Tim Woods – The Blues Sessions

A fixture on the southwestern Pennsylvania circuit, Tim Woods has been singing and playing acoustic and electric guitar for over 25 years. Showcasing his distinctive style, in which he plays and picks using his thumb, Tim's prowess is his ability to play both lead and rhythm while interchanging chords and licks.
As a young adult, Tim's immersion into the legendary Macon, Georgia music scene had a profound and lasting impact on him. Working at a local nightclub promoting and coordinating appearances of national acts, he eventually formed lifelong musical friendships. His time in Macon and subsequent travels throughout the South were both educational and inspirational, gaining him a great appreciation of everything the culture had to offer and, in particular, the blues. 
It was also in Georgia where, nearly three decades later, Tim found himself in the midst of a session tour throughout the blues basin. Inspired by an intimate musical evening with such legendary Delta blues artists as David "Honeyboy" Edwards, Tim Woods "The Blues Sessions" is his musical tribute to these legendary masters.
This debut release was recorded during a six month studio tour of Clarksdale, Atlanta and Chicago, and features, as special guests, Allen Batts, Joe Craven, David "Honeyboy" Edwards, Michael Frank, Shannon Hoover, Big Jack Johnson, Aaron Moore, Eric Noden, John Primer, Bobby Lee Rodgers, Jeff Sipe, Kenny "Beedy Eyes" Smith, Ike Stubblefield, Bob Stroger, Lee Williams and Terry "Big T" Williams.
The affinity each artist has for one another is clearly evident in this eclectic collection. But, it's Tim's fiery vocals and tasteful guitar work that complement them while also shining throughout.
From the pleading acoustic, three-piece "Bad Whiskey & Cocaine," to the rollicking "Clarksdale Boogie," to the scarcely played (and not recorded since 1942) "Wind Howlin' Blues," these recordings take you on a celebrated journey that weaves across the diverse fan bases of early Delta, boogie and Chicago-style blues.

Track Listing:
1. Deep Ellum Blues - 3:29   2. Do the Do - 4:56   3. Castle Rock Boogie - 3:27   4. Bad Whiskey & Cocaine - 6:53   5. Spoonful - 3:30   6. Clarksdale Boogie - 5:43   7. Wind Howlin' Blues - 4:42   8. Built for Comfort - 4:13   9. Drop Down Mama - 4:08   10. It Don't Make Sense You Can't Make Peace - 7:09   11. Who's Been Talking - 4:19   12. World Comes Tumblin' Down - 5:27

Reviews:

1. AllMusic - Michael G. Nastos 
Tim Woods has been languishing in relative obscurity in the blues realm, but this recording should change all of that. During the course of his career, he has built a strong résumé playing with big names, and it's assumable most of them were recruited for these studio sessions, done in Chicago, Atlanta, Savannah, and Clarksdale, MS. Each track features at least one or more heavyweights, supporting but not dominating the rough-edged, untamed voice, and pithy, slightly dirty guitar of Woods. There are traditional numbers, familiar songs from Willie Dixon, a few from David "Honeyboy" Edwards, who appears with Woods, classic urban Chicago blues, and an original. Edwards in particular is a force on this project, singing his heart out on "Drop Down Mama" with Woods and harmonicist Eric Noden, or slow and sure for two other tracks. Classic blues tunes like "Spoonful," "Built for Comfort," and "It Don't Make Sense," penned by Dixon, are lovingly re-crafted, but also Howlin' Wolf's "Who's Been Talkin'" with Woods, keyboardist Allen Batts, Big Jack Johnson, and Terry "Big T" Williams is the ultimate jam for these standout figures. John Primer and Bob Stroger play prominent roles elsewhere, especially on yet another Dixon evergreen, "Do the Do." Every track is precious, every measure full of fun, as Woods shapes these immortal icons of blues into a unified whole that is much greater than the sum of their parts, inspired and loaded with integrity.

2. www.rootstime.be - Marcie
Al decennia lang speelt en zingt Tim Woods uit Pennsylvania de blues, maar deze ‘Blues Sessions’ is zijn debuut op plaat, deels door hem geproducet. Zes maanden lang trok hij van studio naar studio van Mississippi naar Chicago, daarmee de weg symboliserend van de generaties bluesmuzikanten die vorige eeuw datzelfde traject aflegden. Op zijn verkenningstocht krijgt hij gezelschap van niet minder dan zestien muzikanten, die hem met gitaar, bas, drums, harmonica of piano vergezellen. Hun bij ingesloten fotogalerij alleen al doet naar dit album grijpen.
Tussen de gitaristen die meespelen zitten o.m. John Primer, Big Jack Johnson, Eric Noden en  David ‘Honeyboy’ Edwards. Deze bij leven al legendarisch bluesveteraan vertolkt tevens drie van zijn eigen songs, zoals het tot de verbeelding sprekende ‘Bad Whiskey & Cocaine’, met doorleefde stem gezongen. Bassist Bob Stroger en de drummers Kenny Smith, Jeff Sipe en Lee Williams moedigen enthousiast aan en brengen hun originaliteit en ervaring in. De percussie en bongodrum op ‘World Comes Tumblin’ Down’ intrigeren en pianist Aaron Moore met zijn boogie-woogie pianostijl is gewoon subliem op ‘Castle Rock Boogie’, song van Roosevelt Sykes.
Je moet zelf al een quasi ‘original’ zijn om een tribuut aan bewonderde blueshelden tot een goed einde te brengen. Zanger/gitarist Tim Woods met zijn doorrookte stem slaagt daarin door gewoon zijn hart te volgen. Zijn covers van Howlin’ Wolf en vooral Willie Dixon sluiten respectvol aan bij de traditie. Rhythm & Blues, funk en rock-’n-roll pikt hij onderweg mee op alsof het zijn dagelijkse leefkost is. Woods heeft immers jarenlang ervaring opgebouwd door te jammen met de lokale artiesten. Hij startte trouwens in een improviserend rock ‘n’ roll bandje en experimenteerde nog met jazz, bluegrass en psychedelische rock.
Maar op dit album kiest de muzikant resoluut voor de blues. Michael Frank, producer en manager van ‘Honeyboy’, gaf mee de aanzet. Het zeven minuten lange ‘Don’t Make Sense You Can’t Make Peace’ - met de viool van Joe Craven - is mijn absolute favoriet naast de boogie-woogie’s, zoals o.m. ‘Do The Do’.
Maar alle ‘sessions’ geven blijk van Tim’s vertrouwdheid met de blues die hij opzoog en beluisterde toen hij wandelend door al die oude bekende steden, - van ‘the south to the Midwest’-, de verhalen opving over honger, tegenspoed en overlevingskunst, verklankt in de blues. Net zoals de vertolkers van deze diepgewortelde blues gaat ook Tim Woods zijn droom achterna, want ‘the blues kept calling him’.