Phil Woods was one of the great saxophonists of the 20th century (and part of the 21st) - born on November 2nd, 1931. His career was one of performing and recording so extensively that a chronology would go on for pages and pages. Phil Woods was about playing at the highest levels on a daily basis for decades. After completing a Juilliard BA (clarinet major) in 1952, he was hired by Quincy Jones, Dizzy Gillespie's music director, for Dizzy's 1956 State Department tour of the Middle East. He was back in Quincy's band for a European tour, then in 1962 a tour of Russia with Benny Goodman. Between these landmark events, lots of gigging and recording work built his confidence, polished his technique and spread his name across the jazz community. In 1968 Woods moved to France and organized his European Rhythm Machine band. Returning to the U.S. in 1972, he formed the quintet that continued performing until 2004. He played solos on pop hits, won 5 Grammy Awards, co-founded the Celebration of the Arts Festival, became an NEA Jazz Master (2007), a Kennedy Center Living Legend... and organized, rehearsed and sponsored a student band, the Coda Cats.
During his acceptance speech for the 2008 Pennsylvania Governor's Award for the Arts, Phil Woods told one of his many real-life stories... A young aspiring saxist had approached him backstage after a concert and asked, "Are you the guy playing the solo on Billy Joel's record?" "Yes I am," Woods replied. Emboldened, the young man followed up, "Have you done anything on your own?"
