Chris Woods

A terribly underrated alto saxophonist, Chris Woods spent the majority of his profession like a sideman within the darkness of famous market leaders: Clark Terry, Count number Basie, Dizzy Gillespie. However he was a show-stopping improviser in his personal ideal. Woods was probably an excessive amount of in thrall of Charlie Parker to certainly be a main voice, however the enthusiasm, good laughter, and enjoyment he conveyed in his solos had been authentic and personal. Woods performed his 1st gigs in his hometown of Memphis. He relocated to St. Louis mainly because a young guy and used the Jeter-Pillars Orchestra and in addition with trumpeter George Hudson. He led his 1st record day in 1952 for the United label; from the eight slashes performed, just two had been released at that time (the complete session premiered by Delmark in 1991 as Someone Done Stole My Blues). Woods relocated to NY in 1962. Through the ’60s and ’70s he worked well freelance, documenting and executing with rings led by Gillespie, Terry, Sy Oliver, and Ted Curson, amongst others. Within the ’70s, he documented many times with Clark Terry’s Big Poor Music group; he was among the primary soloists on both alto and flute. In 1978 he documented Modus Operandi for Delmark, offering pianist Jim McNeely. Woods became a member of Count number Basie in 1983 and continued to be until his loss of life two years afterwards.