“David Wilken is one of the best young Big Band composers in our country. He writes tunes the players and the people like to play and listen to. His music is playable, but yet challenging. We are so very lucky to have Dave Wilken in Asheville.” – trumpeter Dr. John A. Entzi, Mars Hill College
Asheville, did you know we have actually a bona fide, full-fledged jazz band – something many much larger cities lack? Look no further than the Asheville Jazz Orchestra and thank Dave Wilkin!
Dave Wilken created the Asheville Jazz Orchestra (AJO) in 2006 after a couple of years of talking with other musicians about how much fun it is to play in a big band and wondering why someone hadn’t put one together yet around here.
Born and raised in the Chicago area, Dave became interested in jazz at a young age while playing in the high school band. Initially trained on the trumpet and baritone horn, at one point the director invited him to try out the difficult trombone, since the band was lacking one. “I was reluctant at first, because I’d have to give up most of my lunch period, but ended up loving it.”
Dave earned a B.M in Composition from Illinois Wesleyan University, a M.M. in Jazz Studies from DePaul University and a D.A. in Trombone Performance from Ball State University. He has since taught music at Indiana Wesleyan University, Adams State College, and UNCA. Having evolved into a premier trombonist, composer, arranger and music educator, Dr. Wilken currently teaches music at Western Carolina University.
Dave’s interest in composition extends to teaching and presenting performances of student and faculty works through founding UNCA’s bi-annual Contemporary Music Recital and presenting concerts of music by local composers and arrangers with the AJO. A versatile trombonist, Dr. Wilken also performs regularly with a variety of ensembles besides the AJO (where he is Music Director), such as salsa bands, symphony orchestras and a trombone choir. Known as a versatile trombonist, he’s in demand as a session player and has recorded for a variety of artists, also composing for numerous albums by a wide range of groups and artists.
I asked Dave if there’s a particular composer/arranger who’s most influenced him and why? “Duke Ellington for his artful variety of sounds and the way he used his band’s abilities so effectively. Sammy Nestico for writing great swinging charts. Thad Jones for also swinging hard, but also for his quirky lines and unusual voicings. Gil Evans, Bob Brookmeyer, Jim McNeely, Wayne Shorter, Charles Mingus.”
Regarding the AJO, “We’re a full 17 piece big band, with a pool of about 25 or so musicians that play with us according to availability. We use the standard instrumentation that evolved during the Swing Era and the music we play ranges from charts of the big bands from that time, to brand new music, as a couple of regular players in the band are also composers and arrangers.
I asked, “Duke wrote pieces with particular musicians in his group in mind, do you?”
“It depends on what I’m after and what I hope to do with the chart later. I usually write more for a particular band’s ability level and normally have a particular band in mind to perform it. Charts I’m writing for the AJO also take into account our lead trumpet players, what sort of grooves our rhythm section plays particularly well and particular soloists that I want to feature on that chart. On the other hand, sometimes I write a less specific sort of chart specifically because I want it to be useable by different bands.”
“Dave Wilken is a fine trombonist and teacher, but I feel that possibly his best strength is in writing and arranging. As a member of the Asheville Jazz Orchestra, I have had the distinct pleasure of playing much of Dave’s music over the past several years. He is capable of emulating the writing styles of many other composers and arrangers from the past, but he also has a very distinct writing style of his own. We are very lucky to have someone of Dave’s caliber here in Western North Carolina.” – local jazz drummer Justin Watt