Is it just me, or does this sound like a terrible idea? No disrespect to Wilson, but he doesn't strike me as the most logical choice to take on such a project -- assuming the very notion of choosing anyone to do such a thing is logical. But, according to a story in the LA Times,
Todd Gershwin, George's great-nephew and a trustee of the George Gershwin family trusts, said, "George for his time was a visionary. He certainly crossed genres and musical lines, tried things that hadn't been done before and Brian Wilson has done exactly the same thing."
Todd Gershwin said a collection of several dozen song fragments, ranging from "a few bars to some almost finished songs and everything in between" had been sitting virtually untouched for more than seven decades. He and other trustees began reaching out in the last year or two to find contemporary artists who might be interested in completing those musical bits and pieces.
Oh, well. I suppose it could be even stranger -- a hip-hopper, or Country-Western star, for example. But maybe Wilson will surprise everybody with music that manages to retain and imaginatively expand upon the essence of whatever kernels of melody, harmony and fascinating rhythm Gershwin left behind. On the other hand, maybe someone will declare, "Let's call the whole thing off."
BALTIMORE SUN FILE PHOTOS
