A skilled creative improvisational player, saxophonist Bert Wilson was little known to all but the most dedicated jazz buffs. A skilled and original performer equally at home on tenor, alto, and soprano, he first emerged during the 1960s, appearing on records from the likes of Sonny Simmons and James Zitro. When Wilson finally began leading his own dates years later, most of his albums were released on his own FMO label, and as a result were never privy to the kind of wide distribution they deserved. Those issued on other, more high-profile labels, like 1986's The Next Rebirth and 1994's Endless Fingers, typically earned high marks from critics. ~ Jason Ankeny