Phil Woods - Four Classic Albums (2CD, 2015)

AVID Jazz presents four classic Phil Woods albums, including original liner notes on Volume Three of a finely re-mastered and low priced double CD.
“Pairing Off”; “Woodlore”; “Sugan” and “Rights to Swing”
To continue the tennis analogy taken from the original liner notes of our first serving, “Pairing Off”, we have an ace album to start the first set! Enjoy the fantastic line up as the main protaganists pair off against each other for a swinging set of volleys! Phil Woods and old doubles partner Gene Quill on tenors, Donald Byrd and Kenny Dorham on trumpets, assisted by more than capable “ball boy” Tommy Flanagan on piano, Doug Watkins on bass and Philly Joe Jones on drums. Liner notes writer Ira Gitler was obviously a sports fan as he again uses a sports analogy on our second selection “Woodlore”. This time it’s baseball with the major and minor leagues standing in for big and small bands! Large bands being likened to the minor leagues as the breeding ground for fresh young talent. However as Mr Gitler points out the big bands were disappearing and the minor leagues were giving way to the college circuit recruitment ground. “Woodlore” features Phil Woods on his first album as a stand- alone solo horn, ably assisted by John Williams on piano, Teddy Kotick on bass and Nick Stabulas on drums. Kotick and Stabulas remain with Woods for our next selection “Sugan” where they are joined by Ray Copeland on trumpet and Red Garland, (getting a “plus” co-credit on the album cover), on piano. “Rights to Swing” is Phil Woods’ first large scale composition and this performance represents a striking growth in him as a player as well as a writer. “He’s developed so much as a soloist” …says Quincy Jones…. “ that he continually creates very logical melodic lines and unlike many jazzmen who just string links together, Phil actually does compose as he plays”. Here Phil is joined by a stellar team of Benny Bailey on trumpet, Sahib Shihab on baritone sax, Curtis Fuller on trombone, Julius Watkins on French horn, Tommy Flanagan on piano, Buddy Catlett on bass and Osie Johnson on drums.
All four albums have been digitally re-mastered


Tracks:

CD1
1-4: ‘Pairing Off’
1. The Stanley Stomper
2. Cool Aid
3. Pairing Off
4. Suddenly It’s Spring

5-9: ‘Woodlore’
5. Woodlore
6. Falling In Love All Over Again
7. Be My Love
8. Slow Boat To China
9. Get Happy

10: ‘Sugan’
10. Steeplechase

CD2
1: ‘Woodlore’
1. Strollin’ With Pam

2-6: ‘Sugan’
2. Au Privave
3. Last Fling
4. Sugan
5. Green Pines
6. Scrapple From The Apple

7-11: ‘Rights Of Swing’
7. Prelude and Part 1
8. Part 2 (Ballad)
9. Part 3 (Waltz)
10. Part 4 (Scherzo)
11. Part 5 (Presto)