Jimmy Woods - CONFLICT

[clifford_thornton]

I'd be interested to know what he's up to these days. Hope he's doing well.

Conflict is a very nice LP - well, both of his Contemporary recs are highlights.

[JSngry]

Just called the Sullivan's in Anchorage...he no longer gigs there...the manager I spoke with said that he hadn't heard anything about him in about five years...not sure if he was a real jazz fan or not, though, but he did know the name. He offered to take my name & # in case he heard anything, but I don't have time to follow up on anything should it pan out.

If anybody does, though, the # for the Sullivan's in Anchorage is (907) 258-2882

Ask to speak w/the manager right off the bat, cause the person answering the phone won't have a clue...

[Chas]

Woods' brief solo on Gerald Wilson's "Portraits" LP is the high point of that album, but I think the notes in the Mosaic box credit it to someone else.

I hadn't noticed this , but you're right ; Doug Ramsey credits Woods' solo on So What to Teddy Edwards (!) and his solo on Aram , to Joe Maini . Eliot Tiegel's original notes at least mention that Woods is a soloist ( without identifying on which tracks ) .

[clifford_thornton]

Just called the Sullivan's in Anchorage...he no longer gigs there...the manager I spoke with said that he hadn't heard anything about him in about five years...not sure if he was a real jazz fan or not, though, but he did know the name. He offered to take my name & # in case he heard anything, but I don't have time to follow up on anything should it pan out.

If anybody does, though, the # for the Sullivan's in Anchorage is (907) 258-2882

Ask to speak w/the manager right off the bat, cause the person answering the phone won't have a clue...

I'll do it tomorrow.

[dankarlsberg]

I've been listening a lot to Jimmy Woods' album "Awakening!", and have been curious what happend to him. When I came across this thread, I was very happy to see he is still around and playing as of 2009. I was wondering if anyone knows if he is still playing in Anchorage? He is such a great musician and seems like a real interesting person, it would be cool to meet him and hear him play.

[bertrand]

Anyone ever find out if Woods is still playing?

Bertrand.

[clifford_thornton]

I didn't call them tomorrow.

[dankarlsberg]

Hi folks,

I love Jimmy Woods, and am always looking for more of him.  Does anyone think the alto player in this video is Jimmy Woods?

It is from Edinburgh, Scottland in 2007.  There is the entry in the Lord discography that places him in Edinburgh in 1989.  But... I'm not sure if it is the same Jimmy Woods.  The video lists his name as Jimmy Wood, and his grandson posted a comment, and his last name is "Wood" as well.  So... either this is the great Jimmy Woods of the LA scene in the 60's, or the Jimmy Woods recording in the lord discography from 1989 is probably this guy (Jimmy Wood), and not the Jimmy Woods from the 60's LA scene.

Thoughts?

[dankarlsberg]

Ok, I am going to answer my own question.  Apparently this is not Jimmy Woods (which I was pretty certain of).  Here is a memorial for Jimmy Wood:

http://www.gonetoosoon.org/memorials/jimmy-wood

So.. my guess is the Lord discography is wrong for Jimmy Woods (as far as the 1989 Edinburgh session).  It would make sense that it is the Jimmy Wood in the video of the previous post.

[sidewinder]

His memorial was fascinating - born in and lived in a lighthouse. Must be unique for jazz !

[Niko]

just reread this page:

http://www.mtaonline.net/~midnight/abouttheband.htm

and stumbled over the following sentence "All it takes is one listen to our live recording at the Organic Oasis to realize what a treasure this guy is."

the CD is apparently available here:

http://www.mtaonline.net/~midnight/cds.htm

at some point, the page had more information on Woods... (but there's still a link to a review of Conflict etc, it's definitely him)... can't find any traces of gigs in the past 10 years, but I dimly remember he's a realtor in Anchorage, so possibly he's this guy:

http://www.brokercloud.org/real-property-services-anchorage-ak/

 

[Rooster_Ties]

Just happened to listen to Conflict in the car ride across Missouri with my Dad yesterday. Hadn't heard it in ages, though clearly I've been a fan since I first started this thread well over 10 years ago.

 

I'll have to check the liners when I get back to DC (which aren't with me at the moment), but I'm wondering how Andrew Hill ended up on this date, to say nothing of the rest if he group (what an amazing lineup).

 

And was this the most 'challenging' (meaning aggressive-sounding) date Carmell Jones ever recorded?

 

A curious cast, to say the least.

[dankarlsberg]

10 hours ago, Niko said:

just reread this page:

http://www.mtaonline.net/~midnight/abouttheband.htm

and stumbled over the following sentence "All it takes is one listen to our live recording at the Organic Oasis to realize what a treasure this guy is."

the CD is apparently available here:

http://www.mtaonline.net/~midnight/cds.htm

at some point, the page had more information on Woods... (but there's still a link to a review of Conflict etc, it's definitely him)... can't find any traces of gigs in the past 10 years, but I dimly remember he's a realtor in Anchorage, so possibly he's this guy:

http://www.brokercloud.org/real-property-services-anchorage-ak/

 

Thank you so much for posting this.  That is definitely him!  If you click on his name in the first link, it takes you to a bio and a somewhat current picture of him.  And I am definitely going to purchase the live cd if it is possible.

[Niko]

Please keep us informed about the CD! Don't know how I could miss that link yesterday ...

Concerning Hill's presence on Conflict: I believe this was the time when Hill briefly lived in Los Angeles - which doesn't explain everything but might be all the explanation there is...

 

[JSngry]

There's some correlation with Hill being in L.A. and playing the Rahsaan gig, but I'm not clear exactly what it is...whether he was already out there and then got the gig, whether he got the gig and then went out there, or if he was already on the gig and the band got booked there...it's probably on record somewhere, just can't recall it.

One thing for sure, though, that's where he met Laverne.

[JSngry]

Ok, here's the narrative as provided by Michael Cuscuna in the first Mosaic box. It starts with Hillleaving Chicago with Dinah Washington and leaving her to settle in New York when her tour hit there, upon which he found sideman work with several people, including Kirk.

In September 1962, Andrew played on vibist Walt Dickerson's Prestige date TO MY QUEEN. He traveled to Chicago with Roland where they recorded half of the saxophonist's DOMINO album and then on to Los Angeles. After the gig with Kirk, Andrew stayed in L.A. for about six months, playing with Howard Rumsey's Lighthouse All-Stars, among others, and participating in Jimmy Woods' powerful album CONFLICT for Contemporary in March 1963. It was on these sessions that Andrew's percussive, harmonically rich style began to take shape and attract notice.

In Los Angeles, he met and fell in love with organist Laverne Gillette. They were married and soon moved back to New York.

You can make your own odds about meeting Laverne being the reason why he didn't leave town with Kirk. Who knows? It's as likely as it is coincidental.

Chuck Berg's liners to the From California With Love LP tell it thusly:

Then in 1962, Andrew got a call from Rahsaan roland Kirk to join his band in Los Angeles. While in the city of Angels, Hill met and married Laverne Gillette. In 1963, they returned to the more active New York scene.

Cuscuna's chronology makes more sense. The Mercury LP shows Domino as being recorded in NYC, but the insert on the CS I have indicates split between there and Chicago.

[bertrand]

Just googled him for no specific reason. He passed away in March. Just search 'Jimmy Woods sax Alaska'.

[paul secor]

A player who deserves to be remembered. And it seems he is - at least here.

[clifford_thornton]

hadn't realized he passed -- thanks for the update.