Joe Lee Wilson: A Celebration

Radio Tribute to Joe Lee Wilson on Seahaven FM

Keith B took over the Big Band spot on Seahaven FM last night and he devoted the second half to the music and life of Joe Lee Wilson. We chose choose that reflected the range of his singing style and were personal favourites.

Return of the Prodigal Son is a soul jazz track from 1969, not long after Joe Lee drew with Sly & The Family Stone in a national TV talent show. Sly Stone signed to Columbia and enjoyed huge commercial success. Joe Lee recorded for Columbia but they just sat on the tapes. A couple of singles appeared and disappeared (the first recording of He Ain't Heavy . . . He's My My Brother). The Return of the Prodigal Son is a big budget production (a nine piece band including Kenny Burrell and Kenny Barron) but first saw the light of day in Japan. Is this one of the Columbia tapes that they handed over to Joe Lee? Are there more out there?

How Deep Is The Ocean was recorded in Italy in 2008. Shows that Joe could still tell a story and move people with his voice.

Feelin' Good is from the album of the same name. A great session with Kirk Lightsey (piano), Steve Watts (bass), Julian Siegel (tenor), Dave Wickens (drums). Recorded in 2000 is shows Joe Lee on top form with  a great band, caught at the end of a UK tour. This is Joe Lee at his most joyful and positive.

Jazz Ain't Nothin' But Soul was recorded is 1972 as a live radio concert at Columbia University. When is was released two years later (on the Livin' High on Nickels and Dimes LP) it became a hit for Oblivion records. It describes jazz thus:

Jazz is makin' do with taters and grits

Standing up each time you get hit

Jazz ain't nothin' but soul

Jazz is livin' high on nickels and dimes

Telling folks what's on my mind

Jazz ain't nothin' but soul

Not financially rewarding but a kind of truth. Joe would have established his NYC loft (The Ladies Fort) at this time  and created many opportunities for himself and other musicians to entertain an audience. This song is another positive message from Joe.

You can hear the complete album here.

I Love You is from a 1981 session with guitarist Jimmy Ponder. Just the two of them. His voice is beautiful and the two musicians complement each other perfectly.

Goin' To Chicago (from Feelin' Good) is a straightforward blues. Joe Lee never considered himself a blues singer but he could certainly do justice to the blues, recalling blues shouters like Big Joe Turner.

Home in the Country (from Feelin' Good) was written by trumpet player and singer Kenny Dorham (KD). Joe Lee used to hand out in Tompkins Square Park with KD. Joe Lee was a country boy, raised a farm in Oklahoma, and this song talks about wanting to leave the city and get back to a home in the country. The story is dramatically told by Joe Lee with Kirk Lightsey:

The city's bright, bright like diamonds and hard like glittering stone

Ain't got some sweet place I can call my home

Your hair is soft, feels so fine, let's get out of New York City while we got time

I want a home in the country. Won't you come there with me.

Come to the country

Thanks to Seahaven FM for the opportunity to put some of Joe Lee's music on air and on the internet.

Joe Lee Wilson: December 22, 1935 - July 17, 2011

Sadly, Joe Lee Wilson passed away on Sunday. He was an inspirational singer, human being and friend who spread a message of peace, love and joy wherever he performed. I'm sure he will be missed by all the musicians who had the good fortune to play with him and the audiences who heard his magnificent voice first hand.

Joe Lee Wilson at kineojazz in 2010 by Yari Fontebasso

Joe Lee's voice was a gift and he accepted it with humility. Here is his prayer of thanks from the song Thoughts of a Season:

To you, I'm extending this special blessing

To include my family and friends, fans and musicians, promoters and organisers, who have helped me throughout my long singing career,

from gospel to blues, from blues to jazz (or perhaps I should say afro-american classical music!).

I thank God the Creator for presenting me with a unique artistic gift

to bring peace and love into every community in every corner of the world

Thank you Jesus. Thank you Jesus.

Amen.

The Guardian has published a lengthy obituary that really does Joe Lee justice. Thank you John Fordham, Val Wilmer and The Guardian.

Congratulations Joe Lee Wilson!

Joe Lee performing at The Basement this year

On November 14 sometime Brighton resident and living legend Joe Lee Wilson was inducted into the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame. Joe Lee hails from Bristow Oklahoma before he moved to Los Angeles to study singing with, among other, Mario Lanza. He then made his reputation touring the West Coast before becoming a leading light in the New York loft scene in the Seventies.

Organisers tracked down his whereabouts through the kineojazz website and Joe Lee was there to receive the award in person, along with legendary composer Lalo Schiffrin. Inductees included:

• Jay McShann Lifetime Achievement Award: Lalo Schifrin
• Living Legend Award: Sam Rivers
• Jazz & Blues Inductee: Joe Lee Wilson
• Jazz Inductee: Artt Frank (Bebop drummer)

It's good to see Joe Lee getting some well-deserved recognition. Congratulations Joe Lee!

Reflections on Joe Lee Wilson at The Basement

[Photo by Emily Harris]

Thursday's gig with Joe Lee was a great success. We knew the pressure was on when the tickets sold out almost a week before leaving many people ticketless and, presumably, disappointed. However, from the moment Ela's band Remember April went on we would tell that the evening was going to be special.

Having played with Joe Lee a few weeks' earlier, he had clearly gained in strength and confidence in the couple of weeks spent in Paris, which included gigs with the New York band Spirit of Life.

Terry Seabrook and I had had a chance to run through a set with Joe Lee but the gig was the first time we had played with the fantastic rhythm section of Steve Watts (bass) and Martin France (drums). Like Terry, Steve has toured often with Joe Lee over years, and Joe Lee was very happy to be surrounded by such familiar faces. For my own part, it was the best band I had ever played with!

With fifty years of gigging behind him, Joe Lee knows how to the attention of an audience and he won them over from the moment he stepped on the stage. Though looking a bit frail, he has a big soulful voice and he chose material that was very accessible including standards (Violets For Your Furs), gospel (May The Good Lord Bless and Keep You) and hard bop classics (Song For My Father).

Following the gig I had lots of feedback from people who may not typically go to a jazz gig - "beautiful", "excellent", "enjoyable", "life affirming", "a great gig". This was testament to the hard work promoting and preparing for the gig by Steve Rayson of Kineo, Ela, Terry Seabrook, Jill Wilson (Joe Lee's wife), the staff of The Basement and, of course, Joe Lee Wilson.

The next Kineojazz gig is Claire Martin on 2nd June supported by the JH Trio plus guests. Tickets (£15) available from The Dome - better get in there early!

Around Joe Lee - documentary on Joe Lee Wilson

This is the opening for a recent documentary about Joe Lee Wilson by Yves Breux and Brad Scott. The film follows Joe Lee in Paris, New York, Oklahama and Brighton, UK.

15 April 2010 - Joe Lee Wilson at The Basement, Brighton

I've just been working with friend and ex-workmate Steve Rayson of local e-learning company kineo and singer Ela Southgate to promote a new jazz event at a new venue. The 15th April sees legendary singer Joe Lee Wilson performing with support from Ela at upcoming arts venue The Basement in the North Laine.

The aim is an event with broad appeal for all-comers. Joe is a unique voice and his music is strongly inclusive. This is his first major gig for some time. Details on the flyer below and from the website - http://www.kineojazz.com/ (going up in the next day or so). Hopefully, we will be putting on the event regularly. Watch this space for more . . .

[Click images to enlarge]

Tickets £10 - Tickets can be purchased on the door, or in advance from The Basement, 24 Kensington Street, (01273 699 733) & The Dome Booking Office, 29 New Road, (01273 709709).

As a warm-up Joe Lee will be performing at The Coach House (22 Walpole Road, Kemptown BN2 0EA) this Sunday 14th March, 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm. He will be performing acoustically with myself and Terry Seabrook on piano.

Video interview with Joe Lee Wilson

Joe Lee Wilson invité de JazzIvry : Interview
Uploaded by mairieivry. - Watch more music videos, in HD!

Joe Lee Wilson - Home In The Country

Joe Lee Wilson is a very gracious man. A brilliant singer with an amazing jazz pedigree. Based in Paris and Brighton, he definitely deserves wider recognition. He comes to our gigs at the Round Georges in Kemptown (he lives around the corner) - listens attentively and is appreciative. It's an honour to play for him.

I love this song. It's so full of yearning and, for me, packs a real emotional punch. I hope I get to hear him live very soon.