Abram Wilson (August 30, 1973 – June 9, 2012) was an American jazz trumpeter and vocalist raised in New Orleans and based in London where he also taught music in schools.

Early life

Wilson was born to Willie C. Wilson Jr and his wife Doris in

Fort Smith, Arkansas Fort Smith is the third-largest city in Arkansas and one of the two county seats of Sebastian County. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 89,142. It is the principal city of the Fort Smith, Arkansas–Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Are ...

, and had four brothers and one sister. He began playing

trumpet The trumpet is a brass instrument commonly used in classical and jazz ensembles. The trumpet group ranges from the piccolo trumpet—with the highest register in the brass family—to the bass trumpet, pitched one octave below the standard ...

at the age of nine, and attended O Perry Walker High School in

Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...

, going on to study at the

New Orleans Center for Creative Arts New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, or NOCCA, is the regional, pre-professional arts training center for high school students in Louisiana. NOCCA opened in 1973 as a professional arts training center for secondary school-age children. Locate ...

(NOCCA) under the tutelage of Clyde Kerr Jr, Ronald Benko, Dr Burt Breaud, and band director Augustus Walker at O Perry Walker Sr High School. At 17, Wilson earned a music scholarship to Ohio Wesleyan University, where he studied classical trumpet with Larry Griffin, graduating with a bachelor's degree in music education. He then attained his master's degree at the world-renowned

Eastman School of Music The Eastman School of Music is the music school of the University of Rochester, a private research university in Rochester, New York. It was established in 1921 by industrialist and philanthropist George Eastman. It offers Bachelor of Music ...

Rochester, New York Rochester () is a city in the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Monroe County, and the fourth-most populous in the state after New York City, Buffalo, and Yonkers, with a population of 211,328 at the 2020 United States census. Located in W ...

, studying jazz performance and composition with

Ralph Alessi Ralph Alessi (born March 5, 1963) is an American jazz trumpeter, composer, and ECM recording artist. Alessi is known as a virtuosic performer whose critically-acclaimed projects include his Baida Quartet, with Jason Moran, Drew Gress, and Nashee ...

, Mike Cain, and

Fred Sturm Frederick I. Sturm (March 21, 1951 – August 24, 2014) was a jazz composer, arranger and teacher. Sturm studied at Lawrence University, the University of North Texas College of Music, and the Eastman School of Music. He played trombone and perfor ...

, and classical trumpet with Barbara Butler.

Career

After graduating from Eastman, Wilson moved to New York, where he started his own band – the Abram Wilson Quintet – as well as regularly performing with the Roy Hargrove Big Band and with rhythm and blues legend Ruth Brown, appearing on her ''Good Day for the Blues'' release in 1999. Arriving in

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

in 2002, Wilson performed with the

Julian Joseph Julian Raphael Nathaniel Joseph (born 11 May 1966) is a British jazz pianist, bandleader, composer, arranger, and broadcaster. Biography Joseph was born in London and attended Allfarthing Primary School and Spencer Park Secondary School in Wan ...

Big Band before meeting the directors of Dune Records (the record label responsible for producing British Jazz artists such as

Jazz Jamaica Jazz Jamaica is a British jazz/reggae music group formed by musician Gary Crosby in London formed in 1991. History In 1991, inspired by the rhythms of traditional Jamaican music and the largely improvisational nature of jazz, Gary Crosby — on ...

, Gary Crosby,

Soweto Kinch Soweto Kinch (born 10 January 1978) is a British jazz alto saxophonist and rapper. Biography Born in 1978 in London, England, to a Barbadian father, playwright Don Kinch, and British-Jamaican actress Yvette Harris, Soweto Kinch began playin ...

and

Denys Baptiste Denys Baptiste (born 1969) is an English jazz musician from London, England, where he was born to St Lucian parents. A graduate of Tomorrow's Warriors, Baptiste plays tenor and soprano saxophone in addition to composing. Baptiste played with ...

) and signing in 2003 to the label, where he regularly performed with his fellow label-mates as well as leading his own bands. From mid-2004, Abram worked in a secondary school in Walthamstow, London, where he taught music for a year until he could work more in his performing career and recording. In October 2004, Abram launched his career as a solo artist with the release of his debut album for Dune, ''Jazz Warrior'' (DUNECD011), to great critical acclaim. He was then commissioned by the

Cheltenham Jazz Festival Cheltenham Jazz Festival is one of the UK's leading jazz festivals, and is part of Cheltenham Festivals' annual festival season, also including the Science, Music and Literature Festivals in Cheltenham Spa. Introduction and history The Chelt ...

(under the Jerwood Rising Star Programme) and Birmingham Jazz to create an extended work for premiere at the Festival in 2006. This new work entitled ''Ride! – Ferris Wheel To The Modern Day Delta'' (DUNECD016) was recorded and released on Dune in April 2007. In late 2011 he left Dune Records. At the same time, Abram also joined

, performing live and appearing on the 2005 album ''Motorcity Roots''. In 2005 at Nashville's International Songwriting Competition Wilson won first prize in the jazz category for his composition "Monk". In his later project, ''Roll Jordan Roll'' - a tribute to the

Fisk Jubilee Singers The Fisk Jubilee Singers are an African-American '' a cappella'' ensemble, consisting of students at Fisk University. The first group was organized in 1871 to tour and raise funds for college. Their early repertoire consisted mostly of traditio ...

- he collaborated in 2007 with British gospel legend Nicky Brown and noted gospel historian Viv Broughton. Before his death he had been working on a composition and recording project based on the life of American pianist

Philippa Schuyler Philippa Duke Schuyler (; August 2, 1931 – May 9, 1967) was an American concert pianist, composer, author, and journalist. A child prodigy, she was the daughter of black journalist George Schuyler and Josephine Schuyler, a white Texan heiress, S ...

. On June 9, 2012 Wilson at the age of 38 succumbed to colon cancer, having married his long-term partner Jennie (née Cashman) the day before, Friday June 8, 2012.

Awards and honors

* International Songwriting Competition, Best Jazz Composition 2005 * British Jazz Awards, Best New CD 2007 * BBC Jazz Award – Best Band 2005 (Nominated) *

MOBO Award The MOBO Awards (Music of Black Origin, also known as the MOBOs) are an annual British music award presentation honouring achievements in " music of black origin", including hip hop, grime, UK Drill, R&B, soul, reggae, jazz, gospel, and ...

– Best Jazz Act 2005 & 2007 (Nominated) * BBC Jazz Award – Best Album 2007 (Nominated) * BBC Jazz Award – Heart of Jazz 2007 (Nominated)

Discography

As leader

* ''Soul Vibe'' (2000, Bleekstar Records) * ''Jazz Warrior'' (2004, Dune Records) * ''Ride! – Ferris Wheel To The Modern Day Delta'' (2007, Dune Records) * ''Life Paintings'' (2009, Dune Records)

As guest

* ''Good Day for the Blues'' – Ruth Brown (1999, Bullseye Blues) * ''Conversations With The Unseen'' –

(2003, Dune Records) * ''Let Freedom Ring!'' -

(2003, Dune Records) * ''Motorcity Roots'' –

(2005, Dune Records) * ''A Life In The Day Of B19: Tales of the Tower Block'' – Soweto Kinch (2006, Dune Records)

References

External links

Abram Wilson FoundationLabel Page
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wilson, Abram 1973 births 2012 deaths American jazz trumpeters American male trumpeters American male jazz musicians Nu Troop members