London based, with Sierra Leone roots, Alex Wilson is a high-profile UK pianist and bandleader of his Latin/African/Jazz 8-piece group. With an upcoming show at London's Jazz Café, a new album fresh from the recording studios of Havana, a highly acclaimed debut album, and a world tour with a major star in the offing, His star is certainly shining right now.
Critical acclaim has never been far away, with Jack Massarik in the Evening Standard Hot Tickets magazine saying "Anyone who can write like this, who can play like this and who can put audiences at ease with such a non-cheesy smile is going to enjoy a long career in the music business."
His own octet, the Alex Wilson Band, features the best Latin musicians playing in London today, including vocalists Lauren Dalrymple and Ronald Infante. "Alex Wilson and the glittering firmament of young world-musicians orbiting around him are going to be a powerful force for good on the UK's jazz scene" wrote John Fordham in the Guardian in addition to the glowing quote at the top of the page. Live they produce a highly entertaining mix of Salsa, Afro-Cuban rhythms and West African highlife with consummate ease.
1999 was a busy year for Alex, playing with Mark Anthony in Holland and Italy, with Snowboy in Scandanavia and Benelux, then with Nu-Troop in Germany as well as playing to packed houses with his own band, and supporting Oscar D'Leon at the RFH and, spectacularly, the Afro Cuban All Stars at the Shepherds Bush Empire. His long awaited debut album, 'Afro Saxon' received much critical acclaim, from "Does it live up to the hype? In a word YES! and triumphantly so." by Pete Martin in Jazz UK to "Alex Wilson's 'Afro Saxon' is the calling card of a young musician who is undoubtably going places" by Stuart Nicholson in the Observer.
This year has started in much the same vein - having spent a lot of time in Havana recording his new album, Alex is as busy as ever. His recent gig at the Jazz Café was an overwhelming success, as Jack Massarik confirmed in the Evening Standard "The word was out that last night's gig would be a good one, and Wilson was rewarded with a full house... 'Is there anybody here from England?' he joked between some amusing and spectacular piano solos, full of percussive fun yet glinting with gems from contemporary jazz phraseology... Cries for an encore were loud and long." Alex is now on the first leg of a world tour with Courtney Pine and label mate Cameron Pierre, but pops back to the UK for another headlining show at the Subterania on August 13th. He has also just been nominated for Best Newcomer in this year's British Jazz Awards - all of which brings a celestial twinkle to his eye.
To book: email:info@salsadirect.co.uk