2L April 00 Studio - Two Louies Magazine

You’d think that in second grade, in
struments would be assigned ac
cording to size. No self-respecting
music teacher would give a second grader,
whose only means of transportation
was his mother’s VW
bug, a stand-up bass to play.
But Sandin Wilson’s mother
demonstrated true genius and
determination by transporting
her son and his best buddy, his
bass, in that baggage bound
Beetle. “The scroll would hang
out of the window, ” Wilson recalled
with a smile on his face.
This mother’s genius for cargo
manipulation was surpassed
only by her son’s musical abilities.
They weren’t just heading
for rudimentary music lessons,
often they were on their way to
performances. At that ripe
young age Sandin Wilson was
already taking the first confident
strides of what would become
a life-long musical journey.
The bio of this illustrious
Portland musician includes a
Carnegie Hall performance
with America’s Youth Group at
the age of 16 and a tour through
nine European countries. By
the age of 18, he was studying
at the Bass Institute of Technology
in Hollywood with some of
the world’s finest players.
Wilson’s fellow students were
getting ready to settle into a life
of studio work. “These guys
were all in their thirties and had
it all tied up...I was just 18 and
wanted to play...so I left.”
Now at the age of 40, Sandin has recorded
on nearly 70 CD’s . His musical credits
include work with Quarterflash, Windham
Hills artist John Doan, Michael Gettle, Cal
Scott, Craig Carothers, Calvin Walker,
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Page 24 - TWO LOUIES, April 2000
Michael Harrison, Linda Hornbuckle, Dan
Reed, Terry Robb and many others. The
Quarterflash gig ran from1987 to 1997, but
Wilson’s desire to perform often had him
playing with up to five different bands at a
time during this stretch. His current gig with
Portland’s Swingline Cubs has him playing
bass and splitting vocals with Juliann
Johnson. He’s been with the band
for five years.
“I definitely want to say that
the band is better than ever.” Wilson
talked about “The Cubs” a
band that has graced Portland
with its snappy swing arrangements
for more than 20 years.
“The guy who put it together,
Teddy Deane, just retired. He’s a
prostrate cancer survivor and is
now a spokesman for the American
Cancer Society. There was a
ton of press covering his departure
from the band. It was a lot of
positive stuff, but it also put in
people’s minds that the band was
breaking up.”
“I like to funk and I like to
sing” Wilson added. Wearing
suits and ties for 90 dates a year,
Sandin plays some swanky gigs
these days. “We’re mainly known
for playing 40’s swing, but we also
play R&B covers, funk and original
songs too.”
“These guys are great,” Wilson
went on about the new members
of the band. “We added Tim
Bryson on sax and Ed Snyder on
guitar.” Wilson is c l e a r l y
jazzed
about
Sandin Wilson
t h e
n e w
line up.
“It’s a smokin’ little band”
according to Wilson. The line up
also includes Marty Higgins on drums and
Paul Mazzio on trumpet and flugelhorn.
Catch the “Cubs” big “shew” at Atwater’s May
6th 8-11pm. It’s a Benefit for Doernbecker’s
Hospital so it is for a good cause too.
by Fran Gray LL