Contrafactus by Spike Wilner Trio

This album was recorded in one afternoon and everything was a single take. We were ready! It seems that we’ve been rehearsing for this record for the last thirty years. Be ready! To be ready is the mark of a true Jazz Musician – ready for anything and to simply not-think, react! If someone hurls a baseball at your head, are you going to sit there and consider your options or are you just going to automatically duck? Well, that baseball being hurled at your head is the kind of jazz I like to play. My teacher, the great Harry Whitaker, was all about not-being- prepared and yet, of course, being ready – like a master! What does this mean? Well, the bandstand and the tunes are sacred stomping grounds - free for the dragons to fly about as they please. If you’re not a dragon, well, then you’re simply being pummeled with baseballs to the head, and it hurts! Dragons live free in the environment, joyful and child-like while the dunderheads get smacked around and don’t even realize it most of the time. So, I’ve been smacked around for years.

This is how I heard it: Ananda was Buddha’s right-hand man for all of Buddha’s life. Ananda also had an enormous capacity for memory and memorized every word that Buddha spoke throughout his life. He literally memorized Buddha’s entire life’s teachings! But when Buddha had to pick a successor, he gathered all his minions about him and sat silently. All the disciples sat silently with Buddha, waiting for him to speak. Instead of speaking, Buddha pulled a flower from his pocket and held it aloft. All the disciples reacted with confusion save for Kashyapa. Kashyapa, instead, smiled joyfully as if he was in on the joke. Buddha said, “I make Kashyapa my successor”. Even though Ananda had all the knowledge, he really didn’t know shit and then had to serve as Kashyapa’s right-hand man throughout Kashyapa’s life. Finally, one day, Kashyapa said to Ananda – “Ananda, take down the flag from the pole”. In a monastery this could signify the end of the day. But in this case, it had a deeper implication for Ananda, who finally, after a lifetime of hard confusion, was liberated in his viewpoint. Ananda then became the third successor from Buddha. The hare and turtle – doesn’t matter how long it takes, some move quick, some slow.

As an artist now, I just want to strip away all expectations of myself, any idea of “style”, any idea of “tradition”, I just want to take down the damn flag from the flagpole and play some music! I think, finally, that I’m getting closer to that ideal. I am grateful to have wonderful and sympathetic musicians in this trio whom I’ve played with for 25 years together. We play so often that it all runs together. One afternoon into one evening and on and on. Thank you, Paul and Anthony, my brothers. Also, thank you to Cory Weeds for believing in me as a musician as well as being a good friend to many and a true supporter of this art. Enjoy!

Spike Wilner
Hastings On Hudson, NY Jan. 4 th , 2024

Michael "Spike" Wilner, is a born and bred New Yorker. He was inspired to play ragtime piano at a young age. He has performed with and led many bands in NYC at many famous jazz clubs including The Village Gate, Mezzrow, Smalls, The West End Gate and The Village Corner. He has toured with The Artie Shaw Big Band, The Glen Miller Orchestra, Maynard Furgeson & Lennie Cuje.