Immanuel Wilkins is the FUTURE of Jazz Music

The Philly native is a transcendent talent.

In an otherwise mundane pre season game for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2009, some would argue that the most noteworthy moment occurred right before the opening kick. Immanuel Wilkins, a Jazz prodigy and the city's native son, performed his rendition of the National Anthem, which featured an extra dose of soul that stimulated the senses of Jazz purists nation wide. There were some detractors though. The YouTube video of his performance features a number of comments suggesting that his rendition was "Too Jazzy". The irony of Americans complaining about it's national anthem being expressed by one of the few art forms that it can call its own was clear as day, but the eleven year old saxophonist wasn't concerned with critics regardless. Now at 20 years old and one of the most promising Jazz musicians around, Immanuel Wilkins has only improved from the days of old. With his whole career ahead of him, we're ecstatic about what's next.The city which once housed iconic musicians such as John Coltrane and Lee Morgan, played an integral part in the shaping of Immanuel as an artist. Moving from the violin to the piano to eventually, the sax, he displayed an early knack of all things Jazz. "I think that early on I was blessed to learn how to read and write and learn all the guidelines in music as well as learn the freedom in it," He says. He got his first taste of formal Jazz teaching at the Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz, an experience that linked him with Lovett Hines, a director who Wilkins attributes with making him take the craft seriously, and surrounding him with other likeminded individuals.

"I've had some deep moments on the bandstand looking over and realizing what a privilege it is to play with some of my heroes; people I grew up listening to."

Eventually, Immanuel took his talents to NYC, where he got into The Juilliard School and began to lay the groundwork for what is now his own quartet. "My first show as a leader in NY was at The Jazz Gallery," He says. "For the first two years of living here, I was searching for people that could execute first and foremost, and also young people who understood my vision and who would be invested in the music."

"I think that early on I was blessed to learn how to read and write and learn all the guidelines in music as well as learn the freedom in it"

As fate would have it, Immanuel Wilkins returned to The Jazz Gallery recently as somewhat of a young veteran of the art form. We were in the building anticipating the show, and we couldn't help but take in the electric anticipation of the Wilkins and his bands' arrival. Wilkins admits that things have happened quickly for him as well. "So far it's definitely happened faster than I would've thought," He says. "I've had some deep moments on the bandstand looking over and realizing what a privilege it is to play with some of my heroes; people I grew up listening to."Minutes before The Immanuel Wilkins Quartet surfaced on the stage that night, the buzz was approaching a dull roar. A silver haired man in the reserved seats in front of us spoke in hushed tones of Wilkins, using adjectives like "Immortal" and "Powerhouse". "Jazz is dying," The silver haired man said. "It's not everyday you get to see an Immanuel Wilkins." Finally, the musicians took the stage. Daryl Johns on bass. Micah Thomas on piano. Kweku Sumbry on the drums. Immanuel on the sax. The quartet put on a masterful performance, and in a world of musicians reaching too far to separate themselves, Wilkins remained himself throughout. "I'm not trying to be unique or different, He says. "I'm just trying to be serious about the music. Hopefully that's enough to set us apart from the rest." So far, marching to his own tune has worked well for Immanuel Wilkins...and even those fans at that Eagles game have to admit that his tune is pretty damn good.Read more about Immanuel here