An ebullient jazz drummer with a wry, somewhat zany sense of humor,
Matt Wilson is recognized for his adventurous approach to post-bop. A vital presence on the New York scene since the early '90s,
Wilson has worked with such forward-thinking luminaries as
Dewey Redman,
Lee Konitz, and
Charlie Haden, among many others. He is also a member of the Sifter trio with
Mary Halvorson and
Kirk Knuffke, as well as
Trio M with
Myra Melford and
Mark Dresser. On his own, he has released an eclectic array of small group albums that showcase his love for both straight-ahead and avant-garde traditions, including 2001's
Arts & Crafts, 2014's
Gathering Call, and 2017's
Carl Sandburg-inspired
Honey & Salt.
Born in 1964 in Knoxville, Illinois,
Wilson first began playing drums in elementary school. After high school, he studied music at Wichita State University and spent time in the Midwest, both as a freelancer and as a teacher. By the late '80s, he had relocated to Boston, where he gained formative experience playing with saxophonist Charlie Kohlhase and as a member of the quirky and ambitious
Either/Orchestra. In 1992
Wilson made the move to New York, and quickly found himself in demand as a sideman working with
Joshua Redman,
Lee Konitz,
Fred Hersch,
Tim Hagans,
Ingrid Jensen, and others. It was also around this time that he made his debut as leader with 1996's
As Wave Follows Wave, featuring tenor saxophonist
Dewey Redman, bassist
Cecil McBee, and organist
Larry Goldings. Two years later, he introduced his first quartet on Going Once, Going Twice, playing with tenor saxophonist
Joel Frahm, alto/clarinetist
Andrew D'Angelo, and bassist
Yosuke Inoue. The same group returned in 1999 with Smile.
In 2001,
Wilson released
Arts & Crafts, his first album showcasing his Arts & Crafts ensemble with trumpeter
Terell Stafford and pianist
Larry Goldings. After releasing another quartet album with 2003's
Humidity,
Wilson returned to his Arts & Crafts ensemble with 2004's Wake Up! (To What's Happening). He stuck with the same group for 2007's
The Scenic Route. Also that year, he appeared on
Big Picture with
Trio M, a freewheeling collaborative project with pianist
Myra Melford and bassist
Mark Dresser. In 2009, he returned to his quartet for
That's Gonna Leave a Mark, which found reedist
D'Angelo joined by saxophonist
Jeff Lederer.
In 2010, he released his first-ever holiday-themed album,
Matt Wilson's Christmas Tree-O. A year later, he reunited with
Trio M for
Guest House.
Wilson then regrouped his Arts & Crafts ensemble for 2012's
An Attitude for Gratitude. In 2014, the drummer and his quartet collaborated with pianist
John Medeski on
Gathering Call. He also stayed busy backing singer/pianist
Dena DeRose on We Won't Forget You: An Homage to Shirley Horn, and joining pianist
Denny Zeitlin for
Stairway to the Stars.
Tragically, in 2014
Wilson lost his wife, violinist and teacher Felicia Wilson, who died after a four-year battle with leukemia. Two years later, he celebrated her life with the album Beginning of a Memory, featuring his Big Happy Family group with trumpeter
Stafford, cornetist
Kirk Knuffke, saxophonist
Frahm, pianist
Gary Versace, and others. Also in 2016, he appeared on
Time/Life (Songs for the Whales and Other Beings) with the Charlie Haden Liberation Music Orchestra. The following year, he delivered
Honey & Salt, which featured compositions inspired by the poetry of
Carl Sandburg. Hug!, featuring the drummer's pianoless quartet with
Knuffke, saxophonist
Lederer, and bassist
Chris Lightcap, arrived in 2020. ~ Matt Collar