Glamorgan Gazette (Wales)
M.E. : 07/11/1958

The Esquire Long Playing volume of American Prestige recordings displays the talents of Phil Woods as an alto saxophone player and composer, at the same time comparing his methods with another exponent of modern jazz alto, Gene Quill.

Both these talented musicians are followers of the style so brilliantly pioneered by the late Charlie Parker. This disc, the tracks of which were all recorded on March 29, 1957, gives evidence of the accord and understanding which undoubtedly exist between theme. Whilst they are both worshippers at the Parker shrine, however, Phil and Quill have their points of difference, and sleeve writer Ira Gitler is kind enough to give guidance as to which player is in action in the various solos.

The association between Phillip Wells Woods and Daniel Eugene Quill began in 1954, when they played jam sessions together in New York. Service under other leaders – Woods with Dizzy Gillespie and Quill with Claude Thornhill on a European tour – was followed by a transitory Phil-Quill combo of whose work the present album gives pleasing examples.

The excellent rhythm department in these quintet recordings is made up of pianist George Syran, a bachelor of music student at Manhattan School, who has given some important recitals of classical music; bassist Teddy Kotick who did good work in the Horace Silver and Zoot Sims–Al Cohn Quintets; and drummer Nick Stabulas, percussion man in the last named fivesome.

All six Phil Woods originals in this volume offer admirable scope for imaginative improvisations, with emphasis on the exciting “chase” choruses and duets for the two altoists. George Syran brings off some particularly rewarding piano solos.

Creme de Funk, Lazy Like, Nothing But Soul and Black Cherry Fritters swing freely in a relaxed, rhythmic style, thanks largely to the stimulating efforts of Teddy Kotick and Nick Stabulas.

High-speed duet and solo work by the alto starts is the feature of Night at St. Nicks and Altology.

The recording is excellent.

—–

San Francisco Chronicle
Ralph J. Gleason : 02/09/1958

Those two fine altoists, Gene Quill and Phil Woods have a new LP, Phil and Gene, on which they get a chance to trade solo ideas with rhythm section accompaniment. It’s an exciting example of modern alto playing with a deep bow to Charlie Parker.

—–

San Francisco Examiner
C.H. Garrigues : 11/17/1957

This is even better than the excellent Phil and Quill album released a few weeks ago by Victor and reviewed recently in this column.

—–

Down Beat : 12/26/1957
Dom Cerulli : 3.5 stars

While this is, on the whole, a satisfying and often stimulating outing with “that great alto man Phil Anquill,” that altoists have been more convincing.

The kicks come in the approach of the two soloists. Woods tosses off long and nimble passages, while Quill raps out bursts of melody and builds a climactic pattern out of these biting fragments and explosions of phrases.

I found Nothing But Soul and Night at St. Nick’s most interesting, and would have liked to have heard more contrapuntal work between the two during the chase choruses.

There has been a noticeable welding together of style in the group since previous recorded efforts. Phil and Quill run the danger all two-the-same instrument teams run: that of becoming too homogenous. What keeps this from happening now is the interest created by the individual approaches. Right now, what the duo needs is a recording representative of the fire inherent in each, and quite often in both.

—–

Liner Notes by Ira Gitler

Most aware jazz fans, unlike the master of ceremonies who announced them with the introduction “And here he comes now – Phil Anquill”, know what the group heading Phil and Quill stands for. Phil is Phil Woods, Quill, Gene Quill; both are virile exponents of the art of the modern jazz saxophone style pioneered by Charlie Parker. Especially enlightened listeners also realize that Woods and Quill have found personal expressions within this style through modifications brought about by their own personalities and that each has his own story to tell no matter how similar an area their musical styles inhabit. Both have the cry of the true jazzman, literally and figuratively, that soul baring quality which communicates emotionally on a direct circuit to the listener.

Phil flows along making use of quotes from time to time; Gene is more jagged, his phrases surging, falling and gaining their power by pushing off from the preceding phrase in short bursts. Each knows how to build a solo to a point of intensity.

Phillip Wells Woods and Daniel Eugene Quill met in New York in 1954 and played in jam sessions together. During the next few years, in the main, they were occupied with playing for other leaders but early in 1957, they teamed up at the Pad in Greenwich Village. Phil had recently left Dizzy Gillespie‘s orchestra and Gene had just returned from Europe with Claude Thornhill when the two blew together in a group that pianist Johnny Williams was heading for a weekend engagement. Gene had just arrived that morning when he was informed that he was to play with John on that evening. On a borrowed alto (his had been stolen in Europe) and very little sleep, he was fulfilling his role with the attitude of a real trouper. When Phil dropped in later in the evening and sat in, Gene seemed to forget these problems completely and the two of them wailed wonderfully into the morning.

In the months following, the alto duo played several weekends at the Cork and Bib in Westbury, Long Island and also at the White Canon in Far Rockaway (scene of the singular success of Phil Anquill) but these were the slim pickings of an otherwise empty schedule.

The rhythm section on these jobs was composed of the same trio which backed Phil Woods on his early Prestige quintet recordings and again appears here. Due to the transitory nature of the Phil-Quill combo, the three, as well as their coleaders, have been heard in other groups recently.

Bassist Teddy Kotick has buoyed the Horace Silver quintet and the Zoot Sims–Al Cohn fivesome while drummer Nick Stabulas has also appeared with the latter group. George Syran has been in the process of completing his Bachelor of Music at the Manhattan School and, in connection with this, has given several recitals of classical composers.

The meat for improvisation in this set has been supplied by Phil himself and includes six originals. Let us hope that among the new supporters this album gains for Phil and Quill, there are enough clubowners to militate regrouping of the unit as a permanent thing.

For your enlightenment and further enjoyment of this album, I have indicated below who blows where on the different selections.

—

Creme De Funk – Woods 1st solo; also 1st in chases
Lazy-Like – Woods 1st solo; Quill 1st in chases
Nothing But Soul – Quill 1st solo; Quill 1st in chases
A Night At St. Nicks – Quill 1st
Black Cherry Fritters – Woods 1st bridge; 1st solo; Quill 2nd solo & last bridge
Altology – Woods 1st solo; Quill 1st in chases