Jack Wilkins
| Jack Wilkins | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Jack Rivers Lewis |
| Born |
June 4, 1944 Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, educator |
| Instruments | Guitar |
| Associated acts | Buddy Rich |
| Website |
www |
Jack Rivers Lewis (born June 4, 1944 in Brooklyn, New York), known professionally as Jack Wilkins, is a jazz guitarist.
Career
Wilkins picked up jazz guitar when he was ten. He also studied classical guitar, piano, and vibraphone. While still in his teens, he was a member of dance bands such as those led by Les Elgart, Larry Elgart, Warren Covington, and Sammy Kaye. He has cited as a turning point in his career recording on the album Watershed by Paul Jeffrey. He gained more attention in the 1970s as a member of the Buddy Rich band, working with Kenny Barron, Frank Foster, Sonny Fortune, Stan Getz, Dizzy Gillespie, Lionel Hampton, Jimmy McGriff, Sal Nistico, Zoot Sims, and Sonny Stitt.[1]
Wilkins has also worked with Bob Brookmeyer, Jimmy Heath, Charles Mingus, Eddie Gómez, and Stanley Turrentine as well as with singers Tony Bennett, Ray Charles, Jay Clayton, Morgana King, The Manhattan Transfer, Mel Tormé, and Sarah Vaughan.
Discography
- Windows (Mainstream, 1973)
- Merge (Chiaroscuro, 1977) with Randy Brecker, Michael Brecker, Phil Markowitz, Eddie Gómez, Jack DeJohnette, Al Foster
- Keep in Touch (Claves Jazz, 1995) with Kenny Drew Jr., Akira Tana
- Trio Art (Arabesque, 1997) with Mark Puricelli, Steve LaSpina, Jeff Hirshfield
- Heading North (String Jazz, 2000)
- Reunion (Chiaroscuro, 2000)
- Mexico (CTI, 2008)
- Until It's Time (Maxjazz, 2009)
With Chet Baker
- Studio Trieste (CTI, 1982) with Jim Hall and Hubert Laws