Derek Hunter Wilson is a multi-instrumentalist and composer based in Portland, Oregon who considers improvisation an important part of his musical practice. While this can be said of a number of musicians, I would dare say few embrace the idea as expansively as Wilson. A compelling case in point is his 2022 project covered here last year which featured 3 and half hours of piano improvisations presented in video form with footage of a stunning winter rail journey from California to Oregon. Wilson leaned even further into the concept for 2023 by recording over 10 hours of spontaneous piano compositions over the course of the year from which he selected material for both a new ambient travel video and audio album.
The intent of the album, a new addition to this year’s collection of improvisations, is to showcase the different moods and aspects of Wilson’s playing by presenting it in an abridged form comprising 12 tracks spanning just under an hour. The long form video, on the other hand, runs a full four and a half hours and best captures the “journalistic character” of his improvisational recordings in which he explores the highs and lows of his own inner landscapes echoed visually by the stunning and varied vistas that unfurl outside an airplane window.
In bifurcating Improvisations 2023 into these divergent formats, Wilson offers two different but equally compelling experiences for his audience to enjoy. Once again, I am pleased to be able to premiere the video portion of the project here in advance of the release of the audio album on April 12. So now it’s time to sit back and enjoy the next chapter in this musical journey. Hint: you may want to click on the “full screen” option in the lower right corner of the video player for the best experience.
The idea behind the video and its length being that of creating more of a background piece that can be played at any starting point, rather than something to be experienced in one sitting.
Improvisations 2023 in album form will be available beginning April 12, 2024. For more about Derek and his music, including releases, interviews, social media, etc., links are available at https://linktr.ee/derekhunterwilson
Stationary Travels 