Phil Wilson

Phil Wilson began taking piano lessons at the age of four. By the time he was six, a piano teacher discovered that he had dyslexia; Wilson had been playing almost completely by ear. The teacher suggested he take up a single-line instrument that didn't require reading dense notation, so Wilson began playing trombone. Despite the dyslexia, Wilson excelled at music. He was playing with professionals near his Belmont, MA home at age 15. He attended the New England Conservatory of Music and the Navy School of Music; he also played in Herb Pomeroy's Boston-based big band (1955-1957)...