Anthony Wilson is a superior straight-ahead guitarist who is also a very talented arranger-composer. His nonet plays in the Los Angeles area, performing his arrangements and mostly Wilson's compositions. Filled with some of Southern California's best and most versatile musicians, the Anthony Wilson Nonet interprets his colorful and atmospheric charts flawlessly. On Power of Nine there is a four-part suite ("Quadra") which has guest mandolinist Eva Scow interacting with Wilson's guitar on two of the sections. That moody work, dedicated to Brazil, has its intriguing moments but some of the other individual pieces are actually the high points. An infectious version of Duke Pearson's "Make It Good," Diana Krall's guest vocal on a nostalgic waltz by Jimmy Rowles ("Looking Back"), a stirring tenor solo by Matt Otto on "Amalgamation," the jubilant "Melatonin Dream" and the gradual building up of passion on "Hymn" are memorable. In addition there is a "hidden" twelfth selection, a Monk-ish "Bird in a Basket" which has an intense baritone solo by Adam Schroeder. Other solo stars along the way include trumpeter Gilbert Castellanos, and pianist Donald Vega. Recommended. - Scott Yanow
Tracks
01. Make It Good (Duke Pearson)
02. I and Thou (from Tokyo Wednesday)
03. Looking Back (feat. Diana Krall) (Ernst/Rowles)
04. Quadra 1 (Ano Novo)
05. Quadra 2 (Vila Madalena)
06. Quadra 3 (Coisinha)
07. Quadra 4 (Javalie Witness)
08. Amalgamation
09. Melatonin Dream (from Tokyo Wednesday)
10. Hymn
11. Power of Nine
ANTHONY WILSON guitar
ALAN FERBER trombone
MARK FERBER drums
MATT OTTO tenor saxophone
MATT ZEBLEY alto and soprano saxophone
GILBERT CASTELLANOS trumpet
DONALD VEGA piano
DAKER "OLES" OLESKIEWICZ bass
ADAM SCHROEDER baritone saxophone
EVA SCOW mandolin (6) (7)
DIANA KRALL vocal (3)
All music composed by Anthony Wilson except (1) by Duke Pearson
Recorded January 16-18, 2006 at Sunset Sound, Hollywood CA
Groove Note - GRV 1035-3