Universally recognized for his melodic percussive style and his gifts as a composer and bandleader, drummer Matt Wilson is one of today’s most admired jazz artists. The most surprising and purely entertaining of his many projects (as both leader and sideman) is Matt Wilson’s Christmas Tree–O, with bassist Paul Sikivie and multi–reeds whiz Jeff Lederer. Jazz Standard is thrilled to welcome back this festive ensemble for the sixth consecutive year. As Nate Chinen noted in The New York Times, Wilson’s Christmas Tree-O “represents something more than a side project or a symptom of seasonal opportunism. It has its own gait and style.” A medium–tempo shuffle on “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing?” Check. A klezmerized version of the Hanukkah song “Eight Candles?” Check. A mash–up of “Angels We Have Heard on High” with Albert Ayler’s anthemic “Angels?” Check. “Matt Wilson's Christmas Tree–O provides Yuletide greetings so eloquent and mind–bending even the nastiest of Scrooges will want to pay attention." (DownBeat)
Matt Wilson – drums
Jeff Lederer – tenor & alto saxophones, clarinet
Paul Sikivie – bass
Aaron Diehl – piano