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.
LISTEN TO MP3S:
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)
------------------------
I Only Have Eyes For You
PERFORMANCE
CALENDAR:
The Garage
Saturday, October 4, 2008
99 Seventh Ave South
Justin Wood Quartet
Justin Wood - Sax and Flute
Ricardo Gallo, Piano
Chris Van Voorst, Bass
Martin Vejarano, Drums
the Garage has no cover
Justin is on from 6:15 p.m.to 10:15 p.m.
for reservations call (212) 645-0600
The Garage
Saturday, August 2, 2008
99 Seventh Ave South
Justin Wood Trio
Justin Wood - Woodwinds
Dan Loomis, Bass
Kyle Struve, Drums
the Garage has no cover
Justin is on from 6:15 p.m.to 10:15 p.m.
for reservations call (212) 645-0600
The Garage
Saturday, July 5, 2008
99 Seventh Ave South
Justin Wood Trio
Justin Wood - Woodwinds
Chris Van Voorst, Bass
Devin Gray, Drums
Natalie John - vocals
the Garage has no cover
Justin is on from 6:15 p.m.to 10:15 p.m.
for reservations call (212) 645-0600
The Garage
Saturday, April 5, 2008
99 Seventh Ave South
Justin Wood Trio
Justin Wood - Woodwinds
Dan Loomis, Bass
Danny Fischer, Drums
the Garage has no cover
Justin is on from 6:00 p.m.to 10:00 p.m.
for reservations call (212) 645-0600
Live Jazz at Bar Sugar
311 Church Street
Just South of Canal
7:00 to 10:00 p.m. Every Wednesday in November
no cover
November 7 Spoke
Andy Hunter - Trombone
Justin Wood - Woodwinds
Dan Loomis - bass
Kassa Overall - drums
November 21 Justin Wood Quartet
Justin Wood - woodwinds
Tyler Wood - keyboard
Dan Loomis - bass
Danny Fischer - drums
Red Bamboo
Justin Wood Quartet
Justin Wood alto Saxophone
Andy Hunter on Trombone
Every Sunday
Noon to 3:30 p.m.
Adelphi Street and DeKalb Ave
Fort Greene
Brooklyn
Barack Obama Fundraiser
Thursday, July 19, 2007
At Jazz on the Park
CPW and 106th Street
Justin Wood - flute, alto Saxophone
Andy Hunter - Trombone
Chris Van Voorst - bass
Matsui - drums