Phillip Wilson (sometimes referred to as Philip Wilson or Phil Wilson but not to be mistaken with the trombonist of the same name) was a top drummer of his generation in jazz, blues and rock. He was born Phillip Sanford Wilson in St. Louis, Missouri in 1941. He rose to prominence in avant-garde jazz at the beginning of the 1960s. His recording debut was made in 1962 with the soul-jazz organist Sam Lazar’s Album Playback. However, he began to move into avant-garde music during the mid-’60s as a member of Art Ensemble of Chicago and also with Roscoe Mitchell. Paul Butterfield approached Wilson to join his band. Their drummer, Billy Davenport had just retired and was tired of touring. Butterfield and Elvin Bishop wanted to restructure the band. Wilson was a key part of those efforts. A drummer as progressive and as rooted in the ’50s blues as Davenport, Wilson was a vital part of them. After the band had played at the Monterey Pop Festival he joined and made his debut on The Resurrection of Pigboy Crabshaw. The band was transformed by his role as an anchor and supported by two trumpeters and a saxman, becoming a jazz-blues R.
