Local Musician Featured In Flyover

Musician Corey Wilkes is featured in the Flyover Experience at Navy Pier. Photo provided by Flyover.
Musician Corey Wilkes is featured in the Flyover Experience at Navy Pier. Photo provided by Flyover.

Local Musician Featured In Flyover

By Tia Carol Jones

Corey Wilkes grew up in a household and a family where there was music playing all of the time. He was exposed to Blues by one of his grandmothers and was exposed to Gospel by his other grandparents who were in the church. He also was raised during the early Hip Hop era. 

“I was raised on music mostly that had a sense of soul and a lot of personality in it,” he said.

Wilkes gravitated to music, because it touched him. As he got older, he tried to play the keyboard and guitar and eventually, he found the trumpet. He took to it immediately, because of his exposure to live music. Wilkes went to Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he said his involvement in music really took off. He never looked back. He started working professionally, recording and touring with groups.

Wilkes is featured in the Flyover Experience Believe Chicago and Legendary Iceland. The immersive attraction takes visitors on a journey through Chicago, with sights and sounds, as well as smells and multisensory special effects. The immersive attraction also features the Soul Children of Chicago.

Wilkes became involved with the Flyover because of his connection with the Music Union of Chicago. Wilkes said the immersive experience is different than anything else he’s ever done. Usually, as a musician, he’s in a studio, which is a controlled environment.

“We were dealing with the elements. We’re on top of a building,” he said.

In the Flyover Chicago, Wilkes is playing the trumpet atop the Tribune Tower building in Downtown Chicago. He said he had a tight grip on the trumpet, as he stood on a platform and mimed to the track that was playing. He said the drone used to film was more like a mini jet than the kind of drone most people see or use. He said even the sound from the drone was intense. Wilkes said he was amazed by the finished product. Even though he was able to see it before it came out, it was amazing for him to see it in person. 

“You still don’t get the feeling that you get when you’re in the immersive experience, it engages all of your senses. You’re not just sitting down watching a film,” he said.

Prior to appearing in the Flyover, Wilkes worked on “Empire” for six seasons, on and off screen, “The Playboy Club” and “The Chi.” 

Wilkes recently returned from a 30-day stint on tour. For the last 20 years, he has been working with the Ethnic Heritage Ensemble, an avant garde ensemble, which has been touring all over the East Coast. 

Next up for Wilkes is the release of his album, Soundculture, on Spirit Muse Records. He is currently finishing that up, with an anticipated release in September of this year. Soundculture includes a collaboration of the groups he is involved with and the music that has influenced him. He said he has been able to collaborate with a lot of great Chicago artists, who will be featured on the album. Wilkes will also be part of Tuesdays on the Terrace at the Museum of Contemporary Art in August.

For more information about the FlyOver, visit www.experienceflyover.com/chicago. For more information about Corey Wilkes, visit www.coreywilkes.com.


Latest Stories

Latest Podcast

Geneba Tequila- Ingrid LaVon