Shout For Trane

Description

The first time to hear this recording of Joe Lee Wilson, a true jazz master, in over 30 years. Joe Lee Wilson was born on December 22nd 1935 in Bristow, Oklahoma and his gospel influenced jazz singing comes from his roots there, where he sang in church as a child.The experience of seeing Billie Holiday in 1951 was to embark Wilson on his jazz singing odyssey. Moving to California he was versed in classical singing and studied jazz at Los Angeles City College and started working as a jazz vocalist on the West Coast. Eventually New York beckoned and Joe Lee moved there in 1962. He was, by now well immersed into the contemporary jazz scene and in that decade he worked with such luminaries as Sonny Rollins, Miles Davis, Pharoah Sanders, Jackie McLean and Lee Morgan. The session was done in New York in 1976 with members of Joe Lee's regular band Bond Street with saxophonist Monty Waters (also recorded for Why Not as leader), the somewhat obscure Fielder Floyd on trumpet and a superb rhythm section of guitarist Shiroh Mori, bassist Kiyoto Fujiwara and George Avaloz on drums. The great backing they give Joe is ideal for the beautiful soulful vein he hits throughout.