Sax man Phil Woods headlines 12th annual CU Jazz Festival

Phil Woods will give two concerts and present a master class during the Cornell Jazz Festival, April 3-5. Courtesy of the Department of Music

The 12th annual Cornell Jazz Festival continues to swing. Legendary alto saxophonist/composer Phil Woods will join the Cornell University Jazz Ensembles April 4 and 5 in Bailey Hall. Tonight, April 3, at 8 in Barnes Hall, two Cornell alumni, pianist Robert Cowie '95 and tenor saxophonist Paul Carlon '92, will front the Cowie-Carlon Quartet along with Cornell's jazz chamber ensembles. Woods and the Cowie-Carlon Quartet also present free master classes during the course of the three-day festival. Check the calendar listing for ticket information and the full schedule of events.

It was during the 1950s that guest artist Woods, after studying at the prestigious Juilliard School of Music, first earned a reputation as a big-toned, aggressive representative of East Coast hard bop. Over the years, he played with Ben Webster, Benny Carter, Thelonious Monk, Hank Jones, Red Garland, Donald Byrd, Dizzy Gillespie, Bill Evans and many other all-time jazz greats. Outside of jazz, he has done session work for Aretha Franklin, Carly Simon, Paul Simon, Billy Joel and Steeley Dan.

After a five-year expatriate stay in Europe that began in 1968, Woods returned to the United States, eventually settling in the Poconos. Early in 1974, the alto saxophonist formed the first of the various quartets and quintets that have been his bread-and-butter over the last quarter-century of touring and recording. The group's original bassist and drummer, Steve Gilmore and Bill Goodwin, have remained with Woods for almost 30 years. Other members include trumpeters Tom Harrell and Brian Lunch, trombonist Hal Crook and pianists Mike Melillo, Hal Galper, Jim McNeely and Bill Charlap. Recordings include Bop Stew and Evolution (by an expanded band) on Concord, An Affair to Remember on Evidence and the five-CD 20th Anniversary Set on Mosaic. In 1997 Woods led and recorded Celebration on Concord with the COTA Festival Orchestra and received a 1998 Grammy nomination for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Performance.