Tag Archives: Phil Woods

Ella Fitzgerald: Rhythm Is My Business

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In March 1962, “Verve” label released “Rhythm Is My Business”, album by Ella Fitzgerald. It was recorded on January 30 and 31, 1962, and was produced by Norman Granz.

Personnel:

  • Ella Fitzgerald- vocals
  • Hank Jones- piano
  • Mundell Lowe- guitar
  • Lucille Dixon, George Duvivier – double bass
  • Gus Johnson- drums
  • Taft Jordan, Ernie Royal, Joe Wilder – trumpet
  • Melba Liston, Kai Winding, Britt Woodman – trombone
  • Carl Davis, Jerry Dodgion, William Shakesnider, Les Taylor, Phil Woods – reeds
  • Bill Doggett- arranger, conductor, organ

Track listing:

  1. Rough Ridin’ – Ella Fitzgerald, Hank Jones, William Tennyson
  2. Broadway – Billy Bird, Teddy McRae, Henri Woode
  3. You Can Depend On Me – Charles Carpenter, Louis Dunlap, Earl Hines
  4. Runnin’ Wild – Arthur Gibbs, Joe Grey, Leo Wood
  5. Show Me the Way to Get Out of This World ‘Cause That’s Where Everything Is – Les Clark, Matt Dennis
  6. I’ll Always Be In Love With You – Bud Green, Herman Ruby, Sam H. Stept
  7. Hallelujah, I Love Him So – Ray Charles
  8. I Can’t Face the Music – Rube Bloom, Ted Koehler
  9. No Moon at All – Redd Evans, Dave Mann
  10. Laughin’ on the Outside – Ben Raleigh, Bernie Wayne
  11. After You’ve Gone – Henry Creamer, Turner Layton

Steely Dan: Katy Lied

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In March 1975, “ABC Records” label released “Katy Lied” the fourth Steely Dan album. It was recorded November 1974-January 1975, at “ABS Studios” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Gary Katz.

Personnel:

  • Donald Fagen– vocals, piano, keyboards, saxophone
  • Walter Becker– bass, guitar
  • Michael Omartian, David Paich– pianos, keyboards
  • Hugh McCracken– guitar
  • Denny Dias– guitar
  • Rick Derringer– guitar
  • Dean Parks– guitar
  • Elliott Randall– guitar
  • Larry Carlton– guitar
  • Wilton Felder, Chuck Rainey– bass guitars
  • Jeff Porcaro– drums
  • Hal Blaine– drums
  • Victor Feldman– percussion
  • Phil Woods– alto saxophone
  • Jimmie Haskell– horns, horns arrangement
  • Bill Perkins– horns
  • Michael McDonald– backing vocals
  • Myrna Matthews, Sherlie Matthews, Carolyn Willis – backing vocals
  • Jimmie Haskell – arrangements
  • Roger Nichols – engineer
  • Rick Collins – mastering
  • Dinky Dawson – sound consultant
  • Daniel Levitin – concultant

Track listing:

All tracks by Walter Becker and Donald Fagen.

  1. Black Friday
  2. Bad Sneakers
  3. Rose Darling
  4. Daddy Don’t Live in That New York City No More
  5. Doctor Wu
  6. Everyone’s Gone to the Movies
  7. Your Gold Teeth II
  8. Chain Lightning
  9. Any World (That I’m Welcome To)
  10. Throw Back the Little Ones

Donald Byrd

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On February 4, 2013, Donaldson Toussaint L’Ouverture “Donald” Byrd II died aged 80. He was trumpeter, best known as founder and leader the band The Blackbyrds, and regarded as one of the pioneeres of the fusion of funk and soul genres with jazz music. He had successful solo career, and has recorded and performed with big number of famous musicians including Herbie Hancock, Pepper Adams, Gigi Gryce, Jackie McLean, Hank Mobley, Dexter Gordon, George Wallington, Kenny Clarke, Cannonball Adderley, Oscar Pettiford, Hank Jones, Ernie Wilkins, Art Blakey, Rita Reys, Elmo Hope, Phil Woods, Gene Ammons, Art Farmer, Paul Chambers, Doug Watkins, Sonny Rollins, Kenny Burrell, Gigi Gryce, Lou Donaldson, Jimmy Smith, Art Taylor, Kenny Drew, Sonny Clark, John Jenkins, Red Garland, John Coltrane, Pepper Adams, Michel Legrand, Dizzy Reece, Mundell Lowe, Thelonious Monk, Chris Connor, Eric Dolphy, Cal Tjader, Sam Rivers, Wes Monthomery, Stanley Turrentine, Guru and Ahmad Jamal.

Dizzy Gillespie

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On January 6, 1993, John Birks “Dizzy” Gillespie died aged 75. He was musician (trumpet), singer, composer and bandleader, trumpet virtuoso and improviser,  regarded as one of the greatest jazz trumpeters of all time. Together with Charlie Parker, Gillespie was major figure in the development of bebop and modern jazz. He has recorded and performed with some of the most important musicians in the jazz history, including Charlie Parker, Bud Powell, Charles Mingus, Max Roach, Stan Getz, Sonny Stit,Coleman Hawkins, Sonny Rollins,Benny Golson, Bobby Hackett, Mary Lou Williams, Willie Ruff, Dwike Mitchell, Art Blakey, Al McKibbon, Thelonious Monk, Kai Winding, Joe Turner, Roy Eldridge, Harry “Sweets” Edison, Clark Terry, Oscar Peterson, John Lewis, Hank Jones, Percy Heath, Roy Eldridge,  Machito, Benny Carter, Lalo Schifrin, Count Basie, Freddie Hubbard,  Arturo Sandoval, Phil Woods, Moe Koffman, United Nation Orchestra, Jackie McLean, Percy Heath, Ron Holloway, Ed Cherry, John Lee, Ignacio Berroa, Duke Ellington, Quincy Jones, Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich, Mike Longo, Manhattan Transfer,  Carmen McRae, Katie Bell Nubin,  Mongo Santamaria, Woody Shaw, Lillian Terry and Randy Weston.

Billy Joel: The Stranger

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the-stranger

On September 29, 1977, “Family Productions” label released “The Stranger” the fifth Billy Joel studio album. It was recorded July – August 1977, at “A&R Recording, Inc.” in New York City, and was produced by Phil Ramone. “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked “The Stranger” at number 70 on its list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”.  The album became Joel’s critical and commercial breakthrough, and remains his best-selling non-compilation album to date. The album was certified 5 x Platinum in Canada by “Music Canada”; Platinum in Hong Kong by “IFPI Hong Kong”; Platinum in New Zealand by “RMNZ”, and Diamond in the US by “RIIA”.

Personnel:

  • Billy Joel– vocals, acoustic piano, keyboards, synthesizers, Fender Rhodes
  • Steve Khan– six and twelve string electric guitars, acoustic rhythm guitar, high string guitar
  • Hiram Bullock– electric guitar
  • Hugh McCracken– acoustic guitar
  • Steve Burgh – acoustic and electric guitar
  • Dominic Cortese – accordion
  • Richard Tee– organ
  • Doug Stegmeyer– bass guitar
  • Liberty DeVitto– drums
  • Ralph MacDonald– percussion
  • Richie Cannata– tenor and soprano saxophones, clarinet, flute, organ, tuba
  • Patrick Williams– orchestration
  • Phil Woods– alto saxophone
  • Phoebe Snow– backing vocals
  • Lani Groves – backing vocals
  • Gwen Guthrie– backing vocals
  • Patti Austin– backing vocals
  • Ted Jensen– mastering

Track listing:

All tracks by Billy Joel.

  1. Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song)
  2. The Stranger
  3. Just the Way You Are
  4. Scenes from an Italian Restaurant
  5. Vienna
  6. Only the Good Die Young
  7. She’s Always a Woman
  8. Get It Right the First Time
  9. Everybody Has a Dream/The Stranger (reprise)

The Birdland Jazz Club

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On December 15, 1949, “The Birdland Jazz Club”, named after Charlie Parker, opens in New York City. The club was located at “1678 Broadway” and worked until in 1965. The club re-opened for in1979 and in 1986 the second club located in “Manhattan’s Theater District” opened. The club current location is in the building next to The New York Observer headquarters.Some of the biggest names in Jazz history performed in “Birdland” including: Chet Baker; Count Basie; Roy Haynes; Jon Hendricks; Billie Holiday; Dave Holland; Freddie Hubbard; Hank Jones; Quincy Jones; Michel Legrand; Ramsey Lewis; Pat Martino; George Benson; Art Blakey; Dave Brubeck; Ron Carter; John Coltrane; Miles Davis; Sammy Davis Jr.; Blossom Dearie; Billy Eckstine; Duke Ellington; Maynard Ferguson; Ella Fitzgerald; Slim Gaillard; Erroll Garner; Stan Getz; Modern Jazz Quartet; Thelonious Monk; Anita O’Day; Charlie Parker; Oscar Peterson; Machito; Tito Puente; Bud Powell; Horace Silver; Nina Simone; Jimmy Smith; Billy Taylor; Clark Terry; McCoy Tyner; Sarah Vaughan; Dinah Washington; Joe Williams; Tony Williams; Lester Young; Michael Brecker; Melissa Manchester; Pat Metheny; Liza Minnelli; Michel Petrucciani; Harry Connick Jr.; Kurt Elling; Kevin Eubanks; Norah Jones; Diana Krall; Joe Lovano; John Pizzarelli; John Scofield; Maria Schneider; Phoebe Snow; Phil Woods and Yellowjacket.

Phill Woods

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On September 29, 2015, Philip Wells Woods died aged 83. He was a musician (alto saxophone, clarinet) composer, bandleader,  in his almost 60 years long career, he has performed with some of the biggest names of jazz and popular music, including Billy Joel, Paul Simon, Steely Dan, Donald Byrd, Gene Quill, Hal Stein, Sahib Shihab, Michel Legrand, Lew Tabackin, Dizzy Gillespie, Benny Carter, Gordon Beck, Benjamin Koppel, Alex Riel, Grace Kelly, Monty Alexander, Evan Gregor, Bill Goodwin, and Jordan Perlson.

Benny Carter

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On July 12, 2003, Bennett Lester “Benny” Carter, died aged 96. He was musician (alto saxophone, clarinet, trumpet), composer, arranger, and bandleader,  regarded a major figure in jazz from the 1930s to the 1990s. In his career the “King” performed with Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan, Coleman Hawkins, Peggy Lee, Carmen McRae, Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Charles, Miles Davis,  Django Reinhardt, Benny Goodman, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Lena Horne, Glenn Miller, Gene Krupa, Tommy Dorsey, Phil Woods, Dizzy Gillespie, Earl Hines, Ben Webster, Billy Eckstine, Pearl Bailey, Lou Rawls, Louis Armstrong, Freddie Slack and Mel Torme.

For his work Benny Carter received big number of awards including: “The NEA Jazz Masters Award by The National Endowment for the Arts”, “Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award” , “Grammy Award” for his solo “Prelude to a Kiss”, “A Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame”, “National Endowment for the Arts”, “National Medal of Arts”.