Born in Upper Darby just outside Philadelphia, Wilkins attended Juilliard and began working within the New York jazz scene. There he met Jason Moran who brought him to a wider audience – Moran invited Wilkins on tour and gave him a guest spot on a series of live tributes to Thelonious Monk. Wilkins’ debut album “Omega” for Blue Note was named The New York Times’ Jazz Album of the Year, and exemplified the saxophonist’s epic sense of composition. He has recorded with a wide range of artists, from Solange Knowles to Wynton Marsalis.