Hello All:
June is both Black Music Month and Caribbean Heritage Month - and in my family, there's a great deal to celebrate. My late husband/love of my life, Lou Wilson was a great musician/composer/vocalist/arranger - of Caribbean lineage - Jamaican on his Dad, Wilfred Wilson's side; and Barbados (Bajan) on his Mom, Doris Wilson's side.
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| Lou Wilson of Mandrill |
Born in Panama, October 25, 1941, he immigrated to the US with his father and brothers at the age of 12, and was raised in Brooklyn. He, along with his brothers, attended and graduated from the legendary Boys High of Brooklyn.
The wonderful thing about Dad Wilson was that he insisted on all his sons - 4 of them, (the youngest coming along long after his older brothers had grown and left home) - cultivating their talents; so he made each one learn to play a musical instrument. You might say he was the predecessor of Joe Jackson, because before they could not go out and hang with their friends, or participate in sports, they had to put in a considerable time practicing and mastering their instruments.
And master it, they did. Among they four of them, they played a total of nearly 50 instruments - including Trumpet, Trombone, Saxophone, Congas, bongos, timbales, flute, sticks, spoons, kazoos, and the kitchen sink.
The important thing about Lou's music - and Mandrill in general - is that the lyrics are to uplift, inform, teach - they were about love, peace, and unity. There was never any profanity used in any of their lyrics; no overt sexuality or perversions - just good clean fun. They enjoyed their music and performing together - and apart from the occasional sibling rivalry - they were a cohesive unified family. They not only loved their music, but loved the music of so many other artists as well. Lou was the consummate ethnomusicologist - and loved music of other cultures as well as the music we as Black people created.
As a result, our home was a musical home. We would wake up to the Mighty Sparrow or Lord Kitchener one morning, John Coltrain, or Miles Davis, the next; the Beatles the next, Stevie Wonder, Olatunji, Hugh Masakela, Miriam Makeba, Bob Marley, James Brown, the Four Tops, The Temptations, and so on. If Lou wasn't listening to music, or making music, he was writing lyrics. A peculiar sound could send him off on a tangent in how to incorporate it into an idea that was running in the back of his mind. And soon, he was composing something new, wonderful and different. Our Sun/Son RA has as much talent as his dad, and is constantly composing, acting, doing Spoken Word - it's in his DNA.
Our Mandrill family was a true Diasporian Family - to the point that I coined a new description for us: African/JamacaBajaManian-Americans. The richness of the confluence of our cultures has been such a blessing to me and our family - as well as my nieces, nephews, and all the Wilsons, who comprise the Mandrill Family.
There has been so many issues and controversies about immigrantion; but we have so many geniuses amongst us - from scientists, to doctors, to educators, to architects, to entertainers. Had Lou's family not left Panama, and come to the US to seek better lives for their children, there would have been no Mandrill; similarly, there would be no Wyclef Jean, there would be no Rihanna, no Sheryl Lee Ralph, no Harry Belafonte, and so many others, who have blended their voices, talents, geniuses, creativity with their African American Brothers and Sisters here in the US. We have all been blessed with the genetic codes of our African Ancestors which has informed our capacity to transform it into something wonderful and magical - a lifetime legacy.
Recently, a very good friend of mine, Tony Regusters, posted a tribute to Mandrill on FaceBook, which started me on binge-listening to their music -something I haven't done in quite some time - Lou made his sudden and unexpected transition to the realm of Ancestor/Angel on January 7, 2013 - It's taken me this 6 years to sit and enjoy the music and the videos without tearing up, or feeling sad - just enjoying the memories. So, I'm sharing them with you, as well:
"The
Wilson brothers, founders of the awesome 1970's Latin Jazz/R&B/Funk
fusion band MANDRILL, were born in Panama and grew up in the
Bedford–Stuyvesant area of Brooklyn. With Carlos on trombone and vocals,
Lou on trumpet and vocals, and Ric on saxophone and vocals, they formed
the band to combine funk, soul, jazz, and Latin music. The band was
named after the mandrill species of primate, which was known for its
colorful features and family-oriented social structure. The other
original members included keyboardist Claude "Coffee" Cave, guitarist
Omar Mesa, bassist Bundie Cenas, and drummer Charlie Padro.
They signed with Polydor Records and released their self-titled debut album in 1970. The album and its self-titled single "Mandrill" both reached the Billboard charts. Fudgie Kae Solomon replaced Cenas for their second album Mandrill Is, which also reached the Billboard soul and pop charts.
Neftali Santiago then became Mandrill's new drummer. Their third album Composite Truth was released in 1972 and became their most successful release, with the single "Fencewalk" reaching number 19 on the Billboard singles chart. During this period, Mandrill gained critical notice as one of the most progressive and experimental funk bands of the 1970s, while their use of Latin elements drew comparisons to Santana and War. Funk historian Rickey Vincent noted Mandrill's multi-ethnic membership and "bizarre blend of African-based rhythms, scorching rock riffs, country fonk, bop jazz, and one-chord guitar rock operas."
Guitarist Dougie Rodriguez, a former Santana sideman, joined in time for the second Mandrill album to be released in 1973, Just Outside of Town, which reached the top ten on the Billboard Soul Albums chart.
Here's a beautiful love song by Mandrill..."
They signed with Polydor Records and released their self-titled debut album in 1970. The album and its self-titled single "Mandrill" both reached the Billboard charts. Fudgie Kae Solomon replaced Cenas for their second album Mandrill Is, which also reached the Billboard soul and pop charts.
Neftali Santiago then became Mandrill's new drummer. Their third album Composite Truth was released in 1972 and became their most successful release, with the single "Fencewalk" reaching number 19 on the Billboard singles chart. During this period, Mandrill gained critical notice as one of the most progressive and experimental funk bands of the 1970s, while their use of Latin elements drew comparisons to Santana and War. Funk historian Rickey Vincent noted Mandrill's multi-ethnic membership and "bizarre blend of African-based rhythms, scorching rock riffs, country fonk, bop jazz, and one-chord guitar rock operas."
Guitarist Dougie Rodriguez, a former Santana sideman, joined in time for the second Mandrill album to be released in 1973, Just Outside of Town, which reached the top ten on the Billboard Soul Albums chart.
Here's a beautiful love song by Mandrill..."
Tony Reguster's post caused me to go on a MANDRILL BINGE. I'm sharing some of the works here with you. Hope you can play them, and enjoy them as much as they did performing them.
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