Jack Wilkins
| Jack Wilkins | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Jack Rivers Lewis |
| Born |
June 4, 1944 Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, educator |
| Instruments | Guitar |
| Years active | 1950s–present |
| Labels | Mainstream, Chiaroscuro |
| Website |
www |
Jack Rivers Lewis (born June 4, 1944), known professionally as Jack Wilkins, is a jazz guitarist.
Career
A native of New York City, Wilkins grew up listening to his parents' music, such as Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, and Billie Holiday. He started playing guitar when he was ten. He had an older cousin who played albums for him by Charlie Christian, Tal Farlow, Django Reinhardt, and Johnny Smith. He cites Smith's Designed for You as one of the albums that meant the most to him, in addition to Sounds of Synanon by Joe Pass, Poll Winners by Barney Kessel, The Swinging Guitar of Tal Farlow, and Interpretations of Tal Farlow.[1]
While still in his teens, he worked as a guitarist in bands led by Les Elgart, Larry Elgart, Warren Covington, and Sammy Kaye.[2]
He also worked with Dan Armstrong, Lew Soloff, Lew Tabackin, and Lloyd Wells. In his twenties, he worked as a vibraphonist. He formed the band The Jazz Partners and played vibes with pianist Barry Manilow, who admired the work of Bill Evans, Oscar Peterson, and Barney Kessel. Wilkins and Manilow arranged songs from Kessel's albums for their group. A copy of his first solo album, Windows (Mainstream, 1973) found its way into the hands of Buddy Rich's manager. Wilkins then became a member of the Buddy Rich septet.[1]
Wilkins has also worked with Kenny Barron, Frank Foster, Sonny Fortune, Stan Getz, Dizzy Gillespie, Lionel Hampton, Jimmy McGriff, Sal Nistico, Zoot Sims, and Sonny Stitt.[2]
In 2017, Jack shot a interactive guitar course for TAGA Publishing entitled "Jack Wilkins: Solo Jazz Guitar Seminar".[3]
Discography
As leader or co-leader
- Windows (Mainstream, 1973)
- You Can't Live Without Out (1977)
- Merge (Chiaroscuro, 1977)
- Call Him Reckless (Music Masters, 1989)
- Alien Army (Music Masters, 1990)
- Mexico (CTI, 1992)
- Keep in Touch (Claves Jazz, 1995)
- Trio Art (Arabesque, 1998)
- Cruisin' for a Bluesin (1999)
- Just the Two of Us with Gene Bertoncini (Chiaroscuro, 2000)
- Heading North (String Jazz, 2000) with Jimmy Bruno
- Reunion (Chiaroscuro, 2001)
- Christmas Jazz Guitar (Mel Bay, 2004)
- Until It's Time (Maxjazz, 2009)
As sideman
- 1972 The Day After the Dawn, Albert Dailey
- 1973 Watershed, Paul Jeffrey
- 1974 Hamp's Blues, Lionel Hampton
- 1974 Very Live at Buddy's Place, Buddy Rich
- 1973 Swingin' Away, Earl Hines
- 1977 Serengeti Minstrel, Sonny Fortune
- 1978 The Bob Brookmeyer Small Band, Bob Brookmeyer
- 1984 Tuff Dude, Buddy Rich
- 1981 Something Like a Bird, Charles Mingus
- 1979 Me, Myself an Eye, Charles Mingus
- 1978 Everything Must Change, Morgana King
- 1988 Big Band, Julius Hemphill
- 1989 Give the Drummer Some, Mike Clark
- 1992 Playing for Keeps, LaPorta/Wilder/Britt Woodman
- 1997 Swing, The Manhattan Transfer
- 1999 Live at Sandy's Jazz Revival, Bob Brookmeyer
- 2000 Studio Trieste, Jim Hall
- 2001 You Inspire Me, Diane Hubka
- 2002 I Walk with Music, Chris Connor
- 2002 Crazy Talk, Jeff Barone
- 2003 I Can Pick My Friends, Chris Buzzelli
- 2004 Live from the Theatre at Washington Virginia, Jimmy Bruno
- 2005 I Am Three, Mingus Big Band
- 2007 Nights at the Inn, David Tofani
- 2008 Open Up, Jeff Barone
- 2010 In and Out of Life, Jay Clayton[4][1]
References
- 1 2 3 Barth, Joe (2006). Voices in Jazz Guitar. Pacific, Missouri: Mel Bay. p. 444. ISBN 0786676795.
- 1 2 Yanow, Scott (2013). The Great Jazz Guitarists. San Francisco: Backbeat. p. 206. ISBN 978-1-61713-023-6.
- ↑ Media, ALH. "Jack Wilkins: Solo Jazz Guitar Course - Presented By TAGA Publishing". tagapublishing.com. Retrieved 2018-02-08.
- ↑ "Jack Wilkins | Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
External links
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