Matt Wilson Quartet + John Medeski - Gathering Call (2014)

Matt Wilson is renowned for his virtuostic flair as a drummer and his good-vibes positivity as a bandleader, not to mention his facility for collaborating with top musicians across the spectrum of jazz - from the mainstream to the avant-garde and virtually everything inbetween. For 'Gathering Call' the Matt Wilson Quartet is joined by a special guest - keyboard star John Medeski. They have created an irresistably tune-rich, hard-grooving album steeped in the vintage virtues even as it sounds utterly fresh. 'Gathering Call' features a brace of Wilson originals that range from the raucous, drum-driven title track and Ornette-accented "How Ya Goin?" to the atmospheric "Dancing Waters" and elliptically lyrical "Hope" (for the Cause.) The interpretive numbers include versions of two Duke Ellington compositions (including the rarely covered "You Dirty Dog") and uncommon tunes by Charlie Rouse, Butch Warren and Hugh Lawson, plus the Beyonce song "If I Were A Boy."