The Complete Pacific Jazz Recordings of Gerald Wilson

Gerald Wilson (Composer, Conductor) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD
• Number of Discs: 5
• Label: Mosiac
• ASIN: B000FCI5WS
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #728,747 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

5 discs. Limited Edition: 5000 copies. It might seem audacious at first. But it really isn't out of line to put Gerald Wilson's name among the top big band leaders, ever. More people might recognize his genius if Wilson hadn't decided, at the peak of his popularity, to opt out of the scene. After being recognized for the extraordinary originality of his charts for Jimmie Lunceford's band, Wilson formed his own band. He broke attendance records everywhere. Recorded with Dinah Washington. Toured with Ella Fitzgerald. Shared a bill on an extended tour with Louis Jordan. Then, disbanded. Why? Wilson, already acclaimed as a groundbreaking writer and arranger, felt he didn't know enough. The sudden popularity wasn't what Wilson wanted. He wanted to be able to write anything, he told an interviewer. "The only way I could was to actually stop and really study. My booking agent was ready to kill me."