Reuben Wilson

Biography

Reuben Wilson was born on April 9, 1935, in Mounds, Oklahoma, and relocated to Pasadena, California at age five, where he was surrounded by music and developed an early passion for performance.[1][2] Before dedicating himself to music, Wilson was a professional boxer as a teenager, but in 1962 he began playing organ and started performing in and around Los Angeles.[2][4] He moved to New York to launch his recording career, and in 1968 released his debut album On Broadway for Blue Note Records, marking the beginning of an influential period that would establish him as a pioneering figure in soul jazz.[1][4]

Throughout the late 1960s and early 1970s, Wilson recorded five albums for Blue Note Records, including Love Bug (1969) and the critically acclaimed Blue Mode (1970), during which he demonstrated a unique command of funk that helped redefine the soul jazz movement.[2][4] Unlike his contemporaries Jimmy Smith and Jimmy McGriff, Wilson incorporated a more accessible pop feeling into his Hammond B3 organ playing, influenced by the innovative drumming styles of Bernard Purdie and Idris Muhammad.[4] He continued recording for Groove Merchant and Chess/Cadet labels throughout the 1970s and 1980s, and his 1974 Cadet album track "Got to Get Your Own" became a surprise hit in English dance clubs during the 1980s.[1][4]

Wilson's legacy experienced a remarkable resurgence in the 1990s when his compositions and arrangements were sampled by influential hip-hop and acid jazz artists, including US3, A Tribe Called Quest, and Nas, introducing his music to new generations.[4][5] He received his first gold disc in 1997 for his compositions on US3's Hand On The Torch and toured extensively throughout Europe, Japan, and North America as part of Guru's Jazzmatazz II.[4] Remaining active into his late seventies, Wilson continued performing and teaching until developing dementia in his final years.[1] He passed away on May 26, 2023, at the age of 88 from lung cancer in New York City, leaving behind a profound influence on modern music that earned him "legend status" particularly in Europe.[1][4]

Fun Facts

• Before becoming a jazz legend, Reuben Wilson was a professional boxer as a teenager, only transitioning to music full-time in 1962 when he began playing organ.[2][4]
• Wilson's 1974 track 'Got to Get Your Own' unexpectedly became a hit in English dance clubs during the 1980s while he was touring Europe with the Fatback Band, sparking a career resurgence that led to his championing by the UK acid jazz scene.[4]
• Wilson's compositions were sampled by major hip-hop artists in the 1990s without initial widespread recognition; he only learned about his music's popularity in England while touring with the Fatback Band.[4]
• Wilson remained musically active into his late seventies, continuing to perform and teach until developing dementia in his final years, demonstrating a lifelong dedication to his craft.[1]

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Jimmy Smith - Pioneer who helped establish the Hammond organ as a credible jazz instrument; Wilson studied the soul jazz school tradition Smith helped create (Soul jazz organ tradition) [1960s onwards]
• Jimmy McGriff - Contemporary soul jazz organist whose work influenced Wilson's approach to the Hammond organ (Soul jazz tradition) [1960s onwards]
• Richard 'Groove' Holmes - Soul jazz organist whose work helped define the genre that Wilson would help redefine (Soul jazz tradition) [1960s onwards]

Key Collaborators

• Melvin Sparks - Guitarist who frequently performed with Wilson (On Broadway, Blue Mode) [1968-1970]
• Tommy Derrick - Detroit-based drummer who appeared on multiple Wilson recordings (On Broadway, Blue Mode) [1968-1970]
• John Manning - Tenor saxophonist who performed on Wilson's albums (Blue Mode) [1969-1970]
• Bernard Purdie - Innovative drummer whose style influenced Wilson's musical direction toward a younger, more pop-oriented audience (Multiple Wilson recordings) [1960s-1970s]
• Idris Muhammad - Drummer whose innovative approach influenced Wilson's desire to appeal to younger audiences (Multiple Wilson recordings) [1960s-1970s]
• Willis Jackson - Jazz musician who performed with Wilson (Various performances) [1960s-1970s]
• Fatback Band - Wilson toured and performed with this band during the 1980s (Tour performances) [1980s]
• Guru - Featured Wilson in the all-star aggregation Jazzmatazz II (Jazzmatazz II) [1995]

Artists Influenced

• US3 - Sampled Wilson's compositions and arrangements; Wilson received gold disc credit for their work (Hand On The Torch) [1997]
• A Tribe Called Quest - Sampled Wilson's compositions including 'Ronnie's Bonnie' and 'Were In Love' (Various tracks) [1990s]
• Nas - Sampled Wilson's arrangement of 'Inner City Blues' for hip-hop production ('Memory Lane (Sittin' in da park)') [1990s]
• Acid Jazz Musicians - Wilson was widely sampled and influential among the UK acid jazz scene, which championed his music and led to CD reissues (Multiple compositions) [1990s onwards]

Discography

Albums

Top Tracks

1. Inner City Blues (Bad Stuff!)
2. We're In Love (Set Us Free (Reissue))
3. Superfly (Bad Stuff!)
4. Orange Peel (Blue Mode)
5. Hot Rod (Love Bug)
6. Young Ladies (Jazzmatazz Volume II: The New Reality)
7. The Sweet Life (Bad Stuff!)
8. The Last Tango In Paris
9. I'll Take You There (Bad Stuff!)
10. The Cisco Kid (Bad Stuff!)

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia
• MusicBrainz

Tags: #jazz, #soul-jazz