It's hard to understand why
Jimmy Woods recorded so little before evidently retiring from jazz. His entire recorded legacy includes just a pair of dates as a sideman and two albums for Contemporary.
Woods' final date as a leader is a memorable affair, with an all-star cast of musicians, including trumpeter
Carmell Jones, tenor saxophonist
Harold Land, pianist
Andrew Hill, bassist
George Tucker, and drummer
Elvin Jones, all of whom (except
Tucker) recorded as leaders before the decade was over. The program is made of six originals, including the tense, bluesy march "Conflict"; the turbulent "Aim"; and the tricky (and well-named) "Apart Together." His one ballad of the date is the unusually structured "Look to Your Heart." While all of the soloists are impressive and
Jones' powerful drumming fuels the horn players, the leader's adventurous alto sax is not to be missed. This long-overdue reissue in Fantasy's limited-edition OJC series adds three valuable alternate takes. ~ Ken Dryden