Harry Wilson has been a fixture in the Fredericksburg Jazz scene for the last 30 years and is still going strong.
Wilson brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the jazz world as the bandleader of the Harry Wilson Quartet. Wilson is also the vice-president of the Fredericksburg Jazz Collective, which since 2011 has continued to promote the awareness of jazz music and the impact the genre has had on modern culture.
Wilson is also unique as he plays the vibraphone in his quartet which is not a typical lead instrument compared to the piano, the trumpet, or the saxophone when one thinks about Jazz. In going this route, Wilson has forged a very recognizable sound that can be enjoyed by even a novice looking to find their way into the genre.
The current iteration of the quartet includes many promising and upcoming musicians from the area which includes Jazz student Kyle Smith on drums, bass player Luke Gray, a teacher with the Fredericksburg Area Young Musicians group, recent the University of Mary Washington graduate Ben Peters on saxophone as well as more experienced musicians such as Steve Rathson on piano.
Wilson spoke to Potomac Local News about his experiences and how he and his band weathered the recent coronavirus pandemic.
What inspired you to pursue playing Jazz as a professional?
I learned Jazz at an early age playing on the streets ofNorth Philadelphia, I listened to people like John Coltrane, Miles Davis, and Sun Ra. Sun Ra took me under his wing and I played with him on the road for four years and recorded a couple of albums with his band. There's a spirit in Jazz that I've grown up with, it's one of those things you have to dig deep in your soul to see where you're coming from because there's a spirituality whenever I play and I try to draw the cats in with what I do.
What attracted you to the vibraphone?
Milt Jackson, listening to Milt Jackson play the vibraphone on his albums inspired me. I got a set of vibes when I was 21 and I've been self-teaching myself to play the vibes ever since. I did have some teachers like Bill Lewis in Philly and other players. Another person who helped is my friend and mentor Marshall Allen, he's 97 and he's still playing, he's one of the angels of the story.
How did the coronavirus pandemic affect your ability to play live as well as any other projects you may have had?
I did some virtual classes for elementary schools, we now have a clubhouse where we'll start having lessons, and I also did some work with the Fredericksburg Jazz Collective honoring some upcoming musicians like Kyle. We also played at the Pig Pitt, they have a nice patio outside and the owner gave us the opportunity to play there and it blew up with other gigs starting out solo and later with the band.
Over the last few years Jazz has had a resurgence with artists from the Hip-Hop world influencing the genre, what do you think of this resurgence?
I think it's good, I think it's very good. Sound Fusion (a group that Ben Peters plays with) just cut an album with the Coltrane song "Impressions" that has those kinds of influences.
Which local Jazz artists should listeners be paying attention to?
Me, and Sound Fusion.
The Harry Wilson Quartet will play their next show at the Pig Pitt at 1017 Sophia Street in Downtown Fredericksburg on Saturday, June 19 at 6 p.m.
Editor's note: This interview was condensed for length and brevity.
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