Detroit (Gerald Wilson album)

Detroit is an album by the Gerald Wilson Orchestra recorded in 2009 and released on the Mack Avenue label.^[1]

Detroit
Studio album by Gerald Wilson Orchestra
Released	September 28, 2009
Recorded	2009 New York and Los Angeles
Genre	Jazz
Length	62:47
Label	Mack Avenue MAC 1049
Producer	Al Pryor
Gerald Wilson chronology
Monterey Moods (2007) Detroit (2009) Legacy (2011)

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[2]
All About Jazz	[3]

AllMusic rated the album with 4 stars; in his review, Michael G. Nastos noted: "A quite spirited and energetic music is heard here from the 90-year-old Wilson, whose charm and wit would rival anyone many decades his junior. It's a swinging affair molded in the traditional big-band visage of Count Basie, Ernie Wilkins, or early Quincy Jones, with Wilson's deft touch for embellishing the blues".^[2] In JazzTimes Owen Cordle wrote: "Wilson’s chord progressions, chord voicings and rhythmic figures for the ensemble are strong characteristics of his writing. He also has a flair for atmospheric themes. One could quibble about the combo-esque strings of solos and the scarcity of ensemble interludes. Nevertheless, his writing style continues to serve him well".^[4] On All About Jazz Robert J. Robbins noted: "Gerald Wilson's six-movement "Detroit Suite" demonstrates that after nearly seven decades in the music business, the nonagenarian composer and arranger still has a great deal to offer in terms of musical creativity".^[3]

Track listing

All compositions by Gerald Wilson.

1. "Blues on Belle Isle" - 5:30
2. "Cass Tech" - 8:47
3. "Detroit" - 6:40
4. "Miss Gretchen" - 7:07
5. "Before Motown" - 7:12
6. "The Detroit River" - 8:47
7. "Everywhere" - 12:32
8. "Aram" - 6:12

Personnel

• Gerald Wilson - arranger, conductor
• Los Angeles Band (tracks 1-6):
  • Jeff Kaye, Rick Baptist, Winston Bird, Ron Barrows - trumpet
  • Eric Jorgensen, Les Benedict, Mike Wimberly, Shaunte Palmer - trombone
  • Carl Randall, Kamasi Washington, Jackie Kelso, Louis Van Taylor, Randall Willis, Terry Laudry - reeds
  • Brian O' Rourke - piano
  • Trey Henry - bass
  • Mell Lee - drums
  • Special guests: Sean Jones - trumpet, flugelhorn and Anthony Wilson - guitar
• New York Band (tracks 7 & 8):
  • Jon Faddis, Frank Greene, Sean Jones, Jimmy Owens, Terrell Stafford - trumpet
  • Dennis Wilson, Luis Bonilla, Jay Ashby, Douglas Purviance - trombone
  • Steve Wilson, Antonio Hart, Ron Blake, Kamasi Washington, Ronnie Cuber - reeds
  • Renee Rosnes - piano
  • Peter Washington - bass
  • Anthony Wilson - guitar
  • Lewis Nash - drums
  • Special guest: Hubert Laws - flute