Gerald Wilson

A talented trumpet player in his earlier years -- notably in Jimmie Lunceford's band -- Gerald Wilson's contribution to jazz lay in the many fine ensembles he led, and in his distinctive writing. He formed his first band in 1945, recording and touring with a measure of success. During the '50s, Wilson was an arranger/writer for Dizzy Gillespie, Count Basie, and Duke Ellington. In the '60s he formed a big band and also worked extensively with singers, arranging for and accompanying Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, and Ray Charles, among others. He continued recording, writing, and performing through the next three decades and into the new millennium prior to his death in 2014.