Ken Wiley
‘Cuerno Exotica’
Krug Park Music
French horn may not
be the first instrument that comes to mind when you think of jazz, but when
played by Ken Wiley, it works beautifully. Wiley is a top Los Angeles studio
musician who plays regularly on the soundtracks of TV shows like “Family Guy.”
But his reputation is so strong, he’s been recruited
to play with Charlie Haden’s Liberation Music Orchestra, the Charlie Rouse
Quintet, and other groups. His fifth album, “Cuerno Exotica,” is an adventurous,
Latin-tinged treat.
The album begins
with a five-minute arrangement of Ravel’s “Bolero,” featuring beautiful
instrumental blends over a Latin rhythm. Punctuated by a hot horn section, the
track simmers from start to finish. Another highlight is a fresh take on McCoy
Tyner’s “Sama Layuca.” The musicians are too numerous to name but suffice to
say, they are all on the West Coast A-list. As for Wiley’s French horn as a
jazz instrument, it’s gorgeous on its own and equally effective when doubled
with Dan Higgins’s flute.
This article appears in May 29 – Jun 4, 2019.
