Episode 5-Immanuel Wilkins: Community Breeds Greatness

Strictly Jazz Sounds

Immanuel Wilkins is considered one of the most compelling instrumentalists in improvised music today. His primary instrument is the alto saxophone but that’s not all he can play. There’s a video you can find on YouTube of an interview he did when he was 11 years old. You see an acoustic bass in the background. He can play not only the bass but also piano and other instruments. I consider Immanuel Wilkins one of today’s young geniuses roaming the urban landscape.

In episode 5 of Strictly Jazz Sounds Philadelphia-raised, Brooklyn-based alto sax player, composer, bandleader, and Blue Note recording artist Immanuel Wilkins joins me.

Immanuel surrounds himself with today’s young jazz heavy weights. I made a rough list of some of those young geniuses, and they numbered close to 20. And those were only the musicians living in the New York area. What a time Immanuel is living in, a time where he becomes a Blue Note recording artist at 22 years old. His first album, Omega, was named the number 1 jazz album of 2020 by The New York Times. That’s heady stuff. Two years later, Immanuel releases his second recording on the Blue Note label to critical acclaim, The 7th Hand. The thing is all members of his quartet were under 25 years old.

So, is there a sort of renaissance, a rebirth of young, brilliant talent occurring in jazz today? Immanuel Wilkins thinks that’s possible. In the 1950s a resurgence of young talent occurred. One of them, recently deceased maestro Wayne Shorter, others include trumpeter Lee Morgan, bassist Paul Chambers, and pianist McCoy Tyner. John Coltrane barely made the list because he hit 30 years old in 1958. Then in the 60s there was Herbie Hancock, Tony Williams, and maestro Ron Carter. And there’s Bobbi Humphrey, Blue Note’s first female instrumentalist, signed when she was only 21 years old in the 70s. And, in the early 80s, there were the Young Lions that reinvigorated jazz performance. Those cats included Wynton and Branford Marsalis, Marcus Roberts, and Terence Blanchard, four of the group of neo-bop jazz musicians in the 80s that defied avant-garde.

What does it take to wade into the fast-moving waters of New York jazz? Immanuel knows the type of work ethic required to be signed to the number one jazz label, according to the current DownBeat Critics Poll. Blue Note’s Don Was has his ear to the ground, says Immanuel. He knows the current landscape and how to pick the hot players. Immanuel was fortunate to work with his close friend vibist Joel Ross as well as pianist James Francies, who signed with Blue Note at 24 and 23 years old respectively. Something must be in the water or perhaps the air.

Immanuel’s faith is also at full display on his sophomore release, The 7th Hand. Is this a rare thing among jazz artists? Is this something new or has it existed all along? Immanuel’s intent for this recording, for the artistry, is to serve as a vessel for the “Creator.” His purpose is to channel the Holy Spirit, Immanuel remarks. Brian Blade, who is a preacher’s kid (PK as noted in the episode) and Immanuel both see their music as a sort of ministry. With The 7th Hand, Immanuel delivers his message in a major way.

Listen to these two tracks from Immanuel Wilkins' recording, The 7th Hand: "Emanation" and "Witness" (featuring Elena Penderhughes, flute).

Immanuel Wilkins goes on tour in Michigan on March 24, Madison, Wisconsin March 25, up state in Wisconsin, and Chicago then to Arizona, Washington, DC and back out to the west coast, returning to the east coast and Minnesota. You can find his itinerary on. Immanuel’s website, www.immanuelwilkins.com. A lot of travel.

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