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Tony Wilson

Tony Wilson began his musical studies in 1981 at Malaspina College in Nanamio, B.C., where he studied composition with Pat Carpenter. He took private guitar instruction from Oliver Gannon. Further schooling, included two summer sessions at the Banff School of the Arts. His teachers there included Dave Holland, John Abercrombie, Kevin Eubanks, Steve Coleman, Muhal Richard Abrams and others. Tony has also studied composition privately with multi-instrumentalist Vinny Golia and new music composer Georgio Magnenensi.

After moving to Vancouver, B.C. in 1987, he started playing and writing for the sextet Video Barbeque. The group won a West Coast Music Award for their CD “Maximillism”. In 1990 he formed the Tony Wilson Sextet (Tony Wilson-guitar/Kevin Elaschuk-trumpet/Dave Say-saxophones/Peggy Lee-cello/Paul Blaney-bass/Dylan van der Schyff-drums). Their repertoire features original compositions as well as arrangements of the works of jazz luminaries such as Don Cherry, Sun Ra, Captain Beefheart, Duke Ellington, to name just a few. Other groups under his leadership include the Tony Wilson Quintet (Tony Wilson-Guitar/Jesse Zubot-violin/J.P. Carter-trumpet/Russll Sholberg-bass/Skye Brooks-drums), Tony Wilson Quartet (Tony Wilson-guitar/Tyson Naylor-organ/Tommy babin-bass/Kenton Loewen-drums), Tony Wilson Trio (Tony Wilson-guitar/Russell sholberg-bass/skye Brooks-dums).

Tony is also very active as a solo performer and recently organized a big band that consists of 3 trumpets, 3 saxes, 2 trombones, cello, violin, 2 guitars, 2 bassist and 2 percussionists.

He is a sideman in ensembles led by Eric Boeren, Peggy Lee, Brad Muirhead, Saul Berson, Francois Houle, and Dark Blue World. Duo projects see him team up with; saxophonist/percussionist Bill Smith; tenor saxophonist Nick McGowan; and guitarist Ron Samworth.

His compositions have been commissioned by the new music ensembles Standing Wave, Joe Trio, and the Little Chamber Music Society and big bands – The New Orchestra Workshop and the Hard Rubber Orchestra, as well as dance companies Kokora Dance and Joe Inc. Tony has also collaborated with filmmakers, the latest which is Clancy Dennehys short film entitled Vancouver.

His compositions have been performed by such artists as Myra Melford, Marilyn Crispell, François Houle, Barre Philips, Mary Oliver, Ig Hennemann and Zubot and Dawson and many others.

Touring has taken him across Canada, Europe and the United States. He has shared the stage with international artists Vinny Golia, John Tchicai, Myra Melford, William Parker, Daniel Carter, Glenn Spearman, Wilbert de Joode, Steve Arquelles, Gerry Hemmingway, Han Bennink, Toby Delius, Beniot Delbecq, Eric Boeren, Paul Lovens, Marc Saunders and Canadian artists Francois Houle Jean Martin, Hugh Fraser, Brad Turner, Dylan van der Schyff, Peggy Lee.

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Album Review

Waxwing: Flicker Down

Read "Flicker Down" reviewed by Alberto Bazzurro


Disco elegante e al tempo stesso di nerbo, attento al dettaglio ma capace di lasciarsi andare quando necessario, riflessivo e pensoso, aereo, a tratti persino elegiaco (in particolare quando a prendere in mano le redini è il violoncello della sempre impeccabile Peggy Lee), quanto, altrove, deciso, affermativo, il tutto svariando da brani brevissimi (cinque attorno al minuto) a elucubrazioni ben più distese (fino agli otto minuti di “Joe's Time"): ecco cosa ci offre questo album del trio Waxwing, contraddistinto da ...

3
Live Review

Festival International de Musique Actuelle de Victoriaville 2016, Part 2

Read "Festival International de Musique Actuelle de Victoriaville 2016, Part 2" reviewed by Mike Chamberlain


Festival International de Musique Actuelle de Victoriaville Various Venues Victoriaville, Quebec May 21-22, 2016 Part 1 | Part 2 Following a memorable--in a good way--first two days of FIMAV, Saturday's program promised more highlights, anchored by three consecutive sets of musicians performing John Zorn's Bagatelles at the festival's largest venue, Colisee A, the town's hockey arena set up as a concert venue. The day, however, started with a ...

10
Album Review

Waxwing: A Bowl Of Sixty Taxidermists

Read "A Bowl Of Sixty Taxidermists" reviewed by Dan Bilawsky


The second album from this Vancouver-based trio--originally going by Wilson/Lee/Bentley, now known as Waxwing--is a study in contrasts. Idiosyncratic miniatures sit shoulder to shoulder with statements of serenity, eerie constructs and macabre scenarios are quickly replaced with comforting sounds, and uncertainty peaks around every corner. But there's a distinctive group sound and aesthetic here that transcends individual song structures or directions. Tony Wilson's mastery of subtle guitar effects, Peggy Lee's serious-minded turned stoking cello work, and saxophonist Jon Bentley's melodic ...

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Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Flicker Down

Songlines Recordings
2021

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A Bowl Of Sixty...

Songlines Recordings
2015

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Pearls Before Swine

Impact Jazz
2008

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Escondido Dreams

Drip Audio
2008

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Videos

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