After graduating from Eastman, Wilson moved to New York, where he started his own band – the Abram Wilson Quintet – as well as regularly performing with the
Roy Hargrove Big Band and with rhythm and blues legend
Ruth Brown, appearing on her
Good Day for the Blues release in 1999. Arriving in
London in 2002, Wilson performed with the
Julian Joseph Big Band before meeting the directors of Dune Records (the record label responsible for producing British jazz artists such as
Jazz Jamaica,
Gary Crosby,
Soweto Kinch and
Denys Baptiste) and signing in 2003 to the label, where he regularly performed with his fellow label-mates as well as leading his own bands. From mid-2004, Abram worked in a secondary school in
Walthamstow, London, where he taught music for a year until he could work more in his performing career and recording. In October 2004, Abram launched his career as a solo artist with the release of his debut album for Dune,
Jazz Warrior (DUNECD011), to great critical acclaim. He was then commissioned by the
Cheltenham Jazz Festival (under the Jerwood Rising Star Programme) and Birmingham Jazz to create an extended work for premiere at the Festival in 2006. This new work entitled
Ride! – Ferris Wheel To The Modern Day Delta (DUNECD016) was recorded and released on Dune in April 2007. In late 2011, he left Dune Records. At the same time, Abram also joined
Jazz Jamaica, performing live and appearing on the 2005 album
Motorcity Roots. In 2005, at
Nashville's International Songwriting Competition Wilson won first prize in the jazz category for his composition "Monk". Before his death, Wilson had been working on a composition and recording project based on the life of American pianist
Philippa Schuyler. On June 9, 2012, Wilson at the age of 38 succumbed to
colon cancer, having married his long-term partner Jennie (née Cashman) the day before, Friday June 8, 2012. == Awards and honors ==