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Bill Goodwin
An almost completely self-taught drummer, Bill attributes his early interest in the drums to Shelly Manne's playing on the movie soundtrack of “The Man with the Golden Arm.” Before that he had taken piano lessons and studied the tenor saxophone. His father's extensive record collection gave him the opportunity to hear and learn songs, and he still hears the form of the music first.
From 1959 to the present, Goodwin has been a professional drummer, playing with the likes of Bill Evans, Dexter Gordon, Art Pepper, Jim Hall, George Shearing and Bobby Hutcherson, and singers such as June Christy, Joe Williams, Tony Bennett and Manhattan Transfer.
The drum chair with Gary Burton brought him to the East Coast in 1969. After a three year stint with Burton's group Bill settled down in an old farmhouse in the Poconos and worked the resorts. It was there that he and bassist Steve Gilmore became a team. Goodwin, like Gilmore, is a charter member of The Phil Woods Quartet (now Quintet), joining at it's inception in February 1974.
Phil Woods says, "Bill is the magic ingredient in our all acoustic group. Bill is one of the masters who plays the song, not just the time. He shades and tints beautifully. He plays the music."
Bill Goodwin has produced all of the The Phil Woods Quartet/Quintet and Little Big Band recordings since 1980 including the Grammy Award winning albums MORE LIVE (Adelphi), AT THE VANGUARD (Antilles) and the 1992 Grammy nominee ALL BIRD'S CHILDREN (Concord Jazz), as well as THE PHIL WOODS QUINTET MEETS DIZZY GILLESPIE on Timeless Records and FLOWERS FOR HODGES by Phil Woods and Jim McNeely duo. He has also produced several Tom Harrell recordings and was Omnisound's main producer of jazz product including: PHIL WOODS/LEW TABACKIN and Dave Frishberg's SONGBOOKS, VOLUME I and VOLUME II. His most recently released production efforts are Keith Jarrett's LIVE AT THE DEER HEAD for ECM Records, and THE PHIL WOODS QUARTET/QUINTET 20TH ANNIVERSARY ALBUM for Mosaic, Phil Woods’ ASTOR & ELIS for Chesky Records and the Quintet’s MILE HIGH JAZZ for Concord Jazz.
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Bill Goodwin: In and Out of the Control Room
by Dr. Dennis J. Melillo
Throughout the history of jazz, there have been many renowned drummers. Think of Cozy Cole, Gene Krupa, Max Roach, and Jack DeJohnette. A name known to many, but not all, is Bill Goodwin. In brief, for over 50 years, he has toured as the drummer and recorded with, among so many others, Tony Bennett, George Shearing, Gary Burton, Tom Waits, Jefferson Airplane (!), and, of course, Phil Woods. He does concerts and festivals all over the world while being, for ...
Continue ReadingNancy Reed & Spencer Reed: Happying
by Katchie Cartwright
The jazz world encompasses a multitude of local communities, each bringing its particular proclivities to bear on the music. Jazz came to jny: Delaware Water Gap and the jny: Pocono Mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania via the inns and summer resorts for which the region has been known since the second decade of the 19th century, attracting New Yorkers and Philadelphians seeking summer refuge and fresh woodland air. By the time singer-bassist Nancy Reed and singer-guitarist Spencer Reed arrived there from ...
Continue ReadingBill Goodwin: Not Less Than Everything
by Victor L. Schermer
Bill Goodwin is like a breath of fresh air blowing through jazz. From the time around 1954 when he was in jny: Los Angeles and just learning the drums, and inspired by Shelly Manne, to today, around his 80th birthday, he has loved jazz and the musicians unconditionally. He has befriended and worked with so many of the great jazz artists that it's hard to count them. Here is a partial list: Gary Burton, Bill Evans, Dexter Gordon, Jim Hall, ...
Continue ReadingKirk Knuffke: Brightness Live In Amsterdam
by Doug Collette
Kirk Knuffke's well-developed musical pedigree compelled the ever-so-astute drummer/composer/bandleader Allison Miller to recruit him for her forward-thinking ensemble Boom Tic Boom. It's the same premise upon which guitarist Charlie Hunter enlisted this man with the horns accompaniment for Everybody Has A Plan Until They Get Punched In The Mouth (Self-Produced, 2016). And in also assuming the roles of bandleader/composer for Brightness Live in Amsterdam, Knuffke calls upon his well-honed versatility as well. Accordingly, this forty-five minutes begins with ...
Continue ReadingBill Goodwin: No Method
Source:
JazzWax by Marc Myers
When a trio is happening, it's such a warm, inspiring thing. The magic is in the collaborative relationship between the piano, bass and drums, the sensitivity of the artists and the sifting together of the ingredients particular to their instruments. Drummer Bill Goodwin has played and recorded in many terrific trios, as well as in brilliant small ensembles. Leaders of those dates have included Gary Burton, Gábor Szabó, Paul Horn and Phil Woods. Goodwin has enormous taste and technique whether ...
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Bill Goodwin One Year Anniversary at Deer Head Inn on August 25th
Source:
Marsha Walker
JAZZ ROAD WARRIOR AND FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE PHIL WOODS QUARTET, BILL GOODWIN, CELEBRATES ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF LEADING JAM SESSIONS AT THE DEER HEAD INN. With a career that spans over 50 years, Bill Goodwin has played every major jazz festival and hundreds of venues in the United States and abroad. This jazz road warrior also leads the weekly Jam Session at the historic Deer Head Inn. On August 25, 2011, Goodwin will celebrate his one year leading these ...
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Abigail Riccards Live at Trumpets with Bill Goodwin, David Berkman, and Evan Gregor
Source:
All About Jazz
Abigail Riccards with Bill Goodwin, David Berkman, and Evan Gregor Sunday, Sept. 16, 2007 4-7pm Trumpets 6 Depot Square Montclair, NJ About Abigail Riccards: Since coming to New York in 2003, Abigail Riccards is already making a name for herself. Last summer, she toured the middle-east, playing a week tour in Yemen for the United States State Department. In 2004 Abigail was selected to be a semifinalist in the Thelonious Monk International ...
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"Bill is one of the masters who plays the song, not just the time. He shades and tints beautifully. He plays the music." —Phil Woods