A few weeks ago we conducted an interview at JazzFM’s studios with pianist/composer Alex Wilson. He chose five tracks which sum up important periods of his career, leading up to the latest album Alex Wilson Trio. It is the first podcast interview we have conducted with Spotify hosting it.

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The interview is in five sections, with the chat in each case preceding the entire track

 1) Alex talks about the outset of his recording career in 1998 and how jazz sax star Bobby Watson guested played “Little Suede Shoes” on his first album “Afro-Saxon”

2) An exploration of Afro-Colombian music with jazz was the basis the album “Aventuras” and we talk about the track “Currulao Cool”

3) A chance meeting with veteran bhangra producer Kuljit Bhamra on stage at the opening ceremony of the SAGE Centre in Gateshead led to a fascinating bhangra-meets-salsa collaboration “Oh Kuri” on the album “Inglaterra”

4)“Mali Latino is a milestone for me…it was 5 years of work”. We talk about the album Mali Latino with Donkan as the featured tune

5) “I’ll be completely honest, it’s the first time I’ve had the courage to record an album with only three instruments!”. We talk about the new album Trio and play a re-working of Steve Winwood’s  Fly to accompany. (pp)

Alexwilson.net