Gerald Wilson

Gerald Stanley Wilson (September 4, 1918 – September 8, 2014) was an American jazz trumpeter, big band bandleader, composer, arranger, and educator. Born in Mississippi, he was based in Los Angeles from the early 1940s. He arranged music for Duke Ellington, Sarah Vaughan, Ray Charles, Julie London, Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald, Benny Carter, Lionel Hampton, Billie Holiday, Dinah Washington, and Nancy Wilson. He joined the Jimmie Lunceford orchestra in 1939, replacing its trumpeter and arranger, Sy Oliver. While with Lunceford, Wilson contributed songs to the band, including "Hi Spook" and "Yard-dog Mazurka", the first influenced by Ellington's recording of "Caravan" and the latter an influence on Stan Kenton's "Intermission Riff".

During World War II, Wilson also performed for a brief time with the U.S. Navy, with Clark Terry, Willie Smith and Jimmy Nottingham. Wilson and His 20-Pc. Recording Orchestra performed at the twelfth Cavalcade of Jazz held at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles which was produced by Leon Hefflin, Sr. on September 2, 1956. Also performing that day were Dinah Washington, The Mel Williams Dots, Julie Stevens, Little Richard, Chuck Higgin's Orchestra, Willie Hayden & Five Black Birds, The Premiers, Bo Rhambo, and Jerry Gray and his Orchestra.

In 1960, he formed a Los Angeles-based band that began a series of critically acclaimed recordings for the Pacific Jazz label. His 1968 album California Soul featured a title track written by Ashford & Simpson, as well as a version of The Doors' hit "Light My Fire".

"Tell Me the Truth" (track for Nancy Wilson) Best Background arrangement (behind vocalists or instrumentalist)

"Paco" (track) Best Original Jazz Composition

State Street Sweet (album) Best Large Ensemble Jazz Performance

Theme For Monterey (album) Best Large Ensemble Jazz Performance

"Romance" (track) Best Instrumental Composition

New York, New Sound (album) Best Large Ensemble Jazz Album

Legacy (album) Best Large Ensemble Jazz Album

Grammy Award-nominated and -winning singles or albums contributed to Year Grammy category Album or Single Primary artist Label Role/Content composed or arranged Honor

1963

arranger - Bye Bye Love/Just A Little Lovin'/Careless Love/Hey, Good Lookin' 1999

Discography As leader 1945–46 – The Chronological Gerald Wilson and His Orchestra, 1945-46 (Classics, 1998) 1946–54 – The Chronological Gerald Wilson and His Orchestra, 1946-54 (Classics, 2007) 1950–54 – Big Band Modern (The Jazz Factory, 2006) Contains the reissue of Big Band Modern (Audio Lab, 1959) plus a bonus of seven previously unisssued live tracks recorded 1950. 1961–69 – The Complete Pacific Jazz Recordings (Mosaic, 2000 [5-CD boxset]) Contains all ten Pacific Jazz recordings listed below. 1961 – You Better Believe It! (Pacific Jazz, 1961) 1962 – Moment of Truth (Pacific Jazz, 1962) 1963–64 – Portraits (Pacific Jazz, 1964) 1965 – On Stage (Pacific Jazz, 1965) 1965 – Feelin' Kinda Blues (Pacific Jazz, 1966) 1966 – The Golden Sword (Pacific Jazz, 1966) 1967 – Live and Swinging (Pacific Jazz, 1967) 1968 – Everywhere (Pacific Jazz, 1968) 1968 – California Soul (Pacific Jazz, 1968) 1969 – Eternal Equinox (Pacific Jazz, 1969) Lomelin (Discovery, 1981) Jessica (Trend, 1982 ) Calafia (Trend, 1984 ) Jenna (Discovery, 1989 ) State Street Sweet (MAMA Foundation/Summit, 1994) Suite Memories (MAMA Foundation, 1996) Theme for Monterey (MAMA Foundation/Summit, 1997) New York, New Sound (Mack Avenue, 2003) In My Time (Mack Avenue, 2005) Monterey Moods (Mack Avenue, 2007) Detroit (Mack Avenue, 2009) Legacy (Mack Avenue, 2011)

As co-leader/arranger 1961 – Les McCann, Les McCann Sings (Pacific Jazz, 1961) 1962 – Nancy Wilson, Broadway – My Way (Capitol, 1963) 1964 – Nancy Wilson, How Glad I Am (Capitol, 1964) 1964 – Les McCann & Gerald Wilson, McCann/Wilson (Pacific Jazz, 1965) 1965 – Julie London, Feeling Good (Liberty, 1965) 1965 – Sarah Vaughan, Sarah Sings Soulfully (Roulette, 1965) 1969 – Jean-Luc Ponty, Electric Connection (World Pacific, 1969)

As sideman With Count Basie The Count (RCA Camden, 1958) Shoutin' Blues 1949 (Bluebird, 1993)

With Ray Charles Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music (ABC-Paramount, 1962) also arranger Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music Volume Two (ABC-Paramount, 1962) also arranger

With Buddy Collette Man of Many Parts (Contemporary, 1956) Buddy's Best (Dooto, 1958) Polynesia (Music & Sound, 1959)

With Curtis Counce Carl's Blues (Contemporary, 1960) Sonority (Contemporary, 1989)

With Duke Ellington Dance to the Duke! (Capitol, 1954) Anatomy of a Murder (Columbia, 1959) Swinging Suites by Edward E. and Edward G. (Columbia, 1960) Piano in the Background (Columbia, 1962)

With Jimmie Lunceford Lunceford Special (Columbia, 1956) reissued in 1967 The Chronological Jimmie Lunceford & His Orchestra 1939-1940 (Classics, 1991)

With Jimmy Witherspoon Singin' the Blues (World Pacific, 1959) 'Spoon (Reprise, 1961) Roots (Reprise, 1962)

With others Kenny Burrell, 75th Birthday Bash Live! (Blue Note/EMI, 2006) Red Callender, The Lowest (MetroJazz, 1958) Bobby Darin, You're the Reason I'm Living (Capitol, 1963) Little Esther, Better Beware (Charly, 1990) Neal Hefti, Jazz Pops (Reprise, 1962) Carmell Jones, Business Meetin' (Pacific Jazz, 1962) Tricky Lofton & Carmell Jones, Brass Bag (Pacific Jazz, 1962) Googie Rene, Romesville! (Class, 1959) Leroy Vinnegar, Leroy Walks! (Contemporary, 1958)