Everybody’s Head is Open to Sound: Writings on Tom Wilson Book Launch — Anaïs Ngbanzo in conversation with Rui Miguel Abreu
Join Éditions 1989 at Well Read for the launch of Everybody’s Head is Open to Sound, the first publication devoted to Tom Wilson (1931–1978).
Wilson started Transition Records in 1955, a pioneering label that painted a picture of vibrant jazz scenes from Boston to Memphis. Based out of Cambridge, Massachusetts, Transition came to prominence with releases featuring John Coltrane, Sun Ra, Cecil Taylor, and Donald Byrd, among others, before running out of money in 1958. Wilson then moved to New York and began an extensive career as an “A&R man” (artists and repertoire) for indie and major labels, crafting innovative productions at Columbia for Bob Dylan and Simon & Garfunkel before signing the Velvet Underground, Nico, and the Mothers of Invention at MGM Records. His work as a record producer is as expansive as it is little known.
Through newly commissioned essays from music historians Wolfram Knauer and Richie Unterberger, journalist Ignacio Juliá, and essayist Pacôme Thiellement, this book explores Wilson’s role in documenting avant-garde jazz, producing some of the key folk-rock recordings of the 1960s, and his daring collaborations with influential US rock bands. It also includes a rare full-length interview with Wilson and a selection of unpublished photographs. Everybody’s Head is Open to Sound tells the untold story of a visionary record producer.
To celebrate the publication, editor Anaïs Ngbanzo will be joined at Well Read by music critic and radio host Rui Miguel Abreu for a conversation on music, publishing and the artistic research process.
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Éditions 1989 is a Paris-based publishing house dedicated to biographical books and artists' writings, focusing on overlooked figures from subcultures and experimental scenes (1960s-1980s). Through meticulous research and thoughtful presentation, the press recovers forgotten artistic legacies at the intersection of different disciplines and social movements, introducing them to contemporary audiences. Each publication serves as both historical document and contribution to ongoing conversations about artistic practice, cultural memory, and representation in the arts, creating a foundation that will expand into broader territories in future works.
Anaïs Ngbanzo is the founder of Éditions 1989 and an artist whose work extends into various fields. Her first film, the music documentary A Different Score (2023), premiered at Metrograph, New York and was the subject of a film installation at the Centre Pompidou, Paris. Recent work has been shown at the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA), London. She is currently writing her debut novel.
Rui Miguel Abreu is a music critic currently writing for Blitz magazine and Portugal's main weekly, Expresso. He's the founder and director of the online magazine Rimas e Batidas and a collaborator of the international We Jazz Magazine. Rui hosts several radio shows at Antena 3, including the new jazz show Notas Azuis. When time permits, he can also be found behind the decks spinning jazz, hip hop and afro sounds at bars or festivals.
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