Jim Wilson

a.k.a. Tulku, a.k.a. Little Wolf

click: Jim Wilson discography

Jim Wilson is a prolific musician and producer who's done much to advance the artform of ambient techno and the cause of Native American recognition. Dispelling rustic stereotypes with state-of-the-art electronics even as he draws heavily on the rhythms and found voices of his own and other indigenous cultures, Wilson is at the forefront of emphasizing the First Peoples' contemporary presence while preserving their ancient heritage. Helping ex-Band leader Robbie Robertson fashion the textural soundscapes for the groundbreaking 1994 TV documentary score The Native Americans, Wilson next invested the electronic genre with uncommon personality and nuance – while sacrificing none of its cybernetic edge – with his Little Wolf project's two landmark suites of atmospheric ancient-futurism, Dream Song and Wolf Moon.

As cultural impresario, Wilson assembled a collection surveying the breadth of contemporary Native devotional music, Songs of the Spirit, a characteristically substantive take on new-agey material. Bringing many traditional artists to mainstream attention on that anthology, Wilson also helped connect another mainstream icon with her roots: his production of former chart-ruler Rita Coolidge's vocal trio with her sister and neice, Walela, played a major role in making the group favorites of both the Native and non-Native world-music audiences immediately upon the release of their debut album, Walela.

As interested in the convergence of cultures on the social level as he is in the convergence of styles on the artistic one, Wilson has helped guide American musical mystic Krishna Das, and gave sonic life to Russian psychiatrist Olga Kharitidi's odyssey into the world of Siberian shamanism on the haunting Enter the Circle, which accompanies her book of the same name. Wilson's world-wide all-star project Tulku is more standard-issue ethno-techno, but from time to time he's entitled to fall back on the conventions of a genre he helped pioneer. With Jim Wilson at the controls, silenced societies are patched into the system and wired for sound.

– Adam McGovern

Biography

Jim Wilson was born in the state of Oklahoma, of Choctow and Irish descent, in the month of August in 1946. Childhood years were mostly spent in the small towns of west Texas and southern Oklahoma. After graduating from high school in Richardson ,Texas, he moved to Lame Deer, Montana to work with the Northern Cheyenne Tribal council in an endeavor designed to provide employment to the Cheyenne people. This at the behest of his grandmother who was very active in Native American issues. During this time there were a great number friendships and experiences with tribal elders and the medicine men of this area. In later years, this would prove to be a invaluable source of inspiration in the creation of contemporary Native American music. Following these years, Wilson was married and had a son, attended college in Billings, Montana and later post-graduate study at the University of Montana in Missoula.

In 1976 he moved to Vancouver B.C. to pursue his musical interest. There he became one of the founding members of the Cement City Cowboys, a popular country and western swing group. Eventually Wilson created a new group "Blue Northern" with Billy Cowsill of the "Cowsill's" (Hair). This was a country rock group that recorded three albums for Polygram records and had five #1 singles in both the pop and country charts from 1982-1986 along with Juno nominations and CCMA awards. After a second marriage and the birth of his second son, Wilson retired from the "road life" of a touring band to concentrate on song writing and recording projects. During this time, a number of songs were written for the Grammy Award winning Queen Ida and the Bon Temps band. Work was begun in 1988 on a "New Native" project entitled "Shaman's Dream of the Animal Spirits." Although this extended opera concept was never finished, many of the songs would later be released as single compositions ("Coyote Dance," Music for the Native Americans).

In 1992, Wilson decided to re-locate back to the United States where he was soon contacted by Robbie Robertson who had heard some of the "Shaman" tracks while visiting with mutual friends in Vancouver. Work was begun on both the soundtrack for the TBS six hour documentary and the album Music for the Native Americans. Both projects were completed by 1994 with the documentary series winning three Emmy awards and the album selling over a million copies world wide.

In 1995 a new album was released through Triloka records under the name "Little Wolf Band" titled Dream Song. This would be a highly acclaimed addition to the growing "New Native" genre. Immediately following "Dream Song," work was begun on a "World Beat" album entitled Trancendence under the name "Tulku." This project marked the beginning of many collaborations with Jai Uttal, Geoffrey Gordon and Krishna Das. In the fall of the same year, Jai Uttal and Jim Wilson co-produced the first Krishna Das release One Track Heart.

In 1996 Wilson and Gordon teamed up to write and produce an album with the Russian-born author, Olga Kharitidi. Her book Entering the Circle was a highly acclaimed exploration into the mysterious realm of Siberian shamanism. In this recording Kharitidi and Wilson created a musical journey that remains true to the trance experience of the Altai shamans. Later in this year Wilson was invited by David Silver of Mercury records to produce a posthumous album with pop icon Timothy Leary. With tracks from a 1967 Mercury release Turn on, Tune in, and Drop out and interviews from just before his death (a span of 30 years) came the creation of Beyond Life. With contributions from Fiorella Terenzi, the Moody Blues, and Ministry's Al Jourgensen, this album went on to become a cult classic. Also included on this album is a collaboration between Wilson and Allen Ginsberg entitled A Tale of the Tribe. The second Tulku album Season of Souls was written and produced for Triloka with quest artist Mamek Khadem, Mayan elder Don Alejendro,and Krishna Das.

In 1997 Wilson produced the self-titled Walela album with Rita Coolidge, Laura Satterfield, and Priscilla Coolidge. This album has proven to be a masterpiece of the "New Native" genre, winning two NAMA awards. In the same vein, the second Little Wolf album entitled Wolf Moon was also completed along with a writing and production collaboration with Robbie Robertson for the Contact from the Underworld of Redboy album. The Redboy album received two Grammy nominations and was featured on VH1 and PBS specials.

Teaming up with fellow Santa Fean Consuelo Luz, Wilson produced the Dezeo CD which brings ancient sephardic prayers in ladino and traditional love songs into a contemporary world beat setting. The track "Los Bilbilicos" was featured on the Buddha Bar compilation by Claude Challe.

In a tribute to world peace, Wilson then wrote and produced "Ecclesia" with fellow musician and author James Twyman (Praying Peace and The Emissary of Light). Based on peace prayers from all the religious traditions of the world, this album creates an ambient trance dance excursion into the common hope of all peoples.

Wilson has released three albums on New Earth Records: A Universe to Come, Doors to Paradise, and Prayer to the Mystery. At the opening ceremonies of the Salt Lake Winter Games, Robbie Robertson, Walela and Jim Wilson gave a live performance of three songs for the worldwide telecast.

Wilson now resides in Santa Fe, NM and France with his wife Corinne and is currently involved in new musical projects on both continents.