On Saturday, trumpeter Abram Wilson presented two sets of new material for his quartet on the theme of a New Orleans Christmas – a scene-setting description and fragment of autobiographical poetry preceded each number. As with Thomas, Wilson’s Christmas started on Christmas Eve and involved presents, mischief and aunts, and, as with Tracey, Wilson’s music captured mood by refreshing established practices.
Wilson, now resident in London, was raised in New Orleans, and his recollections are free of Thomas’s dark corners. Strong on family values, they provided a convenient peg on which to hang some very good music – his parents grabbing late-night quality time was a surprising touch, with slinky rhythms and muted trumpet setting the tone.
Wilson’s stepped modal themes were well crafted and he had the musicianship and invention to sustain interest over both sets – pinched notes and Big Easy slurs added sparkle. There were guests – deep-toned vocalist Myrna Hague and drummer Jason Marsalis – and a standout young rhythm section who comfortably followed the rhythmic nuances of Wilson’s compositions. Highlights included Marsalis’s clean brushwork, impeccable beats and the insistent cowbell that drove his awkward-metre solo on “Soul Train”; mature-beyond-his-years pianist Reuben James consistently matching the leader for invention and wit; and the encore-winning “Drum Duel”, with Wilson’s regular drummer added for a fiendish, tempo-shifting two-drum joust themed on brotherly banter.
