Kevin Woods

Trumpeter Kevin Woods began his musical interests at an early age. His father, who played trumpet in a local big band, gave Woods a cornet at age five and introduced him to the music of such jazz greats as Louis Armstrong, Harry James and Benny Goodman. Throughout junior high and high school Woods received many honors and awards from several jazz and classical music festivals and competitions and in 1997 was invited to perform in the Spokane All City and the All Northwest Jazz Ensembles.

Woods attended Whitworth College in Spokane, Washington, on music and academic scholarships for two years where he studied jazz and classical trumpet with Dr. Daniel Keberle and was a featured soloist with the award winning Whitworth College Jazz Ensemble I. In 1999 Woods won the college division jazz trumpet solo competition at the Lionel Hampton International Jazz Festival. In the same year he left Whitworth College, won an audition for the Walla Walla Symphony and began playing jazz and classical music professionally.

In 2002, Woods went back to school and in 2005 he graduated with a B.A. in Music from Western Washington University. At Western he studied jazz, composition and arranging with legendary Bill Evans bassist and professor of jazz Chuck Israels. Kevin's compositions and arrangements have been performed by the Western Washington University Twelve, Two and Five o'clock Bands as well as the University of Colorado's Jazz Ensemble I and numerous combos. His big band composition “Levitt Or Leave It” will be featured in an upcoming jazz arranging book by Chuck Israels that will be used as a text in the Juilliard jazz program. Kevin has also been a contributing author for Northwest Events Magazine. Woods' debut album Church Day (self released, 2002) received high praise and airplay on jazz radio stations throughout the Northwest. His newest album Ballad of the West (SpooM Music, 2007) is scheduled for release on April 1st.

Woods has performed with such jazz legends as Count Basie tenor saxophonist and arranger Frank Foster, Cuban saxophonist and bandleader Paquito D'Rivera, trombonist Slide Hampton, tenor saxophonist Joe Lovano, trumpeters Randy Brecker, Brian Lynch, Claudio Roditi and many others. Kevin recently had the honor of opening for the blues guitar legend B.B. King. Woods has been a member of the Spokane British Brass Band, La Candela Salsa Band, the Chuck Israels Sextet and numerous other groups as well as leading his own trios, quartets and quintets. He has also worked as a musician for Carnival Cruise Lines. In 2006, Woods won a Downbeat award for best college soloist, and in 2007 he was selected to participate in the Betty Carter Jazz Ahead residency held at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C.

As an educator, Woods has been a clinician and guest performer in public schools throughout Washington and Colorado, as well as maintaining a private studio. His students have been selected for numerous honor groups including the Washington All State Jazz Ensemble. He has served on the faculty of numerous summer music and jazz camps. While earning his degree from Western Washington University, Woods served as an instructor, teaching undergraduate improvisation and jazz history courses as well as directing the WWU Five o'clock Big Band and jazz combos.

Currently, Woods lives in Boulder, Colorado where he is pursuing his Masters degree in jazz performance and pedagogy from the University of Colorado and is active as a performer, arranger and educator and leads his own quartet Small Circles. When he is not teaching or performing, Kevin enjoys reading, traveling, and playing Scrabble. Show less