Utah Jazz (producer)
Encyclopedia
Luke Wilson better known as Utah Jazz, is a Drum and Bass
DJ, producer
and remixer.
, England
. He was raised within a very artistic family. His parents were Faith, a fashion designer, and Tony, a graphic designer. He was the youngest of three siblings, two brothers, Product Designer Ben Wilson & Graphical Artist Oscar Wilson.
Both brothers were instrumental to Wilson's musical career by introducing him to the music on London pirate stations, Kool FM
, Weekend Rush and Green Apple in 1993 then teaching him the basics of mixing and even escorting him to his early DJ gigs when he was too young to travel alone.
", or more specifically "liquid funk
", the sound first defined by DJ Fabio
- one of Wilson's staunch supporters.
Known for his use of samples, Wilson adopts the Hip Hop
mentality of Crate Digging - delving into the past to find obscure sounds and old recordings to re-create and produce his tracks.
The stage-name 'Utah Jazz', also that of a US NBA Basketball team
, has led to some bemusement and even hate messages from their fans worldwide.
Wilson began using the name in 1994 to showcase his preferred style of Drum and Bass
- a cross between jungle and atmospheric sounds with Wilson citing LTJ Bukem
and Alex Reece
as major early influences and it was then, with Reece, that Wilson had his first major breakthrough.
A chance meeting with his then drum and bass hero (when Reece moved into Wilson's home town of Barnet
in Hertfordshire
), led to studio sessions together and Wilson supporting Reece on his many tour gigs both in the UK and Europe from the age of 18.
In 1999, aged 19, Wilson joined Reece for a monthly residency at London superclub Fabric
, which had recently opened. Wilson remains a regular fixture at the club and can be found DJ-ing for 'Fabric Live' or as part of LTJ Bukem
's residency at the club called Progression Sessions.
Also in 1999, after Reece parted company with Island Records, they formed the record label 'Fallen Angels 21st Century Music' or 'Fallen Angles 21' releasing works such as 'All Night Long', 'Retrospect' and 'Exposed' featuring Wax Doctor.
After four years of running the label, Wilson became frustrated that he could not engineer his own tracks and had to rely on Reece for studio time and so decided to launch his solo career. On a small budget, Wilson built Slow Hand studios - a makeshift bedroom set-up in Barnet where many of his early classic tracks were produced.
In 2004 he wrote 'Jumpstart' which was released on Hospital Records
. This cemented Wilson's early connection with the label through brother Oscar who co-wrote the first Hospital release 'Harp Of Gold' with close friends, Hospital label owners, Tony Colman and Chris Goss. The three together were known as the 'Peter Nice Trio'; Chris and Tony went on to global success as London Elektricity
.
Also, released in 2004 were the tracks 'Harlem', 'Done & Dusted' and 'The Deep End' - all through Bryan G's imprint Liquid V
, sister label of V Recordings
. This led to a close working relationship between Wilson and V Recordings
owner Bryan G and culminated in the release of Wilson's debut album on the label some years later.
In 2005, Wilson wrote 'Runaway', one of his most popular tracks to date and now considered to be an all time classic of the liquid funk
. Again, released on Liquid V
, the track was quoted as BBC DJ Fabio
's 'tune of the year'. It fused 70s funk and soul riffs into drum and bass format alongside a male vocal.
' biggest selling single of the year when he remixed Roni Size
& DJ Die
's jungle classic 'It's A Jazz Thing'. Wilson produced two versions of the remix - one using the original 'It's A Jazz Thing' samples and the other side using samples from both 'It's A Jazz Thing' and its original B side 'All Crews Must Big Up' together, which is known in the scene as a 'mash up'
. Both tracks were originally released on V Recordings
in 1994.
Wilson's remix 12" went on to reach number 14 in the UK dance singles chart and number 1 in the BBC Radio 1
drum & bass chart. It became an overnight success within the wider spectrum of drum & bass outside of Wilson's usual 'liquid funk' tag and received support from Andy C
, Pendulum
and later in 2007 from Annie Mac
on her BBC Radio 1
show. It was also added to the BBC 1Xtra
playlist.
In 2008, Wilson released his debut album 'It's A Jazz Thing' on Liquid V
to critical acclaim. The album was named by Liquid V
label boss, Bryan G after the success of Wilson's Roni Size
remix two years previously. Also, according to Mixmag, it aptly suited 'Wilson's knack for excavating big riffs from 70's funk and soul records'.
Support for the album came from a wide range of musical sources from DJ Fabio
and LTJ Bukem
to DJs outside of drum & bass such as Gilles Peterson
, Ross Allen and Trevor Nelson
.
After the album release, drum and bass magazine Knowledge dubbed Wilson as a 'remarkable composer' and 'drum and bass royalty in the making' while iDJ magazine proclaimed him to be a 'matchless funk alchemist' and the 'soul price of drum and bass'.
Later that year, 'It's A Jazz Thing' was the second highest ranked drum and bass album in Mixmag
's 2008 Top 50 poll. The Number 1 spot was 'More Than A lot' by Chase & Status
with Pendulum
's 'In Silico' ranked 3rd.
Subsequent releases in 2008 included "Leap Of Faith' for LTJ Bukem
's Good Looking record label
and 'Disc Oh!' for DJ Marky
's Innerground imprint.
The release of 'It's A Jazz Thing' turned Wilson into a highly sought-after DJ on the international club circuit, regularly playing up to 10 gigs per month worldwide.
In early 2009, Wilson was nominated for 'best DJ' and 'best album' at the UK drum and bass awards.
Later that year, Wilson headlined at Milan
super club Magnolia's open air parade where he performed a DJ set on his 30th birthday to over 7000 people. In November 2009, Wilson performed DJ gigs in the UK, France, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, New Zealand, Australia and The United States - all within the space of just 6 weeks.
Other highlights from 2009 were Wilson's remix of Wiley
's number 1 UK hit single from 2008 called 'Wearing My Rolex
'.
Nicknamed 'Wearing Utah's Rolex' and starting as an unofficial bootleg, Wilson's remix became so popular that it was eventually signed to Warner Brother
& Atlantic Records
as an official version and was subsequently licensed for the 2009 compilation 'This is Drum and Bass' mixed by High Contrast
and London Elektricity
.
Also in 2009, Wilson was commissioned to co-write the music for the TV series Gumball 3000
, an adaptation of the famous Gumball Rally car race. The music and series has since been licensed to 13 countries worldwide and was written alongside Wilson's friend and close Barnet associate, Arlen Figgis, son of film director Mike Figgis
.
2010 sees the release of Wilson's 2nd studio album 'Utah Jazz Presents Vintage'. Collaborations on the LP are set to include Jungle Drum & Bass pioneer, Jonny L
, multi-million selling vocalist, Chelonis R. Jones from Röyksopp
, the Ragga Twins
plus a hip hop collaboration with MC D.R.S.
. The early track previews have already received thousands of hits on sites such as YouTube and myspace.
Drum and bass
Drum and bass is a type of electronic music which emerged in the late 1980s. The genre is characterized by fast breakbeats , with heavy bass and sub-bass lines...
DJ, producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
and remixer.
History
Wilson was born in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. He was raised within a very artistic family. His parents were Faith, a fashion designer, and Tony, a graphic designer. He was the youngest of three siblings, two brothers, Product Designer Ben Wilson & Graphical Artist Oscar Wilson.
Both brothers were instrumental to Wilson's musical career by introducing him to the music on London pirate stations, Kool FM
Kool FM
Kool FM is a London pirate radio station, started on 28 November 1991.Kool FM has stated that it has been "the very first pirate station ever to play Hardcore Jungle". Simon Reynolds called it "London's ruling pirate station" in an account of the beginnings of jungle music in the early to mid 1990s...
, Weekend Rush and Green Apple in 1993 then teaching him the basics of mixing and even escorting him to his early DJ gigs when he was too young to travel alone.
Musical style
Wilson's sound is "Drum and BassDrum and bass
Drum and bass is a type of electronic music which emerged in the late 1980s. The genre is characterized by fast breakbeats , with heavy bass and sub-bass lines...
", or more specifically "liquid funk
Liquid funk
Liquid funk is a sub-genre of drum and bass. While it uses similar basslines and bar layouts to other styles, it contains fewer bar-oriented samples and more instrumental layers , harmonies, and ambience, producing a calmer atmosphere directed at both home listeners and nightclub...
", the sound first defined by DJ Fabio
Fabio (DJ)
Fitzroy Heslop better known by his stage name of Fabio, is a drum and bass DJ and producer from the UK. Fabio has been described as one of the best DJ's of all time. He runs the Creative Source record label.-Biography:...
- one of Wilson's staunch supporters.
Known for his use of samples, Wilson adopts the Hip Hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
mentality of Crate Digging - delving into the past to find obscure sounds and old recordings to re-create and produce his tracks.
The stage-name 'Utah Jazz', also that of a US NBA Basketball team
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, has led to some bemusement and even hate messages from their fans worldwide.
Wilson began using the name in 1994 to showcase his preferred style of Drum and Bass
Drum and bass
Drum and bass is a type of electronic music which emerged in the late 1980s. The genre is characterized by fast breakbeats , with heavy bass and sub-bass lines...
- a cross between jungle and atmospheric sounds with Wilson citing LTJ Bukem
LTJ Bukem
LTJ Bukem is the stage name used by the drum and bass musician, producer and DJ Danny Williamson . He and his record labels Good Looking and Looking Good Records are most associated with the jazzy, atmospheric side of drum and bass music....
and Alex Reece
Alex Reece
Alex Reece was an influence of the jazzstep sound, a mix of drum and bass and jazz, and one of the musicians under the Metalheadz collective, who also works under the pseudonym of Fallen Angels....
as major early influences and it was then, with Reece, that Wilson had his first major breakthrough.
A chance meeting with his then drum and bass hero (when Reece moved into Wilson's home town of Barnet
Barnet
High Barnet or Chipping Barnet is a place in the London Borough of Barnet, North London, England. It is a suburban development built around a twelfth-century settlement and is located north north-west of Charing Cross. Its name is often abbreviated to Barnet, which is also the name of the London...
in Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
), led to studio sessions together and Wilson supporting Reece on his many tour gigs both in the UK and Europe from the age of 18.
In 1999, aged 19, Wilson joined Reece for a monthly residency at London superclub Fabric
Fabric (club)
Fabric is a nightclub in London, United Kingdom. It was voted number 1 in DJ Magazine's "Top 100 Clubs in the World" poll in 2007 and number 2 in 2008, 2009 and 2010...
, which had recently opened. Wilson remains a regular fixture at the club and can be found DJ-ing for 'Fabric Live' or as part of LTJ Bukem
LTJ Bukem
LTJ Bukem is the stage name used by the drum and bass musician, producer and DJ Danny Williamson . He and his record labels Good Looking and Looking Good Records are most associated with the jazzy, atmospheric side of drum and bass music....
's residency at the club called Progression Sessions.
Also in 1999, after Reece parted company with Island Records, they formed the record label 'Fallen Angels 21st Century Music' or 'Fallen Angles 21' releasing works such as 'All Night Long', 'Retrospect' and 'Exposed' featuring Wax Doctor.
After four years of running the label, Wilson became frustrated that he could not engineer his own tracks and had to rely on Reece for studio time and so decided to launch his solo career. On a small budget, Wilson built Slow Hand studios - a makeshift bedroom set-up in Barnet where many of his early classic tracks were produced.
In 2004 he wrote 'Jumpstart' which was released on Hospital Records
Hospital Records
Hospital Records is an independent record label based in South London. Primarily releasing Drum and bass, the label was started in 1996 by Tony Colman and Chris Goss, and has grown in recent years to become one of the most well known labels within UK dance music...
. This cemented Wilson's early connection with the label through brother Oscar who co-wrote the first Hospital release 'Harp Of Gold' with close friends, Hospital label owners, Tony Colman and Chris Goss. The three together were known as the 'Peter Nice Trio'; Chris and Tony went on to global success as London Elektricity
London Elektricity
London Elektricity is the DJ and stage name of musician Tony Colman who is best known as a recording artist of five albums, international DJ and formerly a live drum and bass act "London Elektricity Live".-History:...
.
Also, released in 2004 were the tracks 'Harlem', 'Done & Dusted' and 'The Deep End' - all through Bryan G's imprint Liquid V
Liquid V
Liquid V is a drum and bass sub-label of V Recordings, owned and run by Bryan Gee and Jumping Jack FrostAlso singing Loads of Established DnB producers as well as many up and coming artists. Liquid V has quickly rose to the top of the Liquid Funk Genre of Drum & Bass, becoming one of its top labels...
, sister label of V Recordings
V Recordings
V Recordings is a drum and bass record label, based in London. Started by DJs Bryan Gee and Jumping Jack Frost, V Recordings is one of the longest-running Drum and Bass imprints, with a large catalogue of releases stretching back to 1993...
. This led to a close working relationship between Wilson and V Recordings
V Recordings
V Recordings is a drum and bass record label, based in London. Started by DJs Bryan Gee and Jumping Jack Frost, V Recordings is one of the longest-running Drum and Bass imprints, with a large catalogue of releases stretching back to 1993...
owner Bryan G and culminated in the release of Wilson's debut album on the label some years later.
In 2005, Wilson wrote 'Runaway', one of his most popular tracks to date and now considered to be an all time classic of the liquid funk
Liquid funk
Liquid funk is a sub-genre of drum and bass. While it uses similar basslines and bar layouts to other styles, it contains fewer bar-oriented samples and more instrumental layers , harmonies, and ambience, producing a calmer atmosphere directed at both home listeners and nightclub...
. Again, released on Liquid V
Liquid V
Liquid V is a drum and bass sub-label of V Recordings, owned and run by Bryan Gee and Jumping Jack FrostAlso singing Loads of Established DnB producers as well as many up and coming artists. Liquid V has quickly rose to the top of the Liquid Funk Genre of Drum & Bass, becoming one of its top labels...
, the track was quoted as BBC DJ Fabio
Fabio (DJ)
Fitzroy Heslop better known by his stage name of Fabio, is a drum and bass DJ and producer from the UK. Fabio has been described as one of the best DJ's of all time. He runs the Creative Source record label.-Biography:...
's 'tune of the year'. It fused 70s funk and soul riffs into drum and bass format alongside a male vocal.
Today
In 2006, Wilson produced V RecordingsV Recordings
V Recordings is a drum and bass record label, based in London. Started by DJs Bryan Gee and Jumping Jack Frost, V Recordings is one of the longest-running Drum and Bass imprints, with a large catalogue of releases stretching back to 1993...
' biggest selling single of the year when he remixed Roni Size
Roni Size
Roni Size is a British record producer and DJ, who came to prominence in 1997 as the founder and leader of Reprazent, a drum and bass collective...
& DJ Die
DJ Die
DJ Die , is a British music producer and DJ. He was a founder of drum and bass label Full Cycle Recordings and a member of acts Reprazent and Breakbeat Era....
's jungle classic 'It's A Jazz Thing'. Wilson produced two versions of the remix - one using the original 'It's A Jazz Thing' samples and the other side using samples from both 'It's A Jazz Thing' and its original B side 'All Crews Must Big Up' together, which is known in the scene as a 'mash up'
Mashup (music)
A mashup or bootleg is a song or composition created by blending two or more pre-recorded songs, usually by overlaying the vocal track of one song seamlessly over the instrumental track of another...
. Both tracks were originally released on V Recordings
V Recordings
V Recordings is a drum and bass record label, based in London. Started by DJs Bryan Gee and Jumping Jack Frost, V Recordings is one of the longest-running Drum and Bass imprints, with a large catalogue of releases stretching back to 1993...
in 1994.
Wilson's remix 12" went on to reach number 14 in the UK dance singles chart and number 1 in the BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
drum & bass chart. It became an overnight success within the wider spectrum of drum & bass outside of Wilson's usual 'liquid funk' tag and received support from Andy C
Andy C
Andy C , born Andrew John Clarke, is an English DJ and producer and co-founder of the RAM Recording Studio. He is the son of Mick Clarke, bass player and founder member of the Rubettes, who had hits in the seventies like Sugar Baby Love, Tonight and I Can Do It.He is considered a pioneering force...
, Pendulum
Pendulum (band)
Pendulum is an Australian drum and bass and electronic rock band founded in 2002 in Perth by Rob Swire, Gareth McGrillen, and Paul Harding.Swire and McGrillen were members of the rock band known as Xygen. After hearing Konflict's "Messiah" at a club, they were inspired to enter into the drum and...
and later in 2007 from Annie Mac
Annie Mac
Annie Mac is an Irish DJ and television presenter who hosts an eponymous electronic dance music show on BBC Radio 1 in the United Kingdom which airs at 7:00 pm on Friday evenings as well as a Sunday evening show alongside co-presenter Nick Grimshaw.-Personal life:Annie Mac was born in Dublin,...
on her BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
show. It was also added to the BBC 1Xtra
BBC Radio 1Xtra
BBC Radio 1Xtra is a digital radio station in the United Kingdom from the BBC specialising in new black music, sometimes referred to as urban music. Launched at 18:00 on 16 August 2002, it had been codenamed Network X during the consulation period and is the sister station to BBC Radio 1...
playlist.
In 2008, Wilson released his debut album 'It's A Jazz Thing' on Liquid V
Liquid V
Liquid V is a drum and bass sub-label of V Recordings, owned and run by Bryan Gee and Jumping Jack FrostAlso singing Loads of Established DnB producers as well as many up and coming artists. Liquid V has quickly rose to the top of the Liquid Funk Genre of Drum & Bass, becoming one of its top labels...
to critical acclaim. The album was named by Liquid V
Liquid V
Liquid V is a drum and bass sub-label of V Recordings, owned and run by Bryan Gee and Jumping Jack FrostAlso singing Loads of Established DnB producers as well as many up and coming artists. Liquid V has quickly rose to the top of the Liquid Funk Genre of Drum & Bass, becoming one of its top labels...
label boss, Bryan G after the success of Wilson's Roni Size
Roni Size
Roni Size is a British record producer and DJ, who came to prominence in 1997 as the founder and leader of Reprazent, a drum and bass collective...
remix two years previously. Also, according to Mixmag, it aptly suited 'Wilson's knack for excavating big riffs from 70's funk and soul records'.
Support for the album came from a wide range of musical sources from DJ Fabio
Fabio (DJ)
Fitzroy Heslop better known by his stage name of Fabio, is a drum and bass DJ and producer from the UK. Fabio has been described as one of the best DJ's of all time. He runs the Creative Source record label.-Biography:...
and LTJ Bukem
LTJ Bukem
LTJ Bukem is the stage name used by the drum and bass musician, producer and DJ Danny Williamson . He and his record labels Good Looking and Looking Good Records are most associated with the jazzy, atmospheric side of drum and bass music....
to DJs outside of drum & bass such as Gilles Peterson
Gilles Peterson
Gilles Peterson , is a DJ, record collector and record label owner from London, UK. Through his labels Acid Jazz, Talkin' Loud, and latterly Brownswood Recordings, he has been associated with the careers of well-known artists of the 1990s such as Erykah Badu, Roni Size and Jamiroquai...
, Ross Allen and Trevor Nelson
Trevor Nelson
Trevor Nelson MBE is an English DJ and presenter.Born in Hackney to a family of St Lucian heritage, he attended Central Foundation Boys' Grammar School in Cowper St, Islington, London EC2 and Westminster Kingsway College...
.
After the album release, drum and bass magazine Knowledge dubbed Wilson as a 'remarkable composer' and 'drum and bass royalty in the making' while iDJ magazine proclaimed him to be a 'matchless funk alchemist' and the 'soul price of drum and bass'.
Later that year, 'It's A Jazz Thing' was the second highest ranked drum and bass album in Mixmag
Mixmag
Mixmag is a British dance music and clubbing magazine. It styles itself as "the world's biggest selling dance music magazine", with an Audit Bureau of Circulations audited circulation of approximately 21,250...
's 2008 Top 50 poll. The Number 1 spot was 'More Than A lot' by Chase & Status
Chase & Status
Chase & Status are an electronic music production duo from London consisting of Saul Milton and Will Kennard. MC Rage & Andy Gangadeen also make up the live band.-2003-2005:...
with Pendulum
Pendulum
A pendulum is a weight suspended from a pivot so that it can swing freely. When a pendulum is displaced from its resting equilibrium position, it is subject to a restoring force due to gravity that will accelerate it back toward the equilibrium position...
's 'In Silico' ranked 3rd.
Subsequent releases in 2008 included "Leap Of Faith' for LTJ Bukem
LTJ Bukem
LTJ Bukem is the stage name used by the drum and bass musician, producer and DJ Danny Williamson . He and his record labels Good Looking and Looking Good Records are most associated with the jazzy, atmospheric side of drum and bass music....
's Good Looking record label
Good Looking Records
Good Looking Records is a Jungle/drum & bass record label, formed in the early nineties by pioneering DJ/producer LTJ Bukem.Artists who have released on this label include LTJ Bukem, Tayla, Furney, Redeyes, Q Project, Peshay, Big Bud, Nookie, Makoto, Intense, Artemis, New Balance, MC D.R.S., PFM,...
and 'Disc Oh!' for DJ Marky
DJ Marky
Marco Antonio Silva a.k.a. DJ Marky is a Brazilian drum and bass DJ.Together with DJ Patife, XRS Land and Drumagick, Brazilians were forging a new sound in drum and bass that became popular around the world with releases such as LK and Só Tinha Que Ser Com Você.-Career:He was brought to the...
's Innerground imprint.
The release of 'It's A Jazz Thing' turned Wilson into a highly sought-after DJ on the international club circuit, regularly playing up to 10 gigs per month worldwide.
In early 2009, Wilson was nominated for 'best DJ' and 'best album' at the UK drum and bass awards.
Later that year, Wilson headlined at Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
super club Magnolia's open air parade where he performed a DJ set on his 30th birthday to over 7000 people. In November 2009, Wilson performed DJ gigs in the UK, France, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, New Zealand, Australia and The United States - all within the space of just 6 weeks.
Other highlights from 2009 were Wilson's remix of Wiley
Wiley (rapper)
Richard Kylea Cowie , better known by his stage name Wiley is a prolific British music producer, MC and recording artist, and rapper with roots from Trinidad...
's number 1 UK hit single from 2008 called 'Wearing My Rolex
Wearing My Rolex
"Wearing My Rolex" is a 2008 single from British grime artist Wiley who is a founding member of the Roll Deep Crew. Described as "grime-meets-electro" on Radio 1XTRA, the song samples DSK's song "What Would We Do" and was released on 5 May 2008 by Asylum/Atlantic Records...
'.
Nicknamed 'Wearing Utah's Rolex' and starting as an unofficial bootleg, Wilson's remix became so popular that it was eventually signed to Warner Brother
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
& Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
as an official version and was subsequently licensed for the 2009 compilation 'This is Drum and Bass' mixed by High Contrast
High Contrast
Lincoln Barrett, better known by the stage name High Contrast , is a Welsh drum and bass DJ and producer.-History:...
and London Elektricity
London Elektricity
London Elektricity is the DJ and stage name of musician Tony Colman who is best known as a recording artist of five albums, international DJ and formerly a live drum and bass act "London Elektricity Live".-History:...
.
Also in 2009, Wilson was commissioned to co-write the music for the TV series Gumball 3000
Gumball 3000
The Gumball 3000 is an annual international road rally which takes place on public roads, with a different route around the world each year. Founded in 1999 by Maximillion Cooper, it sees an annual entry of 120 cars, which are mostly exotic and powerful sports cars. However, more unusual entries ...
, an adaptation of the famous Gumball Rally car race. The music and series has since been licensed to 13 countries worldwide and was written alongside Wilson's friend and close Barnet associate, Arlen Figgis, son of film director Mike Figgis
Mike Figgis
Michael "Mike" Figgis is an English film director, writer, and composer.-Personal life:Figgis was born in Carlisle, England and grew up in Africa. Figgis for several years had a relationship with the actress Saffron Burrows and cast her in several films...
.
2010 sees the release of Wilson's 2nd studio album 'Utah Jazz Presents Vintage'. Collaborations on the LP are set to include Jungle Drum & Bass pioneer, Jonny L
Jonny L
Jonny L, real name John Lisners, is a British drum and bass producer. He has also released music under the alias of Mr. L.-Biography:...
, multi-million selling vocalist, Chelonis R. Jones from Röyksopp
Röyksopp
Röyksopp is a Norwegian electronic music duo from Tromsø, formed in 1998. Since their inception, the band's line-up has included Svein Berge and Torbjørn Brundtland....
, the Ragga Twins
Ragga Twins
Ragga Twins are a jungle group from Hackney, England, composed of London UNITY sound system veteran MCs Deman Rockers and Flinty Badman . Socialist Worker referred to them as "one of the most influential acts to emerge from the rave scene"...
plus a hip hop collaboration with MC D.R.S.
MC D.R.S.
MC D.R.S. is a British rapper. Born Delroy Pottinger, he landed a spot as the resident MC at Club Xtreme and came into contact with drum and bass artist LTJ Bukem and rapper MC Conrad. He proved to be one of comparatively few rappers who could keep up with the intense rhythmic intricacies of drum...
. The early track previews have already received thousands of hits on sites such as YouTube and myspace.