CD Review: Matt Wilson's Big Happy Family - Beginning of a Memory.

(Review by Lance).

I should have listened to the album before reading the notes. That way my judgement may have possibly been more objective.

I didn't, and so it became a heart v head thing. In the end, it didn't matter - as always the heart won but the head also prevailed.

Explanation time!

Wilson lost his wife, Felicia, in June 2014 and this is his tribute album which incorporates members of the various bands drummer Wison led over the years. All of whom were eager to contribute to an album in Felicia's memory.. It's a stunning and emotional collection. Wilson says, "It celebrates her relationship with all of these folks because Felicia had a really special relationship with each and every one of them."

So, every  blown note meant something. I'd never heard of Felicia until today and yet, already, I was in love with her memory and the music from the musicians on this disc who she inspired so much.

That's the heart having had its say!

The head doesn't disagree.

At times it's frantic, at other times it's pastoral - maybe Mingus meeting Debussy at a crossroads in Georgia. Whatever, this is ace high.

I often wonder, why would you want to buy an album by the latest new kid on the block when there are so many better discs by the, sadly, long gone greats?

That question isn't posed here although it may be many years hence.

Highly rec!

Lance.

Terrell Stafford (tpt); Kirk Knuffke (cor); Jeff Ledere (sop/ten/clt); Joel Frahm (ten/sop0; Andrew D'Angelo (alt/bs clt); Gary Vercase (pno/org/acc); Larry Goldings (pno); Martin Wind, Paul Sikivie, Yosuke Inque, Chris Lightcap (bs); Matt Balitsaris (gtr); Matt Wilson (dms).