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== Biography == |
== Biography == |
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Juli Wood’s four grandparents immigrated from the [[Ostrobothnia (historical province)|Ostrobothnia]] region in [[Finland]] in the early 1900s to [[Minnesota|Minnesota’s]] [[Iron Range]], and [[Duluth, Minnesota|Duluth]].<ref name=":12" /> She grew up in the [[Milwaukee, Wisconsin]] area, her parents instilling [[Culture of Finland|Finnish]] heritage.<ref name=":12" /> |
Juli Wood’s four grandparents immigrated from the [[Ostrobothnia (historical province)|Ostrobothnia]] region in [[Finland]] in the early 1900s to [[Minnesota|Minnesota’s]] [[Iron Range]], and [[Duluth, Minnesota|Duluth]].<ref name=":12" /> She grew up in the [[Milwaukee, Wisconsin]] area, her parents instilling [[Culture of Finland|Finnish]] heritage.<ref name=":12" /> She became enamored by the saxophone while in grade school, “I remember watching ''[[Soul Train]]'' as a kid on T.V. in the 70’s and seeing [[Maceo Parker]] playing alto sax with [[James Brown]]. I thought that was the coolest looking and sounding instrument in the world! So the love affair with the saxophone started in the sixth grade and has been going strong ever since.”<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.juliwoodsax.com/bio/|title=Bio {{!}} Juli Wood Sax|language=en-US|access-date=2020-01-25}}</ref> |
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In high school she played in the schools concert orchestra, and marching, and jazz bands.<ref name=":15" /> After graduating high school in 1977, she visited Finland, and made return visits nearly every summer.<ref name=":12" /> She briefly attended [[University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee]] but dropped out to focus on the city’s music scene.<ref name=":15" /> She soon joined the [[R&B Cadets]], with singer Robyn Pluer, and John and Mike Sieger who later broke off to form Semi-Twang; a later version of the Cadets would include [[Paul Cebar]] who had a knack for unearthing obscure jazz songs that made for great cover songs.<ref name=":15" /> |
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==Notes == |
==Notes == |
Revision as of 11:11, 25 January 2020
Juli Wood | |
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Genres | |
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Labels | OA2 Records |
Website | JuliWoodSax.com |
Juli Wood is an accomplished Finnish-American saxophonist, vocalist, composer, and band-leader from Chicago, Illinois, who appears regularly in Chicago and Milwaukee area jazz clubs, on tours through the Midwest with the Juli Wood Quartet, and other groups she leads or is a part.[1][2] She plays soprano, tenor and baritone saxophone.[1][3] Wood makes frequent appearances at Scandinavian jazz and blues festivals including the Finland’s Pori Jazz festival.[1][2] Wood got her start in Milwaukee with the R&B Cadets, and gained further exposure with Paul Cebar & the Milwaukeeans—which also featured vocalists Robyn Pluer, and Paul Cebar—who toured between Milwaukee, Chicago, and Minneapolis.[4][5][6]
Wood plays baritone with jazz great organist Melvin Rhyne as a quintet on a self-published CD, Movin' and Groovin′.[3][7] Her CD Blues for Earma Jean was released in November 2004 featuring Chicago piano legend, Earma Thompson.[8] She plays with Milwaukee area jazz duo, Mrs. Fun, and several of her contributions can be heard on The Best of Mrs. Fun (Daemon Records).[6] Wood is a member of Valley of the Dolls, with Janet Planet, Connie Grauer and Kim Zick, who have released an album entitled High.[6]
Her 2015 recording Synkkä Metsä (Dark Forest) draws on material from her Finnish heritage.[9][1] On one of her near-yearly trips to Finland she was listening to jazz trumpeter Art Farmer's recording of Swedish folk songs, To Sweden with Love (1964), and decided to record "simple and hauntingly beautiful Finnish folk songs, instrumentally and in a jazz style."[2] She was named the Finlandia Foundation Performer of the Year for 2018.[1] The foundation awarded her two grants: the first to research and produce a follow up to Synkkä Metsä; the other for traveling the USA performing the Finnish folk songs in jazz styles.[6]
She has “played many jazz clubs and festivals nationally and internationally; Chicago Jazz Fest, Hyde Park Jazz Fest, Milwaukee's Summerfest, Chicago's main jazz clubs - The Jazz Showcase, Green Mill Cocktail Lounge, Andy's and Katerina's. Skansen Jazz and Blues (Stockholm, Sweden), Pori Jazz Fest (Finland), Bent J's club (Aarhus, Denmark), Storyville (Helsinki, Finland), Arlandia Jazz Fest (Åland Islands, Finland) to name a few”.[2] In 2018 she debuted Big Bari Band, with both her and fellow saxophonist Rajiv Halim On baritone saxophones.[3]
Biography
Juli Wood’s four grandparents immigrated from the Ostrobothnia region in Finland in the early 1900s to Minnesota’s Iron Range, and Duluth.[1] She grew up in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin area, her parents instilling Finnish heritage.[1] She became enamored by the saxophone while in grade school, “I remember watching Soul Train as a kid on T.V. in the 70’s and seeing Maceo Parker playing alto sax with James Brown. I thought that was the coolest looking and sounding instrument in the world! So the love affair with the saxophone started in the sixth grade and has been going strong ever since.”[10]
In high school she played in the schools concert orchestra, and marching, and jazz bands.[6] After graduating high school in 1977, she visited Finland, and made return visits nearly every summer.[1] She briefly attended University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee but dropped out to focus on the city’s music scene.[6] She soon joined the R&B Cadets, with singer Robyn Pluer, and John and Mike Sieger who later broke off to form Semi-Twang; a later version of the Cadets would include Paul Cebar who had a knack for unearthing obscure jazz songs that made for great cover songs.[6]
She trained in jazz at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music, and has been mentored by jazz musicians she admires.[1] In 1996 she moved to Chicago, Illinois.[1]
Notes
• Walton, Jack (August 26, 2018). "Saxophonist Juli Wood jazzes up Finnish folk tunes; performs at Merrimans' in South Bend". South Bend Tribune. Retrieved January 25, 2020.{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
• Rake, Jamie Lee (March 24, 2017). "Juli Wood Trio @ The Jazz Estate". Shepherd Express. Retrieved January 25, 2020.{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
• Dietrich, Kurt (2018). Wisconsin riffs : jazz portraits from the heartland. Madison: Wisconsin Historical Society. ISBN 978-0-87020-854-6. OCLC 1003268124.
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "2018 Performer of the Year: Juli Wood" (PDF). Finlandia Foundation National. June 2018. Retrieved January 24, 2020.
{{cite news}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b c d Records, Origin. "OA2 Records Artist Juli Wood - Saxophone". originarts.com. Retrieved 2020-01-25.
- ^ a b c Reich, Howard (February 1, 2018). "Juli Wood launches her Big Bari Band". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved January 25, 2020.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Mason, Rick (March 10, 2016). "Get ready to dance: Milwaukee's R&B Cadets return to duty, after three decades". Star Tribune. Retrieved January 25, 2020.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Levy, Piet (November 4, 2015). "Dance-floor dominating R&B Cadets reunite, perform unreleased tracks". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved January 25, 2020.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b c d e f g Dietrich, Kurt (2018). Wisconsin riffs : jazz portraits from the heartland. Madison: Wisconsin Historical Society. ISBN 978-0-87020-854-6. OCLC 1003268124.
- ^ Saxophone Journal. Dorn Publications. 1998.
- ^ "Blues for Earma Jean". Retrieved 2020-01-25.
- ^ Dan McClenaghan, "Juli Wood Quartet: Synkka Metsa (Dark Forest)", AllAboutJazz, August 6, 2015.
- ^ "Bio | Juli Wood Sax". Retrieved 2020-01-25.
External links