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NEA Jazz Master Phil Woods on the Dizzy Gillespie Big Band

Series: Jazz Masters Moments
From: National Endowment for the Arts
Length: 00:01:30

IN 1956, 2007 NEA JAZZ MASTER PHIL WOODS TOOK A SEAT IN THE RENOWNED DIZZY GILLESPIE BIG BAND. IT WAS THE BEGINNING OF A LONG FRIENDSHIP, WITH GILLESPIE ACTING THE MENTOR IN MATTERS OF BOTH LIFE AND JAZZ, FOR YEARS TO COME. Read the full description.

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NEA Jazz Masters Moments highlight the jazz greats honored through the NEA Jazz Masters, a comprehensive program of jazz support that includes the NEA Jazz Masters Award, an NEA Jazz Masters tour with performances and educational activities, radio programming, a compilation CD, educational resources, and publications and reports. Nearly 100 radio segments feature eighteen NEA Jazz Masters, providing musical samples, historical information, and first-person anecdotes designed to give listeners added insight into the artists and their art.

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Piece Description

NEA Jazz Masters Moments highlight the jazz greats honored through the NEA Jazz Masters, a comprehensive program of jazz support that includes the NEA Jazz Masters Award, an NEA Jazz Masters tour with performances and educational activities, radio programming, a compilation CD, educational resources, and publications and reports. Nearly 100 radio segments feature eighteen NEA Jazz Masters, providing musical samples, historical information, and first-person anecdotes designed to give listeners added insight into the artists and their art.

Transcript

NOW, A JAZZ MOMENT…

MUSIC: “Dizzy’s Business”
CD: Birks Works Verve 314 527 900-2 (cut 1)

IN 1956, 2007 NEA JAZZ MASTER PHIL WOODS TOOK A SEAT IN THE RENOWNED DIZZY GILLESPIE BIG BAND. IT WAS THE BEGINNING OF A LONG FRIENDSHIP, WITH GILLESPIE ACTING THE MENTOR IN MATTERS OF BOTH LIFE AND JAZZ, FOR YEARS TO COME.

I mean one time he actually kidnapped me. I was in Birdland and he and Art Blakey were there. And I’m crying the blues and they threw me in a cab and took me out to Dizzy’s pad in Corona, Long Island. And said, “Now, what’s your problem?” I said, “Well, you know, how am I gonna be a jazz musician? I’m a white guy.” And Dizzy said, “Oop, time out!” He says, “Hey Woods, Charlie Parker did not play this music for black people. He played it for everybody in the world. It was his gift. And you can’t steal a gift. And if you can hear it, you can have it. B...
Read the full transcript

Musical Works

Title Artist Album Label Year Length
Dizzy's Business Phil Woods CD: Birks Works. Verve 314 527 900-2 (cut 1) 00:00

Additional Credits

If you have any questions please contact Liz Mehaffey (mehaffeye@arts.gov) or Adam Kampe (kampea@arts.gov) at the NEA.

Related Website

http://www.nea.gov/national/jazz/index.html