Stream: Jonathan Wilson, ‘Love to Love’

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jonathanwilsonMagdalena Wosinska

Since he arrived in Los Angeles from North Carolina, Jonathan Wilson has established himself as one of this era’s generational bridges, connecting the Way It Was to the Way It Can Be. Along with artists such as Dawes and Jenny O, the singer-songwriter, guitarist and producer has rekindled the California rock sound of the ’60s and ’70s and, owing to his virtuoso playing, become a go-to guy for some Laurel Canyon legends still plying their trade. Wilson’s lauded 2011 debut “Gentle Spirit” was just that, a laid-back, meandering flashback to the present. And for his next act, the follow-up “Fanfare” will be released on Oct. 15, featuring a jaw-dropping roster of contributors: Graham Nash, David Crosby, Jackson Browne, Josh Tillman (aka Father John Misty), Wilco’s Patrick Sansone, Dawes’ Taylor Goldsmith, Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and, as a co-writer of several songs, British folkie Roy Harper. Wilson says of the album: “Cross-generational musical sharing and passing down traditions is very important to me and something that must continue. This is the way you keep the fanfares blowing.” Not one to favor concise pop songs on his debut, Wilson today premiered “Love to Love,” which, considering its imagery, is almost his “I Love L.A.”

||| Stream: “Love to Love” and “Dear Friend”

||| Live: Jonathan Wilson plays Sunday, Oct. 6, at the Santa Monica Pier as part of the two-day Newport Folk Presents: Way Over Yonder.

||| Previously: “Gentle Spirit”

Photo by Magdalena Wosinska