JSngry Posted January 5, 2005 Report Share Posted January 5, 2005 Yeah, well, that's the tension that I hear in Woods' pre-return music, like he's got all this...SHIT churning around in him, but he's got to be a good boy to keep his gigs and family. Those European Rhythm Machine records sound like a man possessed by all sorts of demons who's unable to decide whether to purge them or keep them bottled up. Darker than they might seem, I think... I like the comparison w/Monk too. I very much like Woods' work w/Monk. Indeed, much "lighter" than Monk himself, in all ways, but he still GETS the gist of the music in his own way. It's like he gets the "serious humor" aspect of it, but only has it in him to actively confront the lighter side. But he seems to do so with a full awareness of the darker stuff. It's just that he's not going to let himself go there, for what ever reason. Fear, maybe, but of what? And where? And who? That was all gone when he came back from Europe. The fear (or at the least, internal conflict) was gone, and so was the drama. The, uh... FLORIDITY of it all, untempered by any sense of internal reservation, was just too much for this simple country boy to take. As much as I hate to say it, some players are better off uncomfortable. Or at least their music is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garthsj Posted January 5, 2005 Report Share Posted January 5, 2005 (edited) My brains cells diminish every day, so I am not sure of my original source, but I think that it was on the much maligned Ken Burns JAZZ series ... but I remember Jackie McLean telling the story how he and Phil Woods were essentially standing in the wings, vying for Bird's throne, and then BAM!! out of nowhere emerged Cannonball, and they were both rather deflated .... I do agree with most of what has been said about Woods so far. Most of his music after "Sugan" (which i just recently re-acquired on CD; I had not listened to it in a long time), was routine. But every now and then something would inspire him, and those are worth seeking out. He is on so many damned albums, big bands, accompaniment to pop stars etc. that it is difficult to separate the wheat from the chaff ... but the gems are there. I have previously mentioned the essential and brilliant "Musique Du Bois" on Muse, and then there is the "Live at the Showboat" album on RCA with Jack Wilkens, and the occasional slashing solo on big band albums by Gary McFarland, Bob Brookmeyer, Benny Carter, and especially Monk's Band. But that damned boring Quintet stuff was what I call "one-listen" material, and God! I spent enough money buying them hoping for a gem. At one time I must have owned nearly 50 albums featuring Phil Woods, and half of them were dross. The ERM material was more dynamic, but I always felt that he was "forcing it" ... much like the discussion Larry and I had about Bill Perkins a little while ago. It wasn't really Phil. As I also mentioned in a previous post.. I like the duo he did with Gordon Beck .... But, nostalgic softie that I am, I still want him to be the Phil from "Warm Woods" (Epic) or with Gene Quill. I have not heard his recent pairing with Bud Shank, but friends who have tell me it is very dynamic .... and they have just recorded at Yoshi's .. I look forward to hearing this collective aged 150 .... Edited January 5, 2005 by garthsj Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllenLowe Posted January 6, 2005 Report Share Posted January 6, 2005 I recall Xanadu putting out an LP with one side of "live" Woods, ca. 1956 (?) - anybody have this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Kart Posted January 6, 2005 Report Share Posted January 6, 2005 That might be a Parker memorial event of some sort (mounted at a club) that also included Sahib Shihab and Duke Jordan (also Cecil Payne? or Payne instead of Shihab?) and was released originally on Signal perhaps. Don't have the record (if that's the one) but heard some of it back when it was first released and recall it was less than I expected -- the band sounded thrown together, and some tracks were too long for their own good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllenLowe Posted January 6, 2005 Report Share Posted January 6, 2005 that's the one - I don't have it, but was curious about how Woods sounded on it - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Son-of-a-Weizen Posted January 23, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2005 (edited) Re: the two Zoot Fontana Lps. Last year I saw an old beater copy of the 'Live at Ronnie Scotts' LP at the DC Public Library but didn't jot down the track titles. 'Cookin' has been reissued...did they tack on tracks from 'Live at Ronnie Scotts' to that reissue....or are they in fact one in the same LP? Anyone? Edited January 23, 2005 by Son-of-a-Weizen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownie Posted January 23, 2005 Report Share Posted January 23, 2005 Re: the two Zoot Fontana Lps. Last year I saw an old beater copy of the 'Live at Ronnie Scotts' LP at the DC Public Library but didn't jot down the track titles. 'Cookin' has been reissued...did they tack on tracks from 'Live at Ronnie Scotts' to that reissue....or are they in fact one in the same LP? Anyone? Weizen, a Portuguese label by the name of 'Exclusive' reissued vinyls of both Zoot albums. Obrigado to them B-) Cookin' and Solo for Zoot were both recorded at Ronnie Scott's. There were some overlap. Cookin' tracks were: - Stompin' at the Savoy - Love for Sale - Somebody Loves Me - Gone with the Wind - Autumn Leaves - Desperation Solo for Zoot had: - Blues in E Flat - Somebody Loves Me - Stompin' at the Savoy - Autumn Leaves Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.A.W. Posted January 23, 2005 Report Share Posted January 23, 2005 .... But, nostalgic softie that I am, I still want him to be the Phil from "Warm Woods" (Epic)... Warm Woods is indeed one of Phil Woods' better sessions, it's one of the few Woods albums I really like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Son-of-a-Weizen Posted April 21, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 21, 2005 (edited) Re: the two Zoot Fontana Lps. Last year I saw an old beater copy of the 'Live at Ronnie Scotts' LP at the DC Public Library but didn't jot down the track titles. 'Cookin' has been reissued...did they tack on tracks from 'Live at Ronnie Scotts' to that reissue....or are they in fact one in the same LP? Anyone? Weizen, a Portuguese label by the name of 'Exclusive' reissued vinyls of both Zoot albums. Obrigado to them B-) Cookin' and Solo for Zoot were both recorded at Ronnie Scott's. There were some overlap. Cookin' tracks were: - Stompin' at the Savoy - Love for Sale - Somebody Loves Me - Gone with the Wind - Autumn Leaves - Desperation Solo for Zoot had: - Blues in E Flat - Somebody Loves Me - Stompin' at the Savoy - Autumn Leaves Found some additional track info on the two Zoot Fontanas. Bought 'Cookin' on eBay last night. Does that Portuguese LP also have 'Haunted Jazz Club' and 'Harry Flicks' on it? Now what about that 'Stretching Out' LP? Never re-issued on cd? Edited April 21, 2005 by Son-of-a-Weizen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Late Posted April 21, 2005 Report Share Posted April 21, 2005 The Bards have both Sims Dawn (Blue Moon) discs in stock right now: Also, this one (though Hiroshi is probably the best route; or the much earlier domestic edition on Chess) is much fun — especially the clarinet feature "Two Funky People" ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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