Fred Woodard

Fred Woodard: Reviews

About Urban Garden

"Veteran Boston jazz guitarist Fred Woodard comes from the Wes Montgomery and Grant Green schools of elegant post-bop funk — thumb-picked, tensile lines spun from crafty tunes — with a contemporary spin of hip-hop and avant-garde. He conjures multiple voices simultaneously — either with his call-and-response between single-note phrases and chords or in his quick jumps among registers — in conversation with himself.. --Jon Garelick , The Boston Phoenix (read the full review)

About ARRIVAL!!

"I find Fred's tone to be warm and inviting, making you want to hear more from him. No matter if he's playing a ballad or an African American Spiritual, like Joshua Fit De Battel ob Jericho, that warmth shines through. --Eric D. Jackson, WGBH Radio, Boston (read the full review)

I had to stop the CD player while I was listening to Fred Woodard's new album, Arrival!!, the other day. The album's forth tune, "Iceman," features a six piece band playing a classical hard bop arrangement. It is so strong I had to push the eject button to make sure I had the right CD in the slot. --Ron Netsky, Rochester City News (read the full interview)

Arrival!! is a classy, eloquent beginning for Woodard, overlaying youthful energy on a rock-solid bed of time-tested jazz tradition. What air-conditioning does for the body, this disc does for the mind -- and these old days, that's every bit as important. --Iowa City Press-Citizen (read the full review)

He is an innovative guitarist who executes in a clear, lyrical way while still managing to bring significant improvisatory texture ot the set. --Frank Rubolino, Cadence, February 2001 (read the full review)

About 1715

1715 shows Fred is facing the challenges of the musical changes while never loosing that earthiness that seems to be so characteristic of his playing. Blues and bop are key to his playing and writing. ----Eric D. Jackson, WGBH Radio, Boston (read the full review)

... It is always great to have local artists making a name for themselves and if you're looking to jazz up your CD collection, there is no need to go too far afield. ----Cheryl Hamilton-Smythe (read the full review)

... [Woodard] takes the classic sound of many a Blue Note soul-jazz record and updates it with modern touches. --John Kenyon (read the full review)

... [Woodard] continues to expand his impressive, blues-informed chops on the follow-up to his excellent 1999 debut, "Arrival." ... Woodard is developing a distinct, tone cool style that makes forays into disparate genres go down smooth as silk. --Jim Musser (read the full review)

Fred Woodard is a master at combining jazz and blues in an electric guitar style that never fails to engage. --Ron Netsky (read the full review)