Dave Wilson presents his quintet in a special performance of newly arranged material from his two most recent projects: Free, Free: Meditations on Liberation (debuted in 2025), and Ephemeral (Thelonious Records, 2023).
Free, Free draws from legacies of musical collectivity in an invitation to explore the expansive possibilities for what liberation might sound like. Ephemeral, described as “quite spiritually intense music” by The Guardian, explores the transience of human relationships with one another and the natural world through alternatively floating and driving improvisatory impulses of Wilson and his ensemble.
The quintet for this performance will present the music of Free, Free and Ephemeral in a brand-new configuration: Wilson on saxophone and bass clarinet, Mana Waiariki on violin, Seth Boy on bass, Callum Allardice on guitar, and Abey Baillie on drums.
Dave Wilson is a saxophonist, clarinettist, composer, producer, and interdisciplinary scholar. His music bridges avant-garde and experimental music with various groove-oriented styles from the worlds of jazz, R&B, electronic music, and more. Before relocating to Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington in 2016, Dave grew up in the Chicago area, lived for a decade in Los Angeles, and spent several stints living in Skopje, North Macedonia.
Part of the Wellington Jazz Festival 2025
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