HiFi / Stereo Review
Ralph J. Gleason : June 1958

The Messengers are the other side of the coin from Rogers and Graas, with emphasis on emotion to the exclusion of anything else. On the other hand, East Coast musicians such as altoist Phil Woods seem able to combine both approaches, with the result that the Woods album offers excitement, interest and a beautiful flowing swing throughout. As a follower of the late Charlie Parker, Woods necessarily speaks the Parkerian language but he has managed to bring to it his own accent and thus retains his individuality.

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High Fidelity
John S. Wilson : May 1958

This appears to be an effort to give Woods, an alto saxophonist, a wider appeal than his uncompromising jazz performances in the past might have had, for there is a prevalence of ballads and easy tempos. Woods manages to temper his shrill, harsh tone a bit, particularly in the middle register, but it is not yet a good vehicle for romantic forays. The inclusion of Dave Brubeck’s piece, In Your Own Sweet Way, invites unfortunate comparisons with Brubeck’s brilliant altoist, Paul Desmond, a much more graceful and fluent improviser. Woods is most at home in two selections which depart from the general pattern of the disc and on which he can loosen up and ride with spirit.

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San Francisco Chronicle (San Francisco, CA)
Ralph J. Gleason : 03/23/1958

Solidly swinging modern jazz from one of the best of the current alto players who is struggling to escape from the Parker shadow and does a pretty good job of it here.

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White Plains Reporter Dispatch (White Plains, NY)
Ted Riedeburg : 03/26/1958

Phil Woods, young alto saxist whose star has been approaching first magnitude during the past few years, gives a stirring account of himself on a new Epic album titled Warm Woods.

Accompanied by Bob Corwin on piano, Sonny Dallas, bass and Nick Stabulas, drums, Phil’s modern, more lyrical than previously recorded, style lends itself admirably to unusually perceptive readings of four standards, Brubeck’s In Your Own Sweet Way, Gerry Kaminsky’s Gunga Din and two originals of his own—Waltz For A Lovely Wife and Squire’s Parlor. Listeners who enjoy modern jazz will find this disc to be a stimulating and rewarding addition to their libraries.

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Down Beat : 06/26/1958
Don Gold : 3 stars

In most ways, Woods is molded in Charlie Parker’s image. Like Bird, he has an assertive strength, a fluency based on obvious confidence and drive. As Bob Prince says in the liner notes, “To listen to the urgency of his playing is to know that Phil plays because he must.”

When Woods is less Bird and more himself, he speaks with authoritative individuality, as he does at times here, but he is far too directed by Parker’s accomplishments.

Corwin’s solos here are characterized by delicacy and good taste. Dallas and Stabulas support satisfactorily, although the former tends to be overwhelmed by the latter (this may be the result of inadequate recording balance).

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Liner Notes by Bob Prince

At a time when the recording industry is exploiting jazz personalities in combination with all-star ensembles and/or rhythm sections, and the jazz personalities are all busily developing their own small functioning groups, Epic Records presents the Phil Woods Quartet. Although limited in contrasting textures, this album exposes a dynamic and enthusiastic unit freely expressing itself in its own terms. The rapport and almost careless cohesion, apparent in even a casual listening, could have resulted only from a long musical association of talented and sympathetic musicians.

Elected “New Star” alto sax winner of the 1956 Down Beat poll, Philip Wells Woods is perhaps the most articulate exponent of contemporary hot, mainstream, hard bop, or you-name-it jazz. With the influx of experimental jazz (from moderate to far out and in some instances totally out) and the many assortments of the “cool” variety, it is more than refreshing to hear a vital, unself-conscious, yet intelligent expression of funky down-home jazz. To listen to the urgency of his playing is to know that Phil plays because he must.

Born in Springfield, Mass., in 1931, he inherited an alto saxophone from an uncle at the age of twelve. After two years of local study, his interest in music became intense. The first exposure to Charlie Parker on records gave him insight into the beauty and logic that were Bird’s. In 1948, he came to New York to study and make his headquarters in the cultural center of the jazz world. His first year was spent in going from session to session, playing with a great variety of musicians. He then spent a year at the Manhattan School of Music, studying clarinet, and the following four years at Juilliard where he studied harmony, theory, and composition, in addition to majoring in clarinet.

With a solid musical foundation, a technical mastery of his horn, and a dedication to the natural evolution of jazz, Phil emerged, unlike many Parker re-creators, an individual. His rapid development can be traced through the many bands and groups in which he was featured. Starting with the Charlie Barnet band, while still at Juilliard, he has been a regular in the Neal Hefti line-up, (and is also responsible for the alto solos on Hefti Hot ‘n Hearty, LN 3187, and Songs for My Man by Frances Wayne, LN 3222), and has worked briefly with Richard Hayman, Gene Krupa, Claude Thornhill, and Ray McKinley. He has worked regularly with the George Wallington Quartet and was selected for the 1956 Birdland Tour where he appeared with Al Cohn, Conte Candoli, and Kenny Dorham. He later joined Dizzy Gillespie’s newly formed band and was featured in its Middle East and South American tours. Sandwiched in between, he played and appeared at the Newport Jazz Festival with the Friedrich Gulda Septet. More recently, he has been heard in association with Gene Quill in their combined quintet, “Phil and Quill.” The quartet and quintet, both utilizing the same rhythm section, are the center of Phil’s interest and plans for the immediate future.

Bob Corwin, though hardly a newcomer to recording studios at 24, has just recently undergone a complete change of style and conception. The switch, from over-busy percussive comping and solo work to a more simplified rhythmic approach, he attributes essentially to Nick Stabulas. His light pianistic touch is particularly effective in contrast to Phil’s hard-swinging open-voiced alto. Originally taught by his father, a silent-movie pianist, he lists Red Garland as a favorite.

Nick Stabulas, affectionately referred to as “fabulous Stabulas” by his friends, was also originally taught by his father, a drummer. Nick has been closely associated with Phil from almost the beginning of his career. At 28, his particular favorite is “Philly” Joe Jones.

Rounding out the rhythm section is 26-year-old bassist Sonny Dallas. As a vocalist at 19, he began playing bass in an effort to incorporate the two, but soon found that he enjoyed playing more than singing. And just to complete the excellent neo – Miles Davis rhythm section, Sonny picks Paul Chambers as his favorite bassist.

“Warm Woods,” as the title and tunes imply, focuses on a facet of Phil’s personality that has been relatively overlooked in his recorded career. The four standards (Easy Living, I Love You, Wait Till You See Her, Like Someone in Love) and Brubeck’s In Your Own Sweet Way, while only slightly tempering his driving virtuosity, show him in a more lyric and soulful light.

Of the three originals, Waltz for a Lovely Wife was inspired by his recent marriage to the former Chan Parker and enables us to hear the quartet demonstrate its command of the current vogue of playing in three. Squire’s Parlor is dedicated to the man who performed their marriage ceremony. As squire of a small Pennsylvania town in which Woods and his wife now reside, his duties run from issuing dog and drivers’ licenses to being town barber and notary. His parlor left a lasting impression in both their minds. Both of Phil’s originals, incidentally, were recorded in one take each.

Gunga Din is one of the few known tunes left by a very talented and promising Pittsburgh musician, the late Gerry Kaminsky. The pianist’s untimely death was powerfully felt by all who knew or heard him.

As a postscript to these notes, I want to relay the group’s thanks to Arnold Maxin, who was in charge of Artists and Repertoire and who extended them complete freedom in their preparation and recording of the album, and to Frank Laico, the recording engineer who is responsible for the excellent balance and sound of this recording.