Sat, Nov 15, 2025, 5:00 PM – House of Hard Bop.
In the third episode about Phil Woods, you’ll hear 12 pieces from Here’s To My Lady from 1988. This album is dedicated to his wife, Jill Goodwin. Woods considers her a great source of happiness in his life, and also a cornerstone of his success: “None of this would have happened without Jill.” The top-notch backing trio—pianist Tommy Flanagan, bassist George Mraz, and drummer Kenny Washington—needs no further recommendation.
Phil Woods has done a lot throughout his long career, including crossing jazz boundaries. On some of the hundreds of albums to which his name is attached, he appears alongside artists like Billy Joel, Paul Simon, and Steely Dan. Given his discography, Here’s To My Lady could be considered a relaxed, easy-going series of pieces: the average duration of the performances is short, and the instrument ratios are typically straightforward. This also applies to the forms.
The tempo and character of the pieces provide variation, as does the clarinet, which alternates with the sax several times. Besides the accompanying trio, Woods is the protagonist here, with his unique timbre, perfect phrasing and articulation, complete mastery of rapid note swings, and rich improvisatory imagination.
* The third piece, the “romantic” Another Love Song, is quickly associated with the album title, and thus with Woods’ wife, Jill. * In the list of composers, the Austro-Hungarian operetta king Franz Lehár is a striking name (no. 7). Yours Is My Heart Alone, or “Dein ist mein Ganzes Herz,” is an aria from the operetta Das Land des Lächelns.
Superette (Tom Harrell)
Johnny Hodges (Phil Woods)
Another Love Song (Phil Woods)
Canadian Sunset (Eddie Haywood)
Charles Christopher (Phil Woods)
Butter (Jerry Dodgion)
Yours Is My Heart Alone (Franz Lehár)
Blue and Sentimental (Count Basie)
Origins (Hal Crook)
Here’s to My Lady (Johnny Mercer)
Waltz for Debby (Bill Evans)
Just Us (Hal Galper)
House of Hard Bop – Eric Ineke
Click for the first episode of this series.
Click for the corresponding news item.
Click for the second episode of this series.
Click for the corresponding news item.
The next episode – also the last, Phil Woods (4): Phil Woods Quintet plays The American Songbook
