We've been at work recording these Wild sides for a long time now, and finally they're ready to share.  On my infrequent trips to California, my brother Ken Wild and I have gotten together with master drummer Ralph Humphrey in Gary Denton's small studio in Van Nuys, recording a few sides each time.  In October of 2002 we added long-time friend (and former Seawind horn) Larry Williams to make it a quartet.   At a final session in January 2003 Ken and I finished one last side, and with Gary at the controls put together a master. The CD includes one live side, by the Centex version of the group, from a '98 Texas Music Cafe broadcast with Jeff Horton on bass and Charles Burleson on drums. We stuck mostly to originals, 10 of them by Dave, one by Ken, along with a reharmonized Gershwin standard.  There's a track list a little further down the page, with a couple of samples (click the piano), along with links to brief bios of the group members (click on the musician's name).  Left to right: Ralph Humphrey; Ken Wild; Larry Williams; Dave Wild.  Van Nuys CA 10/18/02.  Photo by Melody Carpenter

What'd They Say?? A few words about Wild Sides...

• Wild may be more familiar as a writer (he's contributed scholarly and insightful liner notes to numerous Coltrane CDs), but he's also a substantial pianist and composer who's been leading groups for over 30 years in Honolulu, Ann Arbor, LA, San Juan and currently Texas. His brother Ken, an LA session musician, plays bass and produced this CD. Another LA session veteran, drummer Ralph Humphrey, completes the trio, while saxophonist Larry Williams makes it a quartet on five tracks. The emphasis is on originals, and Wild creates crafty, imaginative structures in the post-bop idiom, reworking themes here that he's created throughout his career. The familiarity shows in the relaxed flow that the trio achieves on the 7/4 "Flame," while the complex ballad "Single Room" carries deep emotional reserves. As a pianist, Wild is a fluent player who can tie and unravel complex knots with aplomb, especially apparent on "30 X 20", while the quartet is especially good on "Wild Reindeer", rising to Williams' intensity. It's a strong outing in a received idiom. Dave Wild should record his work more often.
            Stuart Broomer, Editor, Coda, March/April 2004
• ....As a pianist, Wild displays the influence of the usual suspects, especially that of McCoy Tyner. Tracks like "Small No More", a precious, floating, Corea-like waltz and "Single Room", an impressionistic ballad, demonstrate Wild's technical and compositional strengths. Wild's brother, bassist Ken Wild, adds a particularly memorable bass solo on the latter. The brothers also work well on the Latin-shaded duet, "El Chico". Further, Wild is impressive on the Blue Note inspired, "One by Four". L.A. studio drummer Ralph Humphrey, whom many will remember from his stint with Frank Zappa, appears with his active style. His presence will surely prove appealing to those that favor vigorous, polyrhythmic drumming (for example, check out "Flame"). Another L.A. session player, saxophonist Larry Williams (who has had stints with many GRP artists and vocalists such as Al Jarreau), appears on five tracks, where he displays an even-tempered approach on both alto and tenor....
            Jay Collins, Cadence, August 2003
• ...More traditional jazz than Seawind's, this combo nonetheless romps with aplomb and authority on a dozen cuts, evoking images of smoke-filled jazz clubs and lounges. Dave is better known as a liner-note writer but proves to be an expressive showman; Ken, of course, is the prolific Seawinder who composed many of the cuts here, but not the one track that sums up the appeal of the disc: "'S Wonderful."
            Wayne Harada, Honolulu Advertiser, April 13, 2003

The CD is available from various places, through the Cadence Record Ordering Service (CROS), or by special order through such chains as Tower Records. Or if you can catch up with me or Ken, we'll happily sell you a copy. (See Dave's Calendar for places where I can be found). The two of us will be together at the end of March, 2004, as part of the Temple Jazz Festival and elsewhere in Central Texas. Or, if you like, you can place an order for the CD right now, by clicking on the link below. 

Click here to order Wild Sides. 

dave wild, piano
ken wild, bass, electric bass
ralph humphrey, drums
larry williams, alto and tenor saxophone*
jeff horton, bass**
charles burleson, drums**

Recorded 1996, 1997, 1998, 2002 and 2003.

Backward Glances (D. Wild)		One By Four (D. Wild)*
Small No More (D. Wild)		Wild Reindeer (K. Wild)*
'S Wonderful (G. & I. Gershwin)*		Upscale** (D. Wild)
Single Room (D. Wild)		El Chico (D. Wild)
Where Lines Converge (D. Wild)*		30 X 20 (D. Wild)
Flame (D. Wild)		Aņo Pasado (D. Wild)*