Saturday, December 20th, 2025, 5:00 PM – House of Hard Bop.
In this 4th and final broadcast dedicated to Phil Woods, we hear him and his quintet in a series of standards recorded in 2002. Recording standards had never really occurred in his impressive recording career. He preferred to give forgotten “gems” a new life. But now—he is just over 70—he focuses on arranging and performing a dozen “classics.” The result is The Phil Woods Quintet – American Songbook. Apparently, it was well received—five years later, American Songbook II would see the light of day. The 2002 edition has since been called American Songbook I.
“It’s an understatement to say that Phil Woods was one of the greatest jazz alto saxophone players to ever set foot on this planet.” (Quincy Jones)
Lineup
Brian Lynch – trumpet
Bill Charlap – piano. His 8th recording with Woods.
Steve Gilmore – bass. Woods’ bassist for over 25 years.
Bill Goodwin – drums. Regular drummer with Woods since 1976.
1 A Foggy Day (George Gershwin)
2 All the Things You Are (Jerome Kern)
3 I’ve Got You Under My Skin (Cole Porter)
4 When the Sun Comes Out (Harold Arlen)
5 I Concentrate on You (Cole Porter)
6 Summertime (George Gershwin)
7 Everytime We Say Goodbye (Cole Porter)
8 Right as the Rain (Harold Arlen)
Summertime The intro takes its time. Gershwin’s two parallel, atmospheric chords are repeated instrumentally in a building manner: piano solo, piano + bass, the drummer gently joining in. The repeating rhythmic motif, “soft Latin,” draws the listener in. That rhythm is a constant, especially in the bass. Woods’ clarinet joins in, also as an intro motif. Only then does the familiar melody sound through the muted trumpet.
Don’t miss the opening bars of the piano solo—”Gershwin,” but Charlap-esque. The closing bars, after the theme’s reprise, receive as much time and attention as the intro. And what do we hear there in trumpet and clarinet? Exactly, a quotation from another Gershwin composition, “It Ain’t Necessarily So.” Could the meaning of that title refer to the arrangement just finished? Because Phil Woods could, of course, also make something completely different of it? Colorful sounds from the pianist in this fading phase. Dreamy… Floating…
Arrangements The arrangement of “Summertime” clearly has its own signature. Does that also apply to the other pieces? Is there a difference in complexity (and quality)? You can also focus your listening on that. But maybe you’re already doing that.
House of Hard Bop – Eric Ineke
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