Woods & Mays

Long one of the dominate alto saxophonists in jazz, Phil Woods meets his regular pianist Bill Mays for this intimate duo session recorded in September 2010. Both musicians have a vast repertoire and a gift for inventive improvising. They explore several songs by top-notch songwriters, including a loping, lyrical treatment of Jimmy Van Heusen's "All This and Heaven Too," a breezy, playful setting of Irving Berlin's "The Thing for You Would Be Me," and an overlooked Richard Rodgers gem, "Do I Love You?," which was featured in a Cinderella television special in the late '50s, featuring a bubbly Woods solo that is well complemented by Mays' elegant piano. Woods unveils two new originals for musicians who had passed away prior to the record date: "Blues for Lopes," a spunky bop vehicle that honors Joe Lopes, an old friend and mentor, along with "Hank Jones," a gorgeous ballad that salutes the brilliant pianist whose career spanned seven decades. This enjoyable duo date adds another important chapter to the already vast discography of Phil Woods.