Ken Wiley

Ken Wiley has got to be the hardest working French horn player in contemporary jazz. On the one hand, he’s a highly sought-after session musician on the L.A. scene, whose credits include contributions to Walter Murphy’s exceptional soundtracks for Family Guy, The Cleveland Show and American Dad. He’s also a prolific composer and performer with impressive jazz bona fides, whose career highlights include appearances alongside bassists John Patitucci and Jimmy Johnson, as well as with saxophonist Charlie Rouse and bassist Charlie Haden’s Liberation Jazz Orchestra.

Ken Wiley is a French horn player, composer and producer with a long and varied musical career. A graduate of the Manhattan School of Music in New York, he is now considered one of the top studio musicians in Los Angeles, and his impressive career highlights include appearances with Charlie Haden’s Liberation Music Orchestra and the Charlie Rouse Quintet. He’s also performed alongside bassists John Patitucci and Jimmy Johnson, as well as with guitarists Mike Miller and Grant Geissman.

Ken Wiley’s “Cuerno Exotica” is the French horn player’s latest album. The release has the potential to change listeners’ perception of the French horn as they hear the instrument used in soundscapes that are pure jazz and Latin-infused. “Cuerno Exotica” is a mix of originals and cover tunes. Tracks like a version of Ravel’s “Bolero” and the original “Gato Magico” demonstrate the various moods that the French horn can be used to create.

Ken Wiley's new album, Cuerno Exotica, is such a vessel for that kind of happiness with its dense, modern structure and superb musical performances. It's a magical balm for your stressful existence in every conceivable way.

From Julius Watkins to Arkady Shilkloper - the French horn already has its own, albeit rather short history in jazz. A small group of leading jazz horns continues to strengthen the traditions of this instrument, each in its own style. Belonging to this group and living in Los Angeles is American horn player, Ken Wiley. 

Taking things you wouldn't imagine south of the border (like classical), the jazz French horn player and his pals make a wonderful listening date that's so captivating it's easy to see how his chops can take him from playing with Charlie Haden to Grant Geissman with loads of impressive stops along the way.

Amazing French Horn led Latin jazz Ken Wiley – CUERNO EXOTICA:  As I pointed out in my review of Ken’s “Jazz Horn Redux” album (not too long ago), it’s rare (for me, anyway) to hear a jazz band that’s led by a French Horn; it’s even more rare to hear it in the context of great (and very well-performed) Latin jazz…

The title of Ken Wiley’s melodically and rhythmically inviting new album translates to “Exotic Horn” – but his lead voice is not an instrument, like trumpet, flugelhorn or saxophone, that we normally associate with the kind of sultry, soulful and romantic Latin jazz he’s playing here with esteemed cohorts like Mark Leggett (acoustic guitar) and Dan Higgins (flute and sax).

Here's an entire CD of "greatest hits" by any standard of judgment.

Talented French horn virtuoso Ken Wiley comes next with his Urban Horn Project. The song “Mingling” also features nice flute work by Dan Higgins.

The French Horn is rarely given a chance in jazz circles; usually there’s a problem with either dynamics or dexterity, so it’s relegated to being a “section” instrument, unless it’s in the right hands (and mouth). Ken Wiley shows how it can be accomplished with a collection of all stars…

Ken Wiley's new album is so surprising. He's a french horn player, which obviously sounds a lot more mellow than a trumpet or a flugelhorn or a sax or a trombone. Wiley is celebrating the contribution of horns in the jazz songbook, so we get smooth and textured renderings of such classics as Freddie Hubbard's "Little Sunflower," Charlie Parker's "Scrapple from the Apple," John Coltrane's "Equinox" and Sonny Rollins' "Oleo." You even get two faithful covers from Kind of Blue--"All Blues" and "Freddie Freeloader."

French horn is not a common solo instrument in jazz, often found in ensembles to add musical color such as in Gil Evans orchestrations or Hall Overton’s Big Band arrangements of Thelonious Monk for Monk’s legendary Town Hall Concert. Wiley is among those who have provided more prominence to the instrument and on this disc he has put together eleven interpretations of some famous jazz compositions…

The French horn is certainly not among the most used instruments in jazz, but Ken Wiley in these eleven tracks, all standard, shows how it is possible to take rich solos of swing on well arranged arrangements and also enriched by very good sideman.

It’s not often I get to enjoy a French Horn player indulging in straight-ahead jazz as an upfront soloist. This is Ken Wiley’s fourth recording as a leader, but it’s his first project that focuses on straight-ahead jazz and he covers some of jazz music’s greatest musician/composers.

Busy French horn player Ken Wiley is joined by the crème de la crème of the L.A. jazz elite on his new album. Gil Evans always featured multiple French horns in his signature arrangements, and I love the warm sound of the instrument in jazz.

Veteran French horn player, Ken Wiley, offers smart interpretations of jazz classics on “Jazz Horn Redux.” The Los Angeles, California-based musician is accompanied by some of the best musicians in the area. Together, they educate new and dedicated jazz listeners about the range and dynamics of various horns. This is done through tribute songs that honor the likes of Miles Davis, Freddie Hubbard, Charlie Parker, John Coltrane and Sonny Rollins, plus others.

I didn’t realize it when I first started spinning this very comfortable album, but Ken’s instrument is the French Horn, and as you listen to his interpretation of classic jazz standards like Freddie Hubbard’s “Little Sunflower“, you’ll hear why I fell in love with the album right away…

French horn player Ken Wiley begins the next set with a nice version of Freddie Hubbard's classic "Little Sunflower."