"Every time you improvise, you should change up. When the rhythm section starts to sing your chorus along with you, then it's time to get a new way."
-- Phil Woods
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Alto saxophonist extraordinaire Phil Woods shows why he’s one of the most decorated musicians in jazz on this edition of Billy Taylor’s Jazz at the Kennedy Center. A product of the bebop era, Woods has won five Grammy Awards and is a perennial winner of Down Beat magazine’s readers poll. With his unique musical voice, Woods makes a personal statement with each solo, while consistently dazzling audiences with his spell-binding technique.
On-demand audio from this show:
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Listen to Phil talk about his formal education at Julliard School of Music.
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Listen to Phil explain how his teacher Harvey LaRose taught him how to improvise by using transcriptions from Benny Carter solos.
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Listen to Phil talk about his friendship with legendary saxophonist Benny Carter.
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Listen to Phil talk about his first tour to South America.
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Listen to Phil talk about his special friendship with the late great pianist Bill Evans.
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Related NPR Jazz links:
Jazz Profiles: Phil Woods
You can learn more about the great alto saxophonist from NPR's Jazz Profiles summary, which includes quotes from Woods, Joe Morello, Bill Goodwin, and more.
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