Woody's Jazz Woody

Don't turn away. This is the sequel to last week's post. Same artist, different sort of music ---

The Wizzard Once Again

Friday, August 03, 2012

Roy Wood's Wizzard Band along with Pythons and Teddy Boys
disguised as Jethro Tull

Imagine if you will an all-star studio session comprised of Led Zeppelin's rhythm section and the horn players from Ian Carr's Nucleus. Jeff Lynne's on hand, as is Al Kooper, arriving with his hastily prepared charts to contribute ondioline, keyboards and rhythm guitar. Pedal steel legend 'Sneaky' Pete Kleinow is quietly setting up in the corner when who walks in unannounced? None other than Pete Townshend, unexpectedly dropping by to participate in the session. Now imagine that all these luminaries are all assembled for a jazz date! The Andrew Sisters, Django Rheinhardt and Count Basie are somehow miraculously brought back from the dead to join in, and for good measure, the studio is littered with a few cellos, several French horns and an electric sitar as well. Primary vocal chores are slated to be handled by Todd Rundgren and Brian Wilson, and you've now got a fairly accurate representation of Roy Wood's bizarre big band jazz sensibilities. Hard to conjure? You bet. Could it actually happen? Not likely. Maybe in some other world perhaps. But if that world were in Roy Wood's universe, then yes, it certainly could. As unlikely an aggregation as the above fantasy session supposes, it can in fact materialize in a 'virtual' sort of way, making it even that much more difficult to understand and fathom. You see, the participating names need not even show up in Roy's musical playground for he himself is capable of channeling their sound and personalities with his uncanny ability to emulate their styles through his encyclopedic knowledge of music, and by virtue of his prowess as a masterful multi-instrumentalist.

The Questions It Raises

Q: "First off, if memory serves me right, you just recently featured Roy Wood last week didn't you? What's up with offering a second mix?"

A: You're right, I did. That one showcased just a few aspects of Wood's musical galaxy. This time 'round I wanted to specifically put his 'jazz' in the spotlight. I happen to like Roy Wood, and his 'jazz' is no exception. Sure, it's eccentric. Some might even say it's self-indulgent, but I prefer to think of it as ambitious. And I also believe it has merit. In all honesty however, I already had his records scattered all over the floor, so that made it much easier for me to create a second post as a companion piece to the first.

Q: "So does this music swing like jazz?"

A: No, I wouldn't say it swings like what you'd find in a traditional jazz setting. It's different... a left field form of jazz unlike any you may have heard before. It contains some nifty horn charts, a few interesting chordings and some truly killer riffs, but little improvisation. The band stretches out a bit, occasionally straying from form seemingly for the purpose of simply injecting something esoteric into the mix before they return to the groove. It can be a little over-the-top at times, but that recklessness merely contributes to it's unpredictability. A lot of his music is that way. But it's those very surprises that keep things interesting, for me at least. You've gotta remember, it's Roy Wood. His eccentricities need to be taken with a grain of salt and a bit of blind faith.

Q: "So it's some dreadful jazz fusion thing then?"

A: Well yeah, it is a fusion of jazz and rock, but again, not akin to any sort of fusion that I've ever heard before. But then I haven't heard everything. If it helps, there are no gratuitous synthesizer solos, slapped bass lines, or crap like that.

Q: "O.K., how about this then? It's a faux-jazz-mock-rock-fusion purée served over ice with a dash of Tabasco and a twist of lime."

A: Actually, that's not a bad summation, although it's not puréed. It's chunky. And more a hit of acid than a citrus zing, considering the steel guitars and Bollywood sitars that are in the blend. It's a intermingling of lots of ideas and ingredients, much like his rock music. If you want to stick with the food angle, Roy's kind of like a great short order cook. He's able to whip up a tasty meal out of leftovers and odds n' ends. The ingredients themselves are common fare, but it's all in the way he prepares them that makes them outstanding. He utilizes everyday staples, but in a very unique way. There may be a few secret herbs and spices, but he's not letting on. Let me assure you though, his music is not some contrived, self-conscious hybrid along the lines of "Let's put some hip-hop rhymes over Algerian rhythms with a small string section against a reggae beat" kind of thing. It's far more organic, honest and clever than that. A more fitting analogy might be that of Rahsaan Roland Kirk. Like Wood, he too was a multi-instrumentalist with a penchant for the exotic. In Rahsaan's case, you can hear the entire history of jazz sprinkled throughout his recordings. He melded everything from stride and bop, to Ellington and Rollins into his work. Wood's music is similar. You hear all sorts of references. The common thread between them is their ability to synthesize those influences into something new.

Q: "This sounds unsettling different. So I'm guessing it's schizophrenic and will no doubt give me a headache."

A: Different? Yes. Schizophrenic? I'd say 'interesting,' but I suppose that depends on how open you are to its charms. I can tell you that clocking in at 1 hour and 30 minutes, the set below possibly contains more indefinable music than you might ever care to be exposed to in one sitting. Personally, I think that's a good thing. On the other hand, if you simply don't get where it's all coming from, then it's probably 90 minutes more madness then you'll ever want to hear again.

Q: "So how often do you listen to it, Miles? And how likely is it to monopolize your mp3 player?"

A: I listen occasionally. It's best served in small portions, that way when you come back to it again, it sounds wild, crazy and surprising all over again. I really think it deserves to be heard though, and to be given a chance. Nobody... nobody makes music this eclectic today, and we're likely never to hear anything like it again.

Q: "Just two more questions. Who in the world would be capable of conjuring such a cacophony of sound, style and unpredictability into one imaginative brew? And who would seemingly throw absolutely everything into the mix, including the kitchen sink?"

A: Two words. Roy Wood.

Roy Wood and the Wizzard Band as Eddie and the Falcons
just prior to wreaking havoc in an otherwise quiet dining establishment

Woody's Jazz Woody

1) Mustard
2) Life Is Wonderful
3) Saxmaniax
4) Sneakin'
5) The Premium Bond Theme
6) Olympic Flyer
7) French Perfume
8) Bend Over Beethoven
9) Waitin' At This Door
10) Another Wrong Night
11) Earthrise
12) Music To Commit Suicide By
13) Main Street
14) Giant Footprints (Jubilee)
15) Take My Hand
16) I Should Have Known
17) Rob Roy's Nightmare (A Bit More H.A.)


Source material for 'Woody's Jazz Woody' comes from the following:
Mustard (1975)
Main Street (Recorded 1977/Released 2000)
Super Active Wizzo (1977) and Exotic Mixture (1999)