One need not dig too deep into our city’s jazz scene before coming across the name Thad Wilson. Since coming to D.C. in 1997, Wilson has become a mainstay in the jazz clubs of U Street and beyond by consistently performing with passion, intensity, and consummate artistry in a variety of settings. In addition to his own considerable abilities, his groups feature some of the finest players in the D.C. area.
A native of Fort Dix, New Jersey and raised in Montgomery, Alabama, Wilson began studying the trumpet at age 12. He went on to receive performance awards throughout high school and eventually majored in Music Education at New Jersey City University. There, he studied with Jimmy Owens, an alum of Dizzy Gillespie’s Big Band. His playing is influenced by all of the greats, including Miles Davis, Clifford Brown, and Freddie Hubbard. As a composer, he has written for numerous ensembles with varied instrumentation. This resume as a solo artist and band leader is already very impressive, but it becomes even more so considering his experience as a sideman, where he has played with George Benson, Cecil Bridgewater, Roy Hargrove, and others.
Wilson most often performs with his Ugetzu Big Band, an offspring of the Thad Wilson Jazz Orchestra, as well as his chordless trio, Lazarus-3. Wilson’s big bands have been the only large jazz ensembles to hold residence at clubs around town. The Thad Wilson Jazz Orchestra held court at the legendary One Step Down before it shut down and now his Ugetzu plays most Mondays at Bohemian Caverns. The trio plays every Thursday Jojo’s, another venue that has become a friend to D.C.’s jazz scene. His latest project involves performing a live soundtrack to Louis Malle’s classic film Ascenseur pour l’échafaud, or “Elevator to the Gallows“, whose original soundtrack was scored by Miles Davis. Whether it is with his chordless trio, his big band, or as a sideman, Thad Wilson is a local talent that any D.C. jazz fan should hear.
Visit Thad on-line at: www.thadwilson.com
Buy Thad’s music at: CD Baby
Questions for Thad:
You play in a number of projects around town, most notably your chordless trio and big band. Who are the musicians you feature in these ensembles?
The Trio consists of Lenny Robinson and Ameen Saleem. We have been together for about 3 years and the sound is finally coming togther. The big band consists of Brian Settles, John Kokur, Sam King, Russell Carter, Gerald Pennerman, Dupor Georges, Steven Shaw, Joe Teeche, Joe Brotherton, Mark Chuvala and Eric Wheeler. This group is really playing well and working really hard on my material. Collectively, this is the best group I have ever worked with playing my original material.
