David Liebman
23 hrs ·
PASSINGS: PHIL WOODS
This is a special one because my family has been living in Phil’s corner of the Poconos for 30 years and though we were not buddy/buddy, we had interaction. He passed like he lived….completely on his own terms. Lucid and clear the day prior, we reminisced about Cleanhead Vinson, Johnny Hodges, etc., with his usual special brand of jazz humor right till the end, making a brave decision to call the whole thing off.
I can tell you a few things about Phil:
hen you played next to him you couldn’t hear yourself. That’s what comes with years of playing and insisting on acoustic when plausible.
-His solo on Billy Joel’s hit tune is probably the most famous “jazz” tinged solo in pop-music history, proving that bebop can prevail anywhere, anytime.
-When you say “lead alto” in a big band setting, there is only one; he set the mold with his sound and phrasing.
-He, along with Cannonball and a few others took Bird to a logical extension, paving the way for Trane to go further.
-Married and had a family with Bird’s wife; followed by the fantastic lady Jill Goodwin.
-His sense of humor and prose writing abilities were special, always with great insight, and a healthy dose of sarcasm pertaining to the state of the world and life in general, peppered with keen insights into the people he dealt with. Basically Phil couldn’t and wouldn’t abide by any bull****…calling it like it is and was.
-Along with a few other local heroes they started an ongoing jazz festival, a summer camp, and involvement with local high schools out here in our hood.
-Phil was the epitome of a jazz warrior; ON THE ROAD when it was his time.
-The masetro could play clarinet, good piano, and write for any combination.
-His summer workshop in the early ‘60s near New Hope, PA was a forerunner of what I for one do every summer.
PHIL DID HIS JOB..he brought light, sanity and wisdom to us all. RIP!!
damn
