Gerald Wilson has for more than 60 years been one of the principal composers and arrangers in jazz. Wilson got his start in Jimmie Lunceford’s swing orchestra in 1939 (contributing the now-standard tune "Yarddog Mazurka") and later wrote arrangements and originals for Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Dizzie Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Charles, Benny Carter, Lionel Hampton, Billie Holiday, Dinah Washington, Nancy Wilson, Sarah Vaughan and many, many others. Wilson formed his own orchestra, and in the late 50’s made a series of superb albums for Pacific Jazz, beginning with the You Better Believe It. The recordings that Wilson made for Pacific Jazz in the early 60’s received two Grammy nominations and are now considered collectors’ items. His tune, "Blues for Yna Yna" was his theme when he led the All-Star Festival Orchestra at the 1963 Monterey Jazz Festival, Wilson’s first appearance there. Still another, the Latin-flavored "Viva Tirado," reached number one on the pop charts in 1968. The 70’s, 80’s and 90’s have found Wilson (who was honored as a National Endowment for the Arts American Jazz Masters fellow in 1990) performing with his ace orchestra and producing such fine albums as Jenna (Discovery) and State Street Suite (MAMA).

Wilson has received many major commissions, such as “Debut: 52172,” commissioned in 1972 by the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s then-Music Director Zubin Mehta, and performed with that orchestra. His exciting and expanded version of Gershwin’s“Summertime” was first presented with his band at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. during summer 1997. Wilson’s most recent success was a work commissioned for the Monterey Jazz Festival’s 40th anniversary. The composition entitled, “Theme for Monterey” was premiered there on September 21, 1997 by the 19-piece Gerald Wilson Orchestra.

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