Steve Wilson Enduring Sonance

Saxophonist/flutist Steve Wilson reflects on a lifetime of indelible musical memories on his breathtaking album, ENDURING SONANCE, featurnig Renee Rosnes, Joe Locke, Jay Anderson and Kendrick Scott playing some of Wilson’s favorite songs spanning genres and decades.
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Certain songs have a way of insinuating themselves into our imaginations, leaving a lasting impression that continues to ring in our ears long after we’ve last heard them – sometimes for the rest of our lives. On his breathtaking new album, ENDURING SONANCE, veteran saxophonist and flutist Steve Wilson celebrates some of the indelible compositions that he’s cherished over the course of his musical life.
“Some of the tunes on this record have stayed with me for, in some cases, over 50 years from the time that I first heard them,” Wilson says. “I wanted to put some music out there that people can connect with, no matter what kind of music they like.”
ENDURING SONANCE was initially conceived in the tradition of the ballads record. But Wilson quickly realized that the word “ballad” was inadequate to describe the album that he envisioned. What was in his mind had more to do with a sense of lyricism that makes a song resonant and memorable, regardless of tempo, style, genre, or sentiment.
With that in mind, Wilson assembled a stellar band whose members share his own unique ability to delve into the heart of a song and discover the depths of emotion and lyricism inside it: vibraphonist Joe Locke, bassist Jay Anderson, drummer Kendrick Scott, and pianist Renee Rosnes, who also contributed the album’s sensitive arrangements. On two pieces, they’re joined by French horn virtuoso Kevin Newton of Imani Winds.
His repertoire for the session would be a deeply personal one, drawing on great contemporary jazz composers with whom he’s worked closely—Billy Childs, George Cables—along with soulful songwriters from the worlds of pop music and cinema—Gino Vannelli, Michel Legrand—and eclectic masters whose music defies easy categorization—Quincy Jones, Milton Nascimento, among others.
“Like everyone, I love the Great American Songbook,” Wilson says, “Those chestnuts and evergreens you can never get tired of playing—they’ve stood the test of time for a reason. But as an Aquarian, there's a sense of autonomy that's part of my hardwiring. So, I always like to find material that hasn’t been overdone, and these tunes, in particular, are ones that I've always wanted to record.”
The album’s title, at its most literal level, is a straightforward, if poetic, description of Wilson’s concept: sonance is simply the quality of making sound, with a suggestion of lasting resonance and a nod to Jackie McLean’s 1962 classic, A Fickle Sonance. Enduring reflects the staying power that these songs have had in his life.
But it also carries a suggestion of the longstanding relationships within the group. With the exception of Newton, the prolific Wilson has shared countless hours on stages and in studios with these musicians to varying but meaningful degrees. Most notably, he has known Rosnes for nearly four decades, since both joined the ranks of Out of the Blue (OTB), the band of young lions founded by Blue Note Records in the mid-80s to showcase its then-new generation of artists. She not only arranged the music for the album, but also suggested Milton Nascimento’s “Francisco,” the album’s mesmerizing finale.
“As the repertoire started to reveal itself, I heard everyone’s sound in my head,” Wilson explains. “It wasn’t something I had to think long and hard about. Renee and I have worked together for so long, and she's such a great arranger and composer, along with being a gifted pianist. Joe and I connect on diverse styles and genres of music, both of us being children of the ‘60s and ‘70s. I really wanted what he could bring in terms of his musical sensibility and spirituality.”
Wilson and Anderson have spent years playing together in the revered Maria Schneider Orchestra. “I tell people all the time that Jay is the secret sauce of that band,” he says. “He finds beautiful contrapuntal melodies that move the music underneath. Even if people may not be aware of it, as a bassist, he gives the music a flow.”
Scott is a more recent compatriot but proved ideal for the ensemble. “I was looking for a drummer who could paint, not just maintain time and groove. And I love the way Kendrick paints. He really knows how to orchestrate the instrument and be able to hear what the music is saying.”
“These songs are the soundtrack of my life,” Wilson concludes. “I would love it if listeners came away from this album with the same kind of enduring sound and feeling.”