Piper At The Gates Of Dawn
W/ Phil Woods (Saxes), Hal Galper (Pno), Steve Gilmore (Bass), Bill Goodwin (Drms), Chris Swanson (Synthesizer Arrangements)
* A Night In Tunisia
* 'Round Midnight
* Au Privave
* Goodbye Mr. Evans
* Piper At The Gates Of Dawn
* Confirmation
* Piper's Mood
* Chasin' The Piper
* Once You Know She's Gone
* Moose The Mooche
Initially pegged as a musical "child" of Charlie Parker, alto sax/clarinet player Phil Woods has progressed over the years to become a musical innovator (and two-time Grammy nominee) in his own right. As Digital Audio pointed out in 1985, "Woods himself is a marvel, and anything he may have to say about Parker's music from his unique point of view is well worth attention." Combining roots in bebop with a modern composer's exploratory approach, Woods has most often worked with a group of Hal Galper (piano); Steve Gilmore (bass), and Bill Godwin (drums).
Though never a full-time band member, keyboardist Chris Swansen had been a friend and collaborator of Woods' since the late '60s. The idea of a Charlie Parker tribute album was brewing in their heads for most of that time, and finally saw fruition with PIPER AT THE GATES OF DAWN in 1985. By this time Swansen was playing synthesizers exclusively, lending a decidely modern feel to the music. But as Parker's daughter Kim, who sang on the album, puts it: "I know Bird is smiling."
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