Don Wilkerson • The Texas Twister

 

Review
by Alex Henderson  
Don Wilkerson was among the unsung heroes of the tenor sax. Although he backed heavyweights like B.B. King and Ray Charles, the improviser's own albums aren't nearly as well known as they should be. But those who were hip to Wilkerson swore by him, and one of his allies was alto saxophonist Cannonball Adderley. It was in 1960 that Adderley produced The Texas Twister, Wilkerson's first album as a leader. The tenor man (who was 27 at the time) shows a lot of promise on this album, embracing standards as well as bop-oriented material by Adderley, pianist Barry Harris, and obscure Texas musician Jim Martin. As its title indicates, The Texas Twister has a strong Lone Star influence. Wilkerson was born in Louisiana, but Houston, TX, was his adopted home -- and the Texas tenor tradition had a major impact on his playing. Like Arnett Cobb, David "Fathead" Newman, James Clay, and other tenor men who have lived in the Lone Star State, Wilkerson was a hard-swinging, aggressive player with a big, fat tone. That isn't to say that he wasn't influenced by saxmen who lived in other parts of the U.S. -- Wilkerson also inspired comparisons to tenor men who ranged from Chicagoan Gene Ammons to Los Angeles resident Wardell Gray. But it is safe to say that Wilkerson was very much a Texan at heart and that the Lone Star influence is hard to miss on this album (which boasts an all-star lineup that includes Nat Adderley on cornet, Barry Harris on piano, Leroy Vinnegar or Sam Jones on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums). Reissued on CD in 2001, The Texas Twister is recommended to anyone who admires the Lone Star school of soulful, hard-blowing tenor.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-texas-twister-mw0000016463

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Reseña
por Alex Henderson  
Don Wilkerson fue uno de los héroes anónimos del saxo tenor. Aunque acompañó a pesos pesados como B.B. King y Ray Charles, los álbumes del improvisador no son tan conocidos como deberían. Pero los que conocían a Wilkerson juraban por él, y uno de sus aliados era el saxofonista alto Cannonball Adderley. Fue en 1960 cuando Adderley produjo The Texas Twister, el primer álbum de Wilkerson como líder. El tenor (que tenía 27 años por aquel entonces) se muestra muy prometedor en este álbum, en el que abarca tanto estándares como material orientado al bop de Adderley, el pianista Barry Harris y el oscuro músico tejano Jim Martin. Como su título indica, The Texas Twister tiene una fuerte influencia de la Estrella Solitaria. Wilkerson nació en Luisiana, pero Houston, Texas, fue su hogar adoptivo, y la tradición del tenor tejano tuvo un gran impacto en su forma de tocar. Al igual que Arnett Cobb, David "Fathead" Newman, James Clay y otros tenores que han vivido en el Estado de la Estrella Solitaria, Wilkerson era un intérprete duro y agresivo con un tono grande y grueso. Esto no quiere decir que no recibiera influencias de saxofonistas que vivieron en otras partes de Estados Unidos: Wilkerson también inspiró comparaciones con tenores que iban desde Gene Ammons, de Chicago, hasta Wardell Gray, residente en Los Ángeles. Pero es seguro decir que Wilkerson era un tejano de corazón y que la influencia de la Estrella Solitaria es difícil de pasar por alto en este álbum (que cuenta con una alineación de estrellas que incluye a Nat Adderley a la corneta, Barry Harris al piano, Leroy Vinnegar o Sam Jones al bajo, y Billy Higgins a la batería). Reeditado en CD en 2001, The Texas Twister se recomienda a cualquiera que admire la escuela de tenor conmovedor y duro de la Estrella Solitaria.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-texas-twister-mw0000016463

Tracks:
1 - The Texas Twister 6:29
2 - Morning Coffee 7:48
3 - Idiom 5:14
4 - Jelly-Roll 7:40
5 - Easy To Love 4:34
6 - Where Or When 3:58
7 - Media 4:55


Credits:
    Bass – Leroy Vinnegar (tracks: 2, 3, 7), Sam Jones (tracks: 1, 4 to 6)
    Cornet – Nat Adderley (tracks: 1 to 4, 7)
    Design [Cover] – Ken Deardoff
    Drums – Billy Higgins
    Liner Notes – Orrin Keepnews
    Mastered By – Jack Matthews
    Photography By – Jerry Stoll
    Piano – Barry Harris
    Producer – Cannonball Adderley
    Recorded By – Wally Heider
    Remastered By – Kirk Felton
    Tenor Saxophone – Don Wilkerson

Label:    Original Jazz Classics – OJCCD-1950-2, Riverside Records – RLP 1186
Genre:    Jazz
Style:    Hard Bop
https://www.discogs.com/release/7788077-Don-Wilkerson-The-Texas-Twister

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