Philip Wells Woods (November 2, 1931 – September 29, 2015) was an American … Read Full Bio ↴Philip Wells Woods (November 2, 1931 – September 29, 2015) was an American jazz alto saxophonist, clarinetist, bandleader and composer.
Woods was born in Springfield, Massachusetts. He studied music with Lennie Tristano, who influenced him greatly, at the Manhattan School of Music and at the Juilliard School. His friend, Joe Lopes, coached him on clarinet as there was no saxophone major at Juilliard at the time. Although he did not copy Charlie "Bird" Parker, he was known as the New Bird, a label which was also attached to other alto players such as Sonny Stitt and Cannonball Adderley at one time or another in their careers.
In the mid-'50s, Woods began to front his own bands. He got major exposure after Quincy Jones invited him to accompany a 1956 State Department-sponsored world tour with the big band of Dizzy Gillespie. In 1959 Woods traveled Europe with Jones’ band; in 1962 he participated in Benny Goodman’s Russian tour.
After moving to France in 1968, Woods led the European Rhythm Machine, a group which tended toward avant-garde jazz. He returned to the United States in 1972 and, after an unsuccessful attempt to establish an electronic group, he formed a quintet which was still performing, with some changes of personnel, in 2004. As his theme, Woods used a piece titled "How's Your Mama?"
Woods earned the top alto sax player award almost 30 times in Downbeat magazine’s annual readers’ poll. His quintet was awarded the top small combo title several times.
In 1979, Woods made the recording More Live at the Armadillo World Headquarters in Austin, Texas. Perhaps his best known recorded work as a sideman is a pop piece, his alto sax solo on Billy Joel's 1977 "Just the Way You Are". He also played the alto sax solo on Steely Dan's "Doctor Wu" from their 1975 album Katy Lied, as well as Paul Simon's "Have a Good Time" from the 1975 album Still Crazy After All These Years.
Although Woods was primarily a saxophonist, he was also a clarinet player and solos can be found scattered through his recordings. One particular example is his clarinet solo on "Misirlou" on the album Into The Woods.
Woods, along with Rick Chamberlain and Ed Joubert, founded the organization Celebration of the Arts (COTA) in 1978 late one night in the bar at the Deer Head Inn in Delaware Water Gap. The organization would eventually become the Delaware Water Gap Celebration of the Arts. Their initial goal was to help foster an appreciation of jazz and its relationship to other artistic disciplines. Each year, the organization hosts the Celebration of the Arts Festival in the town of Delaware Water Gap in September.
Phil Woods – A Life in E Flat: Portrait of a Jazz Legend is a documentary film released in 2005 by Jazzed Media. Directed by Rich Lerner, and produced by Graham Carter, the film offers an intimate portrait of Woods during a recording session of the Jazzed Media album This is How I Feel About Quincy.[citation needed]
Phil Woods was married to Chan Parker, the widow of Charlie Parker, for 17 years from 1955 and was stepfather to Chan's daughter Kim. On September 4, 2015, Woods performed a tribute to Charlie Parker with Strings at the Manchester Craftsmen's Guild, and announced at the end of the show that he would be retiring. Woods died September 29, 2015, at the age of 83.
Awards
In 2007, Phil Woods received a "Jazz Master" award from the National Endowment of the Arts.
Grammy awards
Woods' recordings have been nominated for seven Grammy awards and have won four.
1975 Images: "Best Large Jazz Ensemble Performance".
1977 Live from the Show Boat: "Best Instrumental Jazz Performance, Individual or Group".
1982 More Live: "Best Instrumental Jazz Performance, Individual or Group".
1983 At the Vanguard: "Best Instrumental Jazz Performance, Individual or Group".
He also performed on the 2006 Brian Lynch/Eddie Palmieri Project Album, Simpático, which won Best Latin Jazz Album of the Year in 2007.
Woods was born in Springfield, Massachusetts. He studied music with Lennie Tristano, who influenced him greatly, at the Manhattan School of Music and at the Juilliard School. His friend, Joe Lopes, coached him on clarinet as there was no saxophone major at Juilliard at the time. Although he did not copy Charlie "Bird" Parker, he was known as the New Bird, a label which was also attached to other alto players such as Sonny Stitt and Cannonball Adderley at one time or another in their careers.
In the mid-'50s, Woods began to front his own bands. He got major exposure after Quincy Jones invited him to accompany a 1956 State Department-sponsored world tour with the big band of Dizzy Gillespie. In 1959 Woods traveled Europe with Jones’ band; in 1962 he participated in Benny Goodman’s Russian tour.
After moving to France in 1968, Woods led the European Rhythm Machine, a group which tended toward avant-garde jazz. He returned to the United States in 1972 and, after an unsuccessful attempt to establish an electronic group, he formed a quintet which was still performing, with some changes of personnel, in 2004. As his theme, Woods used a piece titled "How's Your Mama?"
Woods earned the top alto sax player award almost 30 times in Downbeat magazine’s annual readers’ poll. His quintet was awarded the top small combo title several times.
In 1979, Woods made the recording More Live at the Armadillo World Headquarters in Austin, Texas. Perhaps his best known recorded work as a sideman is a pop piece, his alto sax solo on Billy Joel's 1977 "Just the Way You Are". He also played the alto sax solo on Steely Dan's "Doctor Wu" from their 1975 album Katy Lied, as well as Paul Simon's "Have a Good Time" from the 1975 album Still Crazy After All These Years.
Although Woods was primarily a saxophonist, he was also a clarinet player and solos can be found scattered through his recordings. One particular example is his clarinet solo on "Misirlou" on the album Into The Woods.
Woods, along with Rick Chamberlain and Ed Joubert, founded the organization Celebration of the Arts (COTA) in 1978 late one night in the bar at the Deer Head Inn in Delaware Water Gap. The organization would eventually become the Delaware Water Gap Celebration of the Arts. Their initial goal was to help foster an appreciation of jazz and its relationship to other artistic disciplines. Each year, the organization hosts the Celebration of the Arts Festival in the town of Delaware Water Gap in September.
Phil Woods – A Life in E Flat: Portrait of a Jazz Legend is a documentary film released in 2005 by Jazzed Media. Directed by Rich Lerner, and produced by Graham Carter, the film offers an intimate portrait of Woods during a recording session of the Jazzed Media album This is How I Feel About Quincy.[citation needed]
Phil Woods was married to Chan Parker, the widow of Charlie Parker, for 17 years from 1955 and was stepfather to Chan's daughter Kim. On September 4, 2015, Woods performed a tribute to Charlie Parker with Strings at the Manchester Craftsmen's Guild, and announced at the end of the show that he would be retiring. Woods died September 29, 2015, at the age of 83.
Awards
In 2007, Phil Woods received a "Jazz Master" award from the National Endowment of the Arts.
Grammy awards
Woods' recordings have been nominated for seven Grammy awards and have won four.
1975 Images: "Best Large Jazz Ensemble Performance".
1977 Live from the Show Boat: "Best Instrumental Jazz Performance, Individual or Group".
1982 More Live: "Best Instrumental Jazz Performance, Individual or Group".
1983 At the Vanguard: "Best Instrumental Jazz Performance, Individual or Group".
He also performed on the 2006 Brian Lynch/Eddie Palmieri Project Album, Simpático, which won Best Latin Jazz Album of the Year in 2007.
Blue Ballad
Phil Woods Lyrics
We have lyrics for these tracks by Phil Woods:
Affair to Remember Our love affair is a wondrous thing That we'll rejoice in…
And When We're Young Last night when we were young Love was a star, a…
Anything Goes Times have changed And we've ofter rewound the clock Since t…
Azure Driftin' Dreamin' In an Azure mood, Stardust gleamin' Th…
Be My Love Be my love, for no one else can end this…
Canadian Sunset Once I was alone So lonely and then You came, out of…
Caravan Night and stars above that shine so bright The myst'ry…
Don't Blame Me Ever since the lucky night I found you I've hung around…
Don't Worry 'bout Me Don't worry 'bout me I'll get along Forget about me Just be …
Easy To Love I know too well that I'm just wasting precious time In…
Get Happy Pack up your troubles and just get happy Ya better…
Here's That Rainy Day Maybe I should have saved those left over dreams Funny, but…
Here's to My Lady Here's to my lady, here's a toast to my lady, And…
How Can I Be Sure How can I be sure in a world that's constantly…
How High The Moon Somewhere there's music How faint the tune Somewhere there's…
I Got It Bad Though folks with good intentions Tell me to save my tears W…
I Love You Whenever skies look gray to me And trouble begins to brew, W…
I'll Never Stop Loving You I'll never stop loving you Whatever else I may do My love…
I'm Getting Sentimental Over You Never thought I'd fall, But now I hear love call, I'm gett…
I've Got a Feelin' You're Foolin' You are a picture no artist could paint But you're a…
If I Had You I could show the world how to smile I could be…
It's You or No One How did I know that the warmth of the glow…
Just Friends Just friends, lovers no more Just friends, but not like befo…
Last Night When We Were Young Last night when we were young Love was a star, a…
Laura You know the feeling of something half remembered Of someth…
Like Someone in Love Lately, I find myself out gazing at stars, Hearing guitars…
Long Ago and Far Away Long ago and far away I dreamed a dream one day And…
Medley 2 Pride, sad, splendid liar, Sworn enemy of love Kept my…
On Green Dolphin Street It seems like a dream, yet I know it happened A…
Over The Rainbow Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high There's a land that…
Palisades in Blue When I hear that Serenade in blue I'm somewhere in another…
Prelude To a Kiss If you hear A song in blue Like a flower crying For the…
September Song Oh, it's a long, long while from May to December But…
Star Eyes Star eyes, That to me is what your eyes are, Soft as…
Superwoman Mary wants to be a superwoman But is that really in…
The Nearness Of You Its not the pale moon that excites me That thrills and…
These Foolish Things Oh! Will you never let me be? Oh! Will you never…
Where You At Mary wants to be a superwoman But is that really in…
Yardbird Suite It's hard to learn How tears can burn one's heart But…
You Go To My Head You go to my head And you linger like a haunting…
You Stepped Out Of A Dream You stepped out of a dream You are too wonderful to…
You Took Advantage of Me When a girl has the heart of a mother It must…
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