Philip Wells Woods (November 2, 1931 – September 29, 2015) was an American jazz bebop alto saxophonist, clarinetist, bandleader and composer.
Woods was born in Springfield, Massachusetts. He studied music with Lennie Tristano, who influenced him greatly, at the Manhattan School of Music and at the Juilliard School. His friend, Joe Lopes, coached him on clarinet as there was no saxophone major at Juilliard at the time. Although he did not copy Charlie "Bird" Parker, he was known as the New Bird, a label which was also attached to other alto players such as Sonny Stitt and Cannonball Adderley at one time or another in their careers.
In the mid-'50s, Woods began to front his own bands. He got major exposure after Quincy Jones invited him to accompany a 1956 State Department-sponsored world tour with the big band of Dizzy Gillespie. In 1959 Woods traveled Europe with Jones’ band; in 1962 he participated in Benny Goodman’s Russian tour.
After moving to France in 1968, Woods led the European Rhythm Machine, a group which tended toward avant-garde jazz. He returned to the United States in 1972 and, after an unsuccessful attempt to establish an electronic group, he formed a quintet which was still performing, with some changes of personnel, in 2004. As his theme, Woods used a piece titled "How's Your Mama?"
The battle is over
Blood covers the plain
Courage is proven
Brave men died this day
Oh the Valkyries fly
To choose from those who died
Oh the Valkyries fly
Valhalla awaits
Choosers of the slain
Honor the brave men's call
Soon the Einheriar
Rise again in Odin's hall
Oh the Valkyries fly
To choose from those who died
Oh the Valkyries fly
Valhalla awaits