Gentle Spirit, Jonathan Wilson’s critically acclaimed 2011 solo debut, sounded like Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young getting high on The Dark Side Of The Moon. The new Fanfare sets the Wayback Machine for a slightly more recent vintage—roughly 1975. The Sopwith Camel cover and occasional jazz flute filigree notwithstanding, Fanfare sounds like Crosby, Stills & Nash crashing the recording sessions for Wish You Were Here, only to find out that Steely Dan has already done all the blow. Tin soldiers and Nixon have come and gone. Jimmy Carter’s in the White House and Cecil Taylor is on the lawn. Wilson will be guest editing magnetmagazine.com all week. Read our new feature on him.
Wilson: My favorite musician I’ve played with in recent memory. Laraaji I describe as a celestial musician. He created soundscapes with his amplified zither and assorted other sounds. He is completely in the moment making music, I’ve done a lot of jamming, and he is the ultimate jammer. Dig some of his solo work, or work he did with Brian Eno for music you will love for the rest of your life.
