Liner Notes - Inglaterra

Ever since pianist Alex Wilson burst onto the UK music scene in 1993, he has refused to stand still or be musically typecast. Born to British parents of Sierra Leone background, and brought up in the UK, Sierra Leone, Switzerland and Austria, Alex developed an open minded and world view of music, where frontiers were there to be crossed and boundaries to be broken.

A love of jazz, latin, soul, reggae and African music led to a busy career from the mid-1990s, playing regularly with saxophonist Courtney Pine, ska-boppers Jazz Jamaica, Colombian timbale maestro Roberto Pla and many more top London bands. Variety, in Alex's case, certainly was the spice of life!

From 1996, when he launched his solo career, he released 3 albums on the jazz label Candid Records, including the groundbreaking "R&B Latino" in 2001, a CD that successfully fused contemporary Cuban music with soul and R&B. All three CDs were well received amongst critics and dancers alike!

"Inglaterra" is Alex's 5th solo release, and the second on his own Alex Wilson Records (the first being the 2005 Alex Wilson Quintet latin jazz album "Aventuras"). Without a doubt, this is Alex's first album aimed purely at the dance floor. In true Wilson style, "Inglaterra" brings together many genres of latin dance music under one roof - salsa moderna, salsa dura, Cuban son, reggaeton, latin soul and the new sound of bhangra salsa.

Regular Alex Wilson musicians from previous sessions, such as Colombian sonero Alfonso de Jesus, soul singers Mary Pearce and Lauren Dalrymple, and drummer/vocalist Davide Giovannini, are joined by new artists and guests including vocalist Aquilla Fearon, Colombian MC Magico, Cuban sonero Osvaldo Chacon (ex-Bamboleo), and Asian musicians Kuljit Bhamra and Shahid Abbas Khan.

At the head of this super tight unit is Señor Wilson playing pure piano grooves, content to let his compositions and musicians do the talking. In contrast to his other albums, not one piano solo graces this CD. Without the band leader's rock-solid montunos and tumbaos to hold everything in place, this well-oiled musical machine would grind to a halt!

The unity between the musicians in conjunction with the original material, class arrangements and fine production, means this album can proudly hold it's own against anything coming from Latin New York, Cuba or Puerto Rico. "Inglaterra" really is Alex Wilson's coming of age CD and taking his career to the next level. Original latin music from the UK, paying respect to the past, but looking forward to the future.

Lubi Jovanovic (Straight No Chaser)