Artist Highlight - Wayne Wallace
by Edie Okamoto
UC Jazz Features
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Wayne Wallace Latin Jazz Quintet @ Healdsburg Jazz Festival 2008 David Belove on Bass
Wayne Wallace will be performing on May 26th in San Francisco at Yoshi's for the annual Florence Crittenton Fundraiser
“All That Jazz” Benefit Concert
San Francisco's Wayne Wallace has taught at many local learning institutions, including University of California, Berkeley and San Jose State and San Francisco State universities and many more. This is fortunate for his students. Wayne Wallace is a top trombonist, composer, arranger or producer. He has worked with countless legends, including Angela Bofill, Santana, John Lee Hooker, Celine Dion, Patti Labelle, Carl Carlton, Gladys Knight, Eartha Kitt, Lena Horne, John Handy, Sammy Davis Jr., Collage, Con Funk Shun, Conjunto Cespedes, Pete Escovedo, Sonny Rollins, Phyllis Hyman, Chris Issak, Stacy Lattisaw, Dr. Loco's Rockin Jalapeno Band, Machete, Jesus Diaz and QBA, Sister Sledge, Klique, and Narada Michael Walden, Dionne Warwick, Stevie Winwood, James Taylor, Ray Charles, Natalie Cole, The Count Basie Orchestra, Tito Puente, and many more. Wayne Wallace loves music so much that it gives him the energy to be a bit of a workaholic.
Master trombonist, composer, arranger, and producer… WAYNE WALLACE is all those things, and he is increasingly on the rise. After being on the “Talent Deserving Wider Recognition” list in DownBeat’s Critics’ Poll for two years in a row, this year he was “recognized,” making it to the trombone pantheon in DownBeat’s 57th Annual Critics’ Poll. With a formidable career that has seen him on the stage and in the studio with countless luminaries of contemporary music from all genres, Wallace’s light is burning bright with a growing catalog of critically acclaimed releases on his Patois label, which also supports the efforts of numerous fellow West Coast musicians whose careers are blossoming.
¡BIEN BIEN! is the second release of The Wayne Wallace Latin Jazz Quintet, whose debut CD Infinity was voted “Album of the Week” by Latin Jazz Corner; spent two weeks at #2 on Jazz Week’s “World Music Top 50 Charts”; and led Nelson Rodriguez of Latin Beat Magazine to declare:
“Based on this CD, Wayne Wallace has become my choice for the title of ‘Musician of the Year."
¡BIEN BIEN! is an intriguing collection of three Wallace originals, a Memo Acevedo tune, and five “straight ahead” tunes that Wallace has masterfully reconfigured into extremely satisfying Latin Jazz vehicles.
He and his band mates Murray Low (piano); David Belove (bass); Michael Spiro (Latin percussion); and Paul van Wageningen (trap drums), have created another tour de force, and the presence of two special guests – the legendary trombonist Julian Priester and the up-and-coming virtuoso jazz vocalist Kenny Washington – beautifully augments the cohesion of this longstanding ensemble.
Highlights of this scintillating disc include: the title track, a head-bopping tune by Wallace that features his signature tight horn writing, and incredibly, features him playing all the parts; Wallace’s arrangement of Freedom Jazz Dance (Baile De Libertad), a phenomenal transformation of this famous Eddie Harris tune featuring two vocalists, Orlando Torriente and Kenny Washington, whose trading session at the end of the tune burns the roof down; the exquisitely sensual and heartfelt reading of Ellington’s In a Sentimental Mood; the red-hot rendition of Ellington’s Going Up! (¡Súbete!), where Wallace pays tribute to trombone giants Lawrence Brown, “Tricky” Sam Nanton, and Juan Tizol, by joining by the legendary Julian Priester (a former member of the Ellington orchestra), and Dave Martell for rousing trombone section playing as well as exciting solo turns for each; and Wallace’s reworking of the Coltrane composition Africa, a heartfelt tribute to the late saxophonist Ron Stallings.
Wayne Wallace states in his liner notes, “The search for new means of expression is a constant in music and life that occurs when we surrender in grace and embrace the unknown.” With this disc, Wallace and his quintet affirm that they have gracefully surrendered, and we thankfully embrace their work.
The musically multi-lingual San Francisco native Wayne Wallace possesses fluency in countless styles, and has worked with a staggering number of luminaries from across the musical spectrum. His resume includes work with Count Basie, Ray Charles, Joe Henderson, Celine Dion, Carlos Santana, Lionel Hampton, Earth, Wind, & Fire, Sonny Rollins, Pearl Bailey, Aretha Franklin, Tito Puente, Lena Horne, Pete Escovedo, Stevie Wonder, John Lee Hooker, Earl "Fatha" Hines and cellist Jean Jeanrenaud of the Kronos String Quartet. Known to many as “The Doctor” for his production skills, he is also a lauded composer who received an N.E.A. grant for jazz composition. His independent label, Patois Records, has released critically acclaimed CDs by all of its artists.
Despite leading several bands, teaching, producing, arranging and composing music for movies, plays and dancers, Wallace still takes the occasional call from the big star. He puts a band together for Gladys Knight's show at the Paramount Theatre. Wallace is busy writing songs, two of which landed on the charts -- "Screaming at the Moon" for Phyllis Hyman and "I'm Leaving Baby" for Con Funk Shun. "That one still gets played on KBLX," Wallace says.
They call him the doctor, but when pressed about why musicians like to hire him, he uses another metaphor. Actually, several. "Given the right space and the right amount of time, I can be like a good tailor who puts together a nice suit that fits you, as opposed to just an off-the-rack job. ... The way I really like to arrange is to think in terms of layers. It's like food. There's a layer in every bite. If you can taste that, then I know the music's right."
Wayne Wallace at the San Jose Jazz Festival 2009
If you wish to purchase his music just go to CD Baby or call at (415) 469-0464 walacomusic@earthlink.net
" ...it's a wonder he hasn't had a street or bridge named for him..."
Mark Keresman, East Bay Express - Music
" Wayne's...search seems more steeped in dedication than recklessness...displays a method behind his reckless search for musical beauty."
Dan McClenaghan, AllAboutJazz.com
Search' completes a circle
By Andrew Gilbert, Times Correspondent
" ...entirely engaging...authentic and original...really cooks."
Paul Freeman, Palo Alto Daily News
" Wayne Wallace establishes himself ... as an impressive composer and topflight improviser and bandleader."
Ron Wynn, Nashville City Paper - Riffs
Wayne 'The Doctor' Wallace draws jazz blood this weekend at LCT
By Matt Kramer, Pacific Sun, Arts and Entertainment
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