Listening to some Tony Wilson albums
9 of his records that have kept me company over the past week-and-a-half
By my count, the final studio album led or co-led by the late Tony Wilson is Plays Long (2023) by Longhand, with the two violins of Jesse Zubot and Josh Zubot, bassist Russell Sholberg, and drummer Skye Brooks. I know nothing of saxophonist Peder Long except through this group, the record's tunes which Long wrote, and the liner notes and bios detailing Long's mentorship of Wilson. Plays Long feels like one long rock composition, except for the clean-toned intermission of "Soul Eternal". It feels like what I heard Wilson play with John Korsrud in early 2025.
The group I know best is Waxwing, with Jon Bentley on reeds and Peggy Lee on cello. On Escondido Dreams (2008), the group appeared as Wilson/Lee/Bentley and featured both saxophones and clarinets, not to mention the found radio moment on "Fornette". The mandolin-like sound on "Mor Feen" is apparently a charango that Wilson plays.
