Alto saxophonist and flautist Justin Wood began playing saxophone in fifth grade growing up in rural Northern Maine. During high school, he co-led a jazz trio with trombonist Philip Yaeger and brother Tyler Wood on piano, and played gigs ranging from local restaurants to agricultural conventions.

After attending Harvard University, Justin moved to New York in 1999 to work as a union organizer and explore the city's music scene. He began performing in New York in 2001, and has performed around the city with diverse musical groups in venues including Birdland, the Brooklyn Academy of Music, NJ Performing Arts Center, the Knitting Factory, and the Garage. Rather than pursuing a conservatory education, he has learned from and been inspired by his peers, and through private lessons with top creative musicians such as Bill McHenry and Michel Gentile.

Currently, Justin continues to participate in diverse musical projects. He leads a jazz quartet including guitarist Todd Neufeld, drummer Danny Fischer, and bassist Dan Loomis; and co-leads the Adventure Club with saxophonist Adam Shneit and keyboardist Tyler Wood. Justin has also been performing with World Revisited, a dub/reggae fusion group led by bassist Grant Smith and singer Jua Kali. Currently, Justin continues to participate in diverse musical projects. He co-leads Spoke, an eclectic quartet with trombonist Andy Hunter, bassist Dan Loomis, and drummer Danny Fischer.  He also performs regularly with other Maine natives such as pianist Tyler Wood, bassist Chris Van Voorst, and saxophonist Adam Schneit."

Compromise has gotten a bum rap. Long the darling of couples' therapy, the word has taken a beating by association at the hands of music critics who laud the "uncompromising" aspect of this or that cultural product. Redemption is at hand, however, as Spoke exposes the age (and diminishing relevance) of the late twentieth century's purist movements in the new century of the "global village".
Spoke is a group of artists constantly refining the art of the compromise in what is its true definition: not a concession or a lowering of standards but an intermediate between different things. Their compositional choices reflect the cultural diversity that is true American music - the Brazilian heart that beats deep within Bass Etude, the echoes of Mingus in the counterpoint of Slow Onset or Si Lu, the deft transformation of the Chinese Pop tune Xing Fu into great Jazz - yet the essence of Spoke's art lies within, not among, these 12 compositions.
This CD consists of 12 songs, only 4 of which are on this website.

Following comment by the manager, Delores A Pownall
I especially loved "Slow Onset", how the horns and the rhythm section begin to build to an exciting, explosive climax. In Part II of "Slow Onset", they have a natural way of slowly bringing that excitement down to create a relaxing mood. It gives you a feeling as if you have been on a journey traveling through space and time.

J Hunter's Best Jazz Discs of 2009 Published: December 30, 2009 in All About Jazz
Spoke (Self Produced) How many big-label releases can count a Chinese pop song as a "standard"? Bassist Dan Loomis' latest project is a mind-bending set of compromise-free music that blends elements from several genres into one intricate package. Blues, Bartok and bullfighters all pop their heads up (literally or metaphorically) as trombonist Andy Hunter and multi-instrumentalist Justin Wood create truly distinctive harmonies; drummer Danny Fischer takes advantage of Loomis' resonant foundation to act as fourth soloist and "change agent." Spoke is another example of New York City's jazz center moving across the Brooklyn Bridge, as well as more proof that jazz in the 21st century is going to be just fine.

• Pisces (D. Loomis)
  
  
  
• Slow Onset Suite Part I: Blabber Battle (A. Hunter)
  
  
  
• Part II: Ballad of Slow Onset Man (A. Hunter)
  
  
  
• Bass Etude (J. Wood)
  
  
  
• HAF (J. Wood)
  
  
  
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• I Only Have Eyes For You
  
  
  

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  PERFORMANCE CALENDAR:
  
  
  
• The Garage
  Saturday, January 6, 2012
  6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
  
  99 Seventh Ave South
  
  Justin Wood - Woodwinds
  Russ Spiegel - guitar
  Steve Wood - bass
  Andy O'Neill - drums
  
  
  
• The Garage
  Saturday, February 5, 2011
  6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
  
  99 Seventh Ave South
  
  Justin Wood - Woodwinds
  Eli Asher - Trumpet 
  Danny Fischer - Drums
  Steve Wood - Bass
  
  
• The Garage
  Saturday, January 1, 2011
  6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
  
  99 Seventh Ave South
  
  Justin Wood - Woodwinds
  Tyler Wood - Piano 
  Danny Fischer - Drums
  Steve Wood - Bass
  
  
• The Garage
  Saturday, May 1, 2010
  6:15 p.m. to 10:15 p.m.
  
  99 Seventh Ave South
  
  Spoke
  
  Justin Wood - Woodwinds
  Andy Hunter - Trombone 
  Danny Fischer - Drums
  Dan Loomis - Bass
  
• The Garage
  Saturday, March 6, 2010
  6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
  
  99 Seventh Ave South
  
  The Justin Wood Quartet
  
  Justin Wood - Woodwinds
  Tyler Wood - Piano 
  Kassa Overall - Drums
  Steve Wood - Bass
  
  the Garage has no cover
  
  for reservations call (212) 645-0600
  
  
• The Garage
  Saturday, January 2, 2010
  6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
  
  99 Seventh Ave South
  
  Spoke
  
  Justin Wood - Woodwinds
  Andy Hunter - Trombone 
  Danny Fischer - Drums
  Dan Loomis - Bass
  
  the Garage has no cover
  Spoke is on from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
  for reservations call (212) 645-0600