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.

• 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
  
  Justin is on from 7:00 p.m.to 10:00 p.m.