It's almost a given that any time a phenomenal vocal talent emerges, everyone tries to peg that voice as a combination of every great singer who came before. Constant comparison are inevitable in an industry that thrives on the familiar, but every generation has one artist whose distinctive character and musical vision defies them all. For the 90s, that charismatic presence is Pauline WILSON.

Best known to Pop and Jazz Fusion fans as the lead singer of the classic 70s band SEAWIND, Pauline has had a multi-facted career performing and recording with a wide variety of Pop and Jazz artists. Over the years, her legion of fans has grown hungry waiting for her to take the logical step into a full-brown career as a solo artist. Sure to set Adult Contemporary radio aflame, Pauline's Noteworthy Records debut, INTUITION, fulfills that extraordinary promise.

Offering a pastiche of both romantic and more inspirational themes as Pauline carves out her niche, Intuition is also notable for the phenomenal backing ensemble action by some of today's brightest instrumental stars: keyboardist YUTAKA (who produced) and Patrice RUSHEN, bassists Freddie WASHINGTON and Abraham LABORIEL, percussionist Paulinho DA COSTA and saxmen Michael PAULO, Brandon FIELDS and Gary MEEK.

"The most important issue for me was writing and choosing tunes that I really wanted to sing," says Pauline. "I really wanted it to be my own baby, showing throughout INTUITION, that I am a woman with something to say. As one of the title suggests, I'm back in love with singing. Fans of SEAWIND got used to me as a soul and fusion artist, but here I'm trying to break out of that image and into a very Adult Contemporary mode."

Pauline's sweet trains first draw us in on a punchy, upbeat Walking My Way To You, then offer a peek at her romantic side on the lush, optimistic The Love Lives On (featuring Judd MILLER's sweet EVI introduction). The title track is a seductive, light Funk extravaganza showing Pauline's soulful side with Patrice RUSHEN on acoustic piano. The inspirational Follow Your Road is a familiar treat, a re-recording of one of her SEAWIND classics, while the Dance/Pop-oriented Two Wrongs Don't Make A Right (co-penned by Pauline) is modern day excitement all the way.

Pauline really struts her stuff on the big, brassy and soulful energy of One Chance, which reunites her with the SEAWIND horns (Jerry HEY, Larry WILLIAMS). Pauline co-wrote Back Again, Back In Love with saxman Gary HERBIG, giving herself a torchy shot at everlasting love, while Deeper And Deeper explores love's other, more playful side (with the help of Brandon FIELDS's hot saxwork).

Stay is a cool, rhythmic tune full of sly, sexy edges, while the final track, Mysterious/Colors Of The Wind closes the collection on a snazzy, upbeat note.

Born and raised just outside Hilo, Hawaii, Pauline began singing at 8, inspired by her father who was a working musician in the area. She planned on leaving the islands permanently when she attended Central Washington State College hoping for a career as a social worker, but a steady summer singing job back home prompted her to change her mind. Dropping out of school and working a series of local clubs and cabarets, Pauline was discovered by 3 musicians who would soon become her SEAWIND cohorts - Jerry HEY, Larry WILLIAMS and Bob WILSON.

In town backing a well-known Hawaiian singer, the 3 asked Pauline if she would be interested in being the lead singer for a Pop-Fusion band they were forming. Along with several other members, SEAWIND's early information OX played a mixture of etheral music and dance band material, finding only marginal success at first trying their luck in both Hawaii and Arizona. Eventually, they settled in the islands, where they built a following doing club dates and opening for Jazz acts which came through town.

SEAWIND finally disbanded in the early Eighties, and Pauline settled in Santa Barbara, playing clubs and commuting to LA as her varied career as a session and touring singer exploded. Aside from numerous TV and film soundtracks and TV and radio commercials, Pauline contributed to recording by Jim MESSINA, Michael COLUMIER, Bruce HORNSBY, Brenda RUSSELL, Kevyn LETTAU, The YELLOWJACKETS, Celine DION, The CRUSADERS and others. Pauline also performed a duet with George BENSON on his Grammy Award winning album In Harmony, and accompanied him on his famed Masquerade tour. Prior to this, she toured with Boz SCAGGS.

Pauline's name emerged from the background when GRP artist YUTAKA chose her as featured vocalist for his live show and well-received albums Yutaka and Brazasia from 1988 thru 1992. Since then, she has toured throughout Asia with Michael PAULO and has performed with the touring Motor City Ensemble, a Sixties review.

After an amazing career as an ensemble or side performer, Pauline steps out to embrace fans old and new on INTUITION, which will help her claim her righful place as one of the great Adult Contemporary artists of the Nineties.

 

Article taken from Pauline Wilson/Seawind - Google Search