles is an American jazz drummer. He has played with the Count Basie Orchestra, Dave Brubeck, Ella Fitzgerald, Sammy Davis Jr., and Frank Sinatra, among others.... - 1980: Fruits (Circle Records (Germany)Circle Records (Germany)Circle Records was an Germany based record label specializing in jazz, established in 1976. -Discography:Circle Records was an Germany based record label specializing in jazz, established in 1976. -Discography:...
) - 1982: Phil Wilson-Makoto OzoneMakoto Ozoneis a Japanese jazz pianist.He began playing organ at two and by seven was an improviser. He appeared on Japanese television with his father from 1968 to 1970. At twelve he switched to piano after being impressed by albums by Oscar Peterson. In 1980 he entered the Berklee College of Music and later...
Live!! (Shiah) - 1983: Live at the Berklee Performance Center (Shiah)
- 1983: Live at Joe Segal's Jazz Showcase (Shiah)
- 1985: Latin America Tour (Shiah)
- 1989: The Wizard Of Oz Suite (Capri)
- 1990: Pal Joey Suite (Capri)
- 1995: AC-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive: Arlen Songs (Seaside Recordings)
- 2005: The Music of Antonio Carlos Jobim (Capri)