‘With a lyrical sensitivity to her instrumental compositions, her music draws listeners in with subtlety and introspective levity. Bringing a distinctive angle to her jazz-informed arranging, she creates nuanced space for improvisation and discovery…’- Upstream Music association.

Guitarist Sam Wilson oscillates between the worlds of improvisation and composition. From solo to quintet, she presents a performance that reflects her love of jazz, improvised and instrumental music stemming from various traditions. Her debut album Groundless Apprehensions, released in 2019, received nominations from the ECMAs and Music Nova Scotia for ‘Jazz recording of the year’. Her follow up solo guitar album, Into a Heart (pt. II) released on Muzak records in Japan, and independently to the rest of the world, has also been well received. It has been nominated for the 2022 ECMAs ‘Instrumental album of the year’. In January 2021 Sam received the Paul Cram Creation award and will be presenting an original piece in Paul Cram's honour at some point during Upstream Music Association's 2022 season. She has recently collaborated with suddenlyLISTEN on ‘The Seeds Project’, as well as Andrew Mackelvie’s forming ensemble. On June 25th, 2022 she debuted 'Illusions on Shaky Ground', which was commissioned by Upstream Music Association for their 'Birthday Party Concert' at the Dunn Theatre in Halifax, Nova Scotia.  

In February 2022 Sam attended Lena Residency in Galiano, BC where she laid the foundation for a new, upcoming creative music project… stay tuned! Notable past performances include the Halifax Jazz Festival, Open Waters Festival, the 21st Century Guitar Conference, Deep Roots Music Festival, and Full Circle's Sofa Sunday series, as well as supporting musicians at Prismatic Arts Festival and Nova Scotia Music Week. 

“With early steps this well formed, what will the rest of Sam Wilson’s journey sound like?” - The East Mag