Sax Legend Phil Woods
Nobody need speak for Phil Woods. Since the mid-1950s, his playing has spoken volumes. Woods will be JazzMn's special guest artist for "Phil Woods. 'Nuff Said", on February 23rd, 2002, 7:30 p.m., at Bethel College's Benson Great Hall.
Jazz music has been blessed with a pantheon of elite sax players throughout its history, with artists like Charlie Parker, John Coltrane and Sonny Rollins dominating their eras. JazzMn will feature their music, and that of some other sax legends - Cannonball Adderley, Stan Getz, and the recently departed Joe Henderson - during the first half of the concert. Woods will join the band for the second half, lending his powerful, honest sound to the night's festivities.
Woods created this unique sound early on and forged his own path 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. Juilliard-trained, Woods was also gigging as often as possible during his school years, developing his own musical voice. By 1954 he was playing regularly at Birdland, the 52nd Street jazz club named for legendary saxophonist Charlie "Bird" Parker.
Woods is one of the most decorated jazz musicians in the world, having won 5 Grammy Awards and an unprecedented 20 straight Downbeat readers' polls. Woods has worked with Charlie Barnet, Dizzy Gillespie, Buddy Rich, Quincy Jones and Benny Goodman, among others, but mostly has headed his own groups since 1955. He earned crossover fame for his memorable solo on Billy Joel's "Just the Way You Are". Woods' most recent album, "Voyage", was released in July of 2001.
For more on Phil Woods visit his website at www.philwoods.com.
