Made in Portland (2015)

4 STARS IN DOWNBEAT MAGAZINE! FEATURED ON DOWNBEAT’S BEST ALBUMS OF 2015 LIST!  Start with three of Portland’s leading ladies – Rebecca Kilgore, Anandi Gefroh, and Laura Cunard, – add eight first-class musicians, including Dan Balmer, Michael Raynor, Dan Gaynor, John Moak, and Israel Annoh, and you’ve got a sublime sonic affair.

Wilensky keeps it moving using various configurations (duets to nonets) and innovative, joyful arrangements of eight new originals and five covers, including Irving Berlin’s “What’ll I Do” and Neil Sedaka’s “Laughter In the Rain.” A superb horn section and percussion add even more dimension and color.

“Joyful … Soulful … Rollicking …. Memorable. Made In Portland draws upon Wilensky’s years of expertise, and features some of Oregon’s top local musicians. One soon appreciates why Polyglot is the name of the record label. There is no shortage of variety on this disc. Each of the 13 songs, including seven Wilensky originals and a free improvisation, has it’s own plot.”

– Scott Yanow, Downbeat Magazine (Nov. 2015)