Hi everybody,
We had a lot of fun with Nette’s Little Big Band at Drayton Court Hotel last month. You can see a clip here.
The monthly Way Out West gigs continue at Drayton Court, West Ealing: in June I’ll be there again with my own band – the Tony Woods Project. Last time we were there we had an amazing time – see here.
Please note change of day/date due to World Cup clash: The Tony Woods Project will now be playing on Thursday 25th June at Drayton Court.
The Project is my main creative outlet – we play my tunes, and have released four albums so far. We play our own brand of melodic, folk inspired jazz and have received lots of lovely reviews for our four albums High Seas, Lowlands, Wind Shadows and Hidden Fires:
“Emotional and warmly personal music” ★★★★ (the Guardian)
“Combines a jazz edge with the melodic zest of folk…delightful.” (BBC Radio 3)
“Colourful, evocative music from one of the most distinctive groups on the UK Jazz scene.”(The JazzMann)
“Definitely jazz for the 21st century” (Jazz Journal)
On this gig the Project will be playing some old favourites as well as some new music from our forthcoming 5th album: “Into the Ether.”
On Friday 15th May I’ll be with the Dave Jones Nonet at the Bull’s Head Barnes.
And the very next day – Saturday 16th May – Nette and I will be performing a concert of Russian songs with Terence Collie on piano at Swedenborg House.
If you enjoy my music please do like and subscribe to my Youtube Channel:
” Great solo a lesson in how to start sparce and build intensity”
“The word ravishing comes to mind!”
“So soft and gentle one wants to dream…. Such a pleasure to listen to Tony”
“Music full of warmth and joy”
“Soo cool”
“A wonderful and uplifting gig”
“Beautiful”
“Just been sent into another world again – Beautiful world….”
“Brilliant musicians and brilliant music!”
“Oh my goodness, another wonderful ‘ Project’, so exciting the build up, then the gentle ending, the flame gone out! Fantastic”
“I was lucky enough to be at this gig and see Tony and the band… wow amazing performance from all. Truly magical !!!”
“Yet another excellent gig. Great music and musicians”
“Absolutely brilliant!”
“Tone! Killer performance.”
“Wow!! Just fabulous…”
“Superb”
“What an amazing solo”
“Fantastic sound!”
“Awesome”
“What a way to start the day – had me dancing round my third storey”
“Story telling and space is the way to go . Lovely stuff “
“Can’t stop listening, spellbinding”
Upcoming gigs:May:
Friday 15th with Dave Jones Nonet @ Bull’s Head, Barnes
Saturday 16th with Nette Robinson and Terence Collie @ Swedenborg House, WC1A
June:
Thursday 25th: Tony Woods Project @ Drayton Court Hotel
Other News:
Nette, Meredith White and I will be teaching on the Isle of Man Jazz Weekend 28th-30th August .
The Way Out West gigs continue in 2026 at Drayton Court Hotel, West Ealing, usually the third Wednesday in the month:
Wednesday 20th May: Nick Mills Blue Note Project
Thursday 25th June: Tony Woods Project
Wednesday 22nd July: Larry Bartley
WOW performances continue at Jazz Cafe Posk (the Polish Cultural Centre, Hammersmith):
Saturday 4th July: The American Songbook
The Woods ShedI run a Jazz Workshop and Jam session at the Village Centre, Englefield Green on Monday nights. New members always welcome…
More info here.
Chippings From The Woods Shed:
I’ve been talking recently in these Chippings about listening to music. Of course the most important way to listen to music is to catch it live – there are some gigs above you could come along to!
But there’s another way we can use recorded music as well as the formal transcription approach I mentioned last month: Before there were Play along Records people just used to “play along” with their favourite jazz records. Don’t worry it’s not sacrilegious – Charlie Parker apparently wore out his 78 of Lester Young by playing it so much! No worries if you can’t memorise the solos note for note, just enjoy picking up what you can in real time and have fun playing along with Miles or Trane or Lester, picking up some of the feel, the sound, the emotion of it all.
