Litchfield Jazz Festival & Jazz Camp

Photo By Steven Sussman

“The drummer Matt Wilson is an ambassador of good feeling!”   
--The New York Times

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WBGO’s Josh Jackson talks to drummer Matt Wilson about beets, moats, Christmas music, and Wilson’s appointment as the first Artist in Residence in 2010 at the Litchfield Jazz Festival.  Listen to the interview on WBGO.org.

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World-renowned drummer, Matt Wilson, was appointed the first Artist-in-Residence to mark the 15^th anniversary of the Litchfield Jazz Festival last summer.  He lead Artist Talks with Dave Brubeck and Mario Pavone, performed twice at the Festival, taught at Litchfield Jazz Camp, and returned to Kent in December for a holiday concert on the heels of the release of his Christmas album, "Christmas Tree-O."  

He was so fantastic we had to invite him back for 2011!  He performs with the Dena DeRose Trio and leads his new group, Matt Wilson Quartet plus Strings.  Throughout the weekend he'll lead Artist Talks with Roy Haynes, Jimmy Heath, and Joe Lovano and add spice to Artist Clinics (See Artist Talk and Clinic Schedules here).  And he'll teach for two weeks at Litchfield Jazz Camp.  He “wins the title” of the most-often-presented artist ever at Litchfield Jazz Festival – 18 times in 16 years!  All clinics and artist talks are open to Festival ticket holders free of charge.

Matt Wilson is one of today’s most celebrated jazz artists. He is universally recognized for his musical and melodic drumming style as well as being a gifted composer, bandleader, producer, and teaching artist. Matt’s positive energy, sense of humor and ability to explore a broad range of musical settings keeps him in constant demand. In addition, Wilson’s dedication to jazz has helped establish him as a beloved world ambassador for music, on and off the bandstand. Wilson has appeared on 230 CDs as a sideman and has released 10 as a leader for Palmetto Records as well as co-leading 5 additional releases.

He leads the Matt Wilson Quartet, Arts and Crafts, Christmas Tree-O, Matt Wilson Quartet plus Strings and the Carl Sandburg Project. Matt is an integral part of bands led by Joe Lovano/John Scofield, Charlie Haden, Lee Konitz, Denny Zeitlin, Ron Miles, Marty Ehrlich, Ted Nash, Jane Ira Bloom and Dena DeRose among others. He has also performed with jazz legends Andrew Hill, Cedar Walton, Frank Wess, Wynton Marsalis, Pat Metheny, Bill Frisell and Hank Jones, and was member of Dewey Redman’s Quartet from 1994 to 2006. Matt was featured on the covers of both DownBeat and JazzTimes in November 2009 and was for five consecutive years voted Rising Star Drummer in the DownBeat Critic’s Poll and is acknowledged in both the JazzTimes and DownBeat Reader’s Polls annually. Most recent gig-of-note: Performing for China’s President Hu Jintao at the January 2011 White House State Dinner honoring the dignitary. Wilson resides in Baldwin, NY with his wife violinist Felicia, daughter Audrey and triplet sons Henry, Max and Ethan.

Matt is also one of the most sought after teaching artists in jazz. He joins the Litchfield Jazz Camp faculty for his second summer this year and appears at the Litchfield Jazz Festival for the 18th time. 

Head over to the Matt Wilson Quartet plus Strings profile to learn more about his performance on Sunday, August 7th at 3:30 PM.