Felicia Wilson must have been a wonderful helpmate for husband Matt. After a 4 year battle with leukemia, she finally left her partner, but judging by the music on this album dedicated to her, she (as with all good wives) left a lot behind in her husband. Drummer Matt brings together a large “family” of musicians including Terell Stafford/tp, Larry Goldings/p, Joel Frahm/ts-ss and Martin Wind/b for 17 songs and interjections that display a jovial domestic relationship.
In between clips of chatter, there are pieces that include celebration as Wilson acts like a pit boss in a vaudeville show. “Lester” and “Andrew’s Ditty” include raucous frivolity, while even a more “serious”piece such as “Getting Friendly”has Jeff Lederte’s sax and Kirk Knuffke’s cornet creating rich and buoyant moods. Upbeat and uptempo moments abound as well as on “Searchlight” and “Go team Go!” while the album ends with a lovely going away with “July Hymn.” Wish I had met her.
Palmetto Records