Jack Wilson - Song For My Daughter
Released - 1969
Recording and Session Information
Liberty Studios, Hollywood, CA, September 28, 1968
Stan Levey, vibes, shakers; Jack Wilson, piano; John Gray, guitar; Ray Brown, bass; Varney Barlow, drums; + 7 violins, 2 violas, 3 celli, Billy Byers, arranger, conductor.
5537 (tk.3/5) Imagine
5539 (tk.5) Changing With The Times
5544 (tk.6) Se Todos Fossem Iguais A Voce
Liberty Studios, Hollywood, CA, December 16, 1968
Victor Feldman, vibes, timpani; Jack Wilson, piano; Howard Roberts, guitar; Andy Simpkins, bass; Jimmie Smith, drums; + 8 violins, 2 violas, 2 celli, Billy Byers, arranger, conductor.
5543 (tk.8) Eighty-One
5538 (tk.7) Herman's Helmet
5540 (tk.8) Night Creature
Liberty Studios, Hollywood, CA, April 23, 1969
Tommy Vig, vibraharp; Jack Wilson, piano; Howard Roberts, guitar; Ray Brown, bass; Donald Bailey, drums.
5546 tk.6 Soft Summer Rain
Liberty Studios, Hollywood, CA, June 19, 1969
Jack Wilson, piano; Ike Isaacs, bass; Donald Bailey, drums.
5541 (tk.6) Scarborough Fair / Canticle
Liberty Studios, Hollywood, CA, June 21, 1969
overdubbed at Liberty Studios, Hollywood, CA, June 26, 1969 Jack Wilson, piano; + overdubs: Israel Baker, Betty Marks, violin; Myer Bellow, Dave Burk, viola; Jesse Ehrlich, Kurt Reher, cello; Billy Byers, arranger, conductor.
5542 (tk.5) Song For My Daughter
Jack Wilson, piano; Ike Isaacs, bass; Donald Bailey, drums; + overdubs: Israel Baker, Betty Marks, violin; Myer Bellow, Dave Burk, viola; Jesse Ehrlich, Kurt Reher, cello; Billy Byers, arranger, conductor.
5545 (tk.5) Stormy
Track Listing
| Side One | ||
| Title | Author | Recording Date |
| Imagine | Jack Wilson | September 28 1968 |
| Herman's Helmet | Jack Wilson | December 16 1968 |
| Changing with the Times | Jack Wilson | September 28 1968 |
| Night Creature | Duke Ellington | December 16 1968 |
| Scarborough Fair/Canticle | Traditional | June 19 1969 |
| Side Two | ||
| Song for My Daughter | Jack Wilson | June 21 1969 |
| Eighty-One | Ron Carter | December 16 1968 |
| Se Todos Fossem Iguais a Você | Antonio Carlos Jobim | September 28 1968 |
| Stormy | Buddy Buie, James Cobb | June 21 1969 |
| Soft Summer Rain | David Baker | April 23 1969 |
Liner Notes
The mark of a true artist in the recording industry is reserved for a very special type of man. He must not only prove himself to be very gifted and creative in his work, but at the same time he must illustrate his complete awareness of the changing musical scene and the importance of his special place within that framework. Jack Wilson is such a man. He is an artist with an identity all his own, who proves consistently in that he is a growing, vital musician not to this new album, "Song For My Daughter," be satisfied with standing in place. For those who have enjoyed his first recording for Blue Note, (Something Personal), this present addition is not a complete surprise. Jack has already illustrated his total group for the medium. His pianistic technique is solid, never reaching; while his improvisation really says something as opposed to an effort merely showing his agility and speed. More importantly, Jack sets himself apart from other pianists in the taste and sensitivity of his presentation. He is well matched in this album with the very able Billy Byers who provides some of the prettiest string charts he's ever done. "Song For My Daughter" is not just an album, it is an evolution of an artist. Included here are tasteful ballads such as "Imagine," one of the better contemporary compositions, and along side it is "Changing With The Times," a well performed tribute to George Shearing, representative of the important earlier influences in Jack's career. But also found within the album are new influences, new roads to travel, and Jack provides us with his very personal renditions of the folk oriented "Scarborough Fair," by Paul Simon, the rock introduced "Stormy," and finally a beautiful bossa nova, "Se Todas." The title track, "Song For My Daughter," a beautifully sensitive work and "Herman's Helmet" are both originals. Jack Wilson is an uncommon talent, traveling equally with ease down pleasant familiar paths and exciting new ones. We hope that you will enjoy both.
Michael Randall
75th Anniversary Reissue Notes
Pianist Jack Wilson was one of Blue Note's first signings after the label was bought by Liberty Records. Wilson had worked with Dinah Washington and Nancy Wilson among others, but it was the quartet that he co-led with vibist Roy Ayers throughout the early '60s that established both of their reputations. Their final album was Wilson's Blue Note debut "Something Personal" in 1966. A year later, Jack came to New York for the full Blue Note treatment recording with a sextet session at Rudy Van Gelder's studio with Jackie McLean, Lee Morgan and Billy Higgins among the band members.
"Song For My Daughter" is a very different kind of album. Recorded over five sessions, between September 1968 and June 1969. Wilson uses four first-class Los Angeles rhythm sections, often augmented by guitar and vibes (shades of the George Shearing quintet sound) with string arrangements by Billy Byers. The result is pianistic album with an untypically wide range of material.
One would expect an album of this nature to cover pop tunes like "Stormy" or "Scarborough Fair", but Wilson also chose jazz gems like Ron Carter's "Eighty-One", Ellington's "Night Creature" and Shearing's "Changing With The Times". When this album was released, Jack Wilson fans weren't sure what to make of it. But looking back, it is a lyrical piano album with excellent accompaniment and arrangements.
Michael Cuscuna
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