Phil Woods?

[Murphydog]

I've recently picked up a terrific disc on the Italian Red label: Integrity The New Phil Woods Quintet and I'd like advice as to other Phil Woods recordiings I might enjoy.

Thanks, Paul

[BeBop]

I've recently picked up a terrific disc on the Italian Red label: Integrity The New Phil Woods Quintet and I'd like advice as to other Phil Woods recordiings I might enjoy.

Thanks, Paul

Woods has had a very long career with, in my opinion, few valleys. I particularly like "Live at the Showboat" a recording from the mid-late 70s. But the early saxophone groups with Gene Quill...Hal Stein, Sahib Shihab...on Prestige and others were also enjoyable.

And, of course, the (Italian?) Philology label.

[JSngry]

The stuff with The European Rhythm Machine is consistently fine, imo. Other than that...I gotta be in the mood for the earlier stuff, and I'm pretty much never in the mood for the later stuff. Just my taste.

[J.A.W.]

I gotta be in the mood for the earlier stuff, and I'm pretty much never in the mood for the later stuff. Just my taste.

Same here - earlier stuff: varies from so so to OK, later stuff: no thanks.

[golfcrazy1984]

I love Phil Woods' alto sound, and he, in my opinion is carrying the lineage and history of alto in his sound. I too agree his most creative playing would be in the European Rhythm Machine, but I enjoy all periods of his career. I really like the Oliver Nelson and Quincy Jones box sets from Mosaic Records, the sets show off his solo style and lead alto skill. From his more recent recordings I have his two "American Songbook" albums-- good, but run of the mill and "Voyage" which is live and exceptional. Highly recommend that one. The Quincy Jones tribute recording is fine, but not outstanding.

[JSngry]

Lead alto skills, yes, one of the greatest ever.

[Larry Kart]

Early Woods for me, almost without exception. The top two below are top notch, the third one is IIRC the dividing line, the point just before things began to go haywire. The fourth doesn't have Woods on all tracks, but he is in excellent early form, and this is Quincy Jones' best album by a mile. For an example of what Woods became by and large almost overnight, a "jazzy" musician, check out the fifth one below. It's nice for Zoot and Al, but Phil sounds like his instrument is made out of razor blades -- lines made more out of accents than notes (i.e the actual pitches almost seem beside the point).

http://www.amazon.com/Early-Quintets-Phil-Woods/dp/B000000ZA3/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1295118092&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/Pot-Pie-Phil-Woods/dp/B000000ZAJ/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1295117970&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/Sugan-Phil-Woods/dp/B000000Z9F/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1295118035&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/This-Feel-About-Jazz-West/dp/B000JVSWMS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1295118142&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/Jazz-Live-Night-Half-Note/dp/B003JZEVH6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1295118210&sr=1-1

[king ubu]

[mellowT]

I gotta be in the mood for the earlier stuff, and I'm pretty much never in the mood for the later stuff. Just my taste.

Same here - earlier stuff: varies from so so to OK, later stuff: no thanks.

Would later stuff include the anniversary Mosaic box? Just wondering if I should consider it.

[golfcrazy1984]

I gotta be in the mood for the earlier stuff, and I'm pretty much never in the mood for the later stuff. Just my taste.

Same here - earlier stuff: varies from so so to OK, later stuff: no thanks.

Would later stuff include the anniversary Mosaic box? Just wondering if I should consider it.

I would consider the Mosaic box mid-late period, I think his tone was the brightest and most grating during this period. Great technique, but I feel he had a better, more rounded tone in the 50s-60s and now as well. I have the Mosaic Phil Woods box and I would only recommend it to dedicated Phil Woods fans. I don't really listen to it much and I am one! I actually think his tone is really good now, much warmer these days than the 80s-90s.

[Joe]

Another vote for the European Rhythm Machine material. In addition to the 2 releases cited above, there's also this one on Atlantic:

AT THE FRANKFURT JAZZ FESTIVAL

Also, I'll go out on a limb and recommend this late-ish period Woods session...

As much for Tabackin and Jimmy Rowles as for Woods (who plays clarinet on one track.)

[JSngry]

I gotta be in the mood for the earlier stuff, and I'm pretty much never in the mood for the later stuff. Just my taste.

Same here - earlier stuff: varies from so so to OK, later stuff: no thanks.

Would later stuff include the anniversary Mosaic box? Just wondering if I should consider it.

For me, yeah. YMMV.

[marcello]

Here's a very good later group with Tom Harrell, Steve Goodwin and Joe La Barbera:

Here's a closeup of the pin he was wearing:

[Stereojack]

Some of my favorites:

Woodlore (1955) http://www.allmusic.com/album/woodlore-r150529

Sugan (1957) http://www.allmusic.com/album/sugan-r157526

Musique Du Bois (1974) http://www.allmusic.com/album/musique-du-bois-r150509

Quartet Live, 1 & 2 (1978) http://www.allmusic.com/album/phil-woods-quartet-live-vol-1-r150519

http://www.allmusic.com/album/musique-du-bois-r150509

The vinyl releases of the last two were on Clean Cuts, but the second seems to have only made it to CD on MFSL.

[rdavenport]

I had the OJC CD of "Woodlore", and got rid of it. I seem to remember the bass player (don't remember who) suffering particularly in the recording/mastering - sounded all clunky and "boxy" IMO. It got to the stage where I couldn't listen to it.

[paul secor]

I'll second the mentions of Sugan and Pot Pie - introduced to those two by Chuck and Larry, respectively - and add Phil & Quill with Prestige http://www.amazon.com/Phil-Quill-Prestige-Woods/dp/B000000YC4/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1295130643&sr=1-1 to the mix.

Edited January 15, 2011 by paul secor

[clifford_thornton]

Pairing Off I like as well, also Four Altos gets me going. Still need to get Sugan.

The European Rhythm Machine records are awesome.

Here's a closeup of the pin he was wearing:

Want!

[JSngry]

Hard to find, but the side Wodds made with Pete Robinson in LA right after he came back from Europe is an interesting listen.

[Chuck Nessa]

Count me on the side of folks liking early Woods - before he "discovered himself".

[Free For All]

I particularly like "Live at the Showboat" a recording from the mid-late 70s.

Yes, I've always liked that one. I keep waiting for it to show up on disc. Has it?

[marcello]

Hard to find, but the side Wodds made with Pete Robinson in LA right after he came back from Europe is an interesting listen.

I think I mentioned this before, but I have this one, but with a defective pressing.

75% of it comes out of one channel!

[brownie]

Yes, yes to 'Musique du Bois' :tup

[John L]

Yes, yes to 'Musique du Bois' :tup

Musique du Bois is the one that I listen to the most as well. Although I also hardly listen to any of the more recent stuff, I have a strange attraction that is hard to explain to one of the later Concord discs: Flash: the Phil Woods Quintet + 1.

[gmonahan]

I'll confess to a liking for his work with Mel Torme in the late 70s (I think--or was it the 80s?!), but he could come on pretty strong during that period. Early stuff is great, but the recent Songbook albums are pretty good too. Like others, I don't listen to the Mosaic that much. Maybe I should get it out and give it a spin.

gregmo

[sidewinder]

His playing on the various Quincy Jones Orchestra albums of the early 60s is fabulous (compiled in the Quincy Jones Mosaic box).

Also very highly recommended if you get the chance to see it is that NDR Jazz Workshop film from the late 1960s which has him with Gato Barbieri and Jimmy Owens, among others.