Detroit (Gerald Wilson album)

Reception

AllMusic rated the album with 4 stars; in his review, Michael G. Nastos noted: "A quite spirited and energetic music is heard here from the 90-year-old Wilson, whose charm and wit would rival anyone many decades his junior. It's a swinging affair molded in the traditional big-band visage of Count Basie, Ernie Wilkins, or early Quincy Jones, with Wilson's deft touch for embellishing the blues". In JazzTimes Owen Cordle wrote: "Wilson’s chord progressions, chord voicings and rhythmic figures for the ensemble are strong characteristics of his writing. He also has a flair for atmospheric themes. One could quibble about the combo-esque strings of solos and the scarcity of ensemble interludes. Nevertheless, his writing style continues to serve him well". On All About Jazz Robert J. Robbins noted: "Gerald Wilson's six-movement "Detroit Suite" demonstrates that after nearly seven decades in the music business, the nonagenarian composer and arranger still has a great deal to offer in terms of musical creativity".

Track listing

All compositions by Gerald Wilson.

1. "Blues on Belle Isle" - 5:30
2. "Cass Tech" - 8:47
3. "Detroit" - 6:40
4. "Miss Gretchen" - 7:07
5. "Before Motown" - 7:12
6. "The Detroit River" - 8:47
7. "Everywhere" - 12:32
8. "Aram" - 6:12