Monday, April 23, 2012

Appreciating Corey Wilkes


Recently I've been acquiring albums by the trumpet player Corey Wilkes. His dedication to the legacy and sound of Miles Davis first attracted me to his music. Then I came to appreciate his willingness to try different substyles of jazz and be comfortable among them.

"Cries from Tha Ghetto" is a mix of "in" and "out," mostly acoustic tracks. "Drop It" creates backdrops of street ambience but Wilkes' playing remains nuanced, especially when he plays long tones softly. "Kinda Miles" revisits Davis' 70s and 80s electric periods with long jams recorded live at the Velvet Lounge in Chicago.

Wilkes' versatility may come from the environment of Chicago jazz, where players of all stripes often come together.

During Jazz Appreciation Month, I want to show my appreciation for Wilkes' simple, direct approach that often leads to exciting results.

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