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(1931 – ) One of the true masters of the bop vocabulary, Phil Woods has had his own sound since the mid-50’s and stuck to his musical guns throughout a remarkably productive career. There has never been a doubt that he is one of the top alto saxophonists alive, and he has lost neither his enthusiasm nor his creativity through the years.
His first alto was left to him by an uncle, and he started playing seriously when he was 12. He gigged and studied locally until 1948, when he moved to New York. Woods studied with Lennie Tristano, at the Manhattan School of Music, and at Julliard, where he majored in clarinet. He worked with Charlie Barnet (1954), Jimmy Raney (1955), George Wallington, the Dizzy Gillespie Orchestra, Buddy Rich (1958-59), Quincy Jones (1959-61) and Benny Goodman (for BG’s famous 1962 tour of the Soviet Union), but has mostly headed his own groups since 1955, including co-leading a combo with the fellow altoist Gene Quill in the 50’s logically known as “Phil & Quill.” Woods, who married the late Charlie Parker’s former wife Chan in the 50’s (and became the stepfather to the singer Kim Parker), was sometimes thought of as “the new Bird” due to his brilliance in bop settings, but he never really sound like a copy of Parker.
Always interested in jazz education (although he believes that there is no better way to learn jazz than to gig and travel constantly), Woods taught at an arts camp in Pennsylvania in the summers of 1964-67. Discouraged with the jazz scene in the U.S., he moved to France in 1968. For the next few years, Woods led a very advanced group, The European Rhythm Machine, which leaned towards the avant-garde and included the pianist George Gruntz. Their recordings still sound fresh and exciting today, although this venture would only be a detour in Woods’ Bop life. In 1972, he returned to the U.S. and tried unsuccessfully to lead a group that featured the keyboardist Pete Robinson.
In 1973, Woods formed a quintet with the pianist Mike Melillo, the bassist Steve Gilmore, the drummer Bill Goodwin and the guitarist Harry Leahey, that had much greater success. After a few personnel changes, he still toured the world. After Leahey left in 1978, it was known as the Phil Woods Quartet until the trumpeter Tom Harrell (1983-89) joined; since then his spot has been assumed by the trombonist Hal Crook (1989-92) and the trumpeter Brian Lynch. The pianist Melillo went out on his own in 1980, and his successors have been Hal Galper (1980-90), Jim McNeely (1990-95) and Bill Charlap; Gilmore and Goodwin have been with Woods since the group’s start.
Woods has been one of Michel Legrand’s favourite artists, guest playing with him on an occasional basis; he has made dozens of rewarding recordings himself through the years. He debuted as a leader in 1954 and has recorded for Prestige, Savoy, RCA, Mode, Epic, Candid (the brilliant “The Right of Swing” in 1961), Impulse, MGM, Verve, Embryo, Testament, Muse, Omnisound, Enja, Chesky and with his Quintet/Quartet for RCA, Gryphon, Adelphi, Clean Cuts, SeaBreeze, Red, Antilles, Palo Alto, BlackHawk, Denon and quite extensively for Concord. An Italian label, Philogy (which has some broadcasts and live performances from Woods’ bands), is named after the popular and still brilliant altoist.
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