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ONE WAY Recommends [Issue
#16]
Bud Shank & Phil Woods By
Scott Yanow
Live At Yoshi’s
(CD
Capri)
Altoists Bud Shank
and Phil Woods, who are respectively 78 and 73 years old, are two of the great
surviving veterans of 1950s jazz. Although they crossed paths now and then through
the years, Live At Yoshi’s is their first joint recording. While
both musicians originally came out of the Charlie Parker style and are known
for their associations with bebop, they have evolved into their own styles and
have stayed modern through the years. Shank, who in the 1950s had a very cool
tone and doubled on flute, has since the 1980s specialized exclusively on alto
and developed a more adventurous hard bop approach. Woods, while paying allegiance
to Charlie Parker, is not shy about letting the influences of Johnny Hodges
and Benny Carter into his playing. Joined by pianist Mike Wofford, bassist Bob
Magnusson, and drummer Bill Goodwin, the two classic altoists romp on “Bouncing
With Bud” and “Minority,” cook on “Nature Boy,” play
with great lyricism on Benny Carter’s “Summer Serenade,” and
are quite lyrical on the other three selections. Although neither player wants
to look bad in comparison to the other, their music is more cooperative than
competitive, looking ahead rather than seeking to recreate past glories. Highly
recommended.
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