[Dixielandjazz] Phil Woods - Bud Shank - Jim Beebe

[barbonestreet at earthlink.net]

Listmates
                                                                                                          
Thought you might enjoy reading what one of the world's finest jazzmen has to say about jazz. Maybe not YKOM, but Phil Woods and Bud Shank are GIANTS in a world full of of midgets. Old men like Phil Woods and Bud Shank would be revered as "National Treasures" in Japan. Here, it seems, they are just old has beens. That is a shame as Woods is arguably the finest reedman (alto sax primary axe) in jazz today and Bud Shank is a legend of equal status. Both are also excellent teachers of the art of playing the music. Any song, any tempo any key, sight read, sight transpose, etc., etc. GIANTS, virtuosos and real jazz musicians who know how to swing, and 
do. Very few are left.

They are "warriors". to use Phil's word. Phil Woods, Bud Shank, and also, Jim Beebe. These guys survived and made their living AS JAZZ MUSICIANS. Yep, not many warriors around these days and that's a shame. RIP Jim. Go get em, Phil and Bud. Yeah, it's all about "soul". 

Cheers,
Steve Barbone (Message from Phil Woods follows.)
                                                                                                                         
                                         :
Hi guys-I have also posted this on my web site - www.philwoods.com http://www.philwoods.com

Hello Jazz lovers, wherever you are! I continue to be a fly on the windshield of the jazz industry. (HA!) I presume you know that Bud Shank was fired from his post as founder and guiding light of the Bud Shank Workshop in Port Townsend, WA. He has been the 'man' there for 25 plus years. Anybody can play jazz when they are 30, 40, 50, 60. But try cutting the mustard when you are in your late 70's! Now anyone that can do that has acquired knowledge that no younger person can ever hope to learn.

The jazz existence, or any existence is not about getting somewhere it is all about the voyage. No one can ever master life, only experience it and contribute something to making the world a better place to be an artist. ARTIST is the key word. If you want to be a practical musician, great. Get some gigs and have a good life. But if you want to be a jazz musician, the requirements are more stringent. An awareness of world culture is a good place to start!

Learn something about food and wine, learn a language, read a book, paint a painting, see an O'Neal play, stare at a sunset. Write a Rondo for heaven's sake- be somebody. And no matter how long you do it you will barely touch the surface of this passion called life, the jazz life! You have to be a warrior-Bud Shank is a warrior! A tough one who has survived. What he has to teach is incalculable to measure. And they want a younger guy. How about Norah Jones to teach jazz singing? Yeah! Right! 

Bud and I have been doing many gigs together, Toronto festival, North Sea and others. We broached Concord records to try and secure a one shot record deal for Yoshi's in November. They said that instrumental music doesn't sell anymore! Imagine! A company founded on instrumental music, great music, decides that it doesn't sell anymore. I am mad as hell and will continue to rant and rave about these things until my last breath. Culture in America is going to hell in a hand basket. (I love that saw - don't know what it means but love it still.) Keep the song alive. Until next time stay well. And thank you for being a part of my thing!

Phil Woods



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