Chris Woods | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Born | Sussex |
Genres | Jazz, world |
Occupation(s) | Musician, composer |
Instrument(s) | Guitar |
Years active | 2011–present |
Website |
chriswoodsgroove |
Chris Woods, born in Sussex, is a British fingerstyle guitarist whose playing features extended techniques. [1] Woods is also a composer, educator and author of Percussive Acoustic Guitar. [2] Recording as ‘The Chris Woods Groove Orchestra’ and ‘Chris Woods Groove’. [3]
Woods’ playing is characterised by the use of contemporary and extended guitar techniques, including; alternative tunings, tapping and guitar percussion. [4] His technique was developed whilst experimenting at university with solo Jazz guitar playing [5] as well as taking influence from artists such as John Martyn. [6] Releasing music at the time of the ‘youtube percussive acoustic guitar boom’ [7] he featured in the documentary ‘Acoustic Uprising’ which explored the percussive guitar boom phenomenon. [8]
Woods uses a stomp box, [9] to create an accompanying beat to his music. [10] In 2012 the company Logarhtyhm created a signature stomp box for Woods, keeping his playing style in mind throughout the design process. [11] His main guitar is a Martin 000x1. [12]
He performs as a soloist as well as with various different instrumental ensemble line ups, past venues and events have included Glastonbury Festival, [13] London Olympia, [14] Real World Studios, [15] the NAMM Show, [16] Mikulassky Jazz Festival, [17] Sage Gateshead [18] and more. [19]
Woods released two solo guitar collections; Woodcraft (2011), [20] and Stories For Solo Guitar (2013) [21] as well as a duo album with Will McNicol in 2015 48 hour Atlas, which was recorded and written in 48 hours. [22]
Between 2015 and 2018, he released several singles and an EP as The Chris Woods Groove Orchestra, also containing and launching a project called Guitar Revolution. [23]
Guitar Revolution is a composition made up of four parts, from beginner to advanced. [24] Inviting members of the public to join at The London Acoustic Guitar Show in September 2016 to perform the piece. [25] The music was published in Acoustic Magazine issue 120 and online for free. [26]
After an oversubscribed pop-up performance at the London Acoustic Show. [27] The Chris Woods Groove Orchestra toured the project with the support of Martin Guitars in early 2017, inviting the public to join at various different towns. [28] [29] [30]
In late 2017, [31] Chris Woods was commissioned to create a new score 'Orchestral Evolution' by Soundstorm Music Education Hub funded through support from Arts Council England. [32]
Woods is the author of Percussive Acoustic Guitar, which was first published by Hal Leonard in March 2013. [33] He was approached by Leonard at the NAMM Show in California to write the 'how to play' percussive guide. [34] The guide is used within educational establishments [35] and as an academic reference for the style. [36] [37] The publication contains instruction on percussive guitar techniques. Categorising these percussive techniques as ‘ String Slapping’, ‘ Body Percussion’, ‘ Tapping’, ‘ Harmonics’ and ‘ Alternate Tunings’. The categories are divided into chapters, with each chapter containing different examples. The examples all begin with their own ‘warm-up’. The book concludes with several full pieces and is accompanied by a DVD. [38]
He also wrote a regular column for Acoustic Magazine, [39] and contributed to Guitar Techniques magazine with the 'Creative Acoustic' Series including; Issue 253- Guitar Percussion Issue 254 – DADGAD, Issue 255 – Harmonics, Issue 256 – Partial Capo and Issue 289 - Percussive Acoustic. [40] [41] [42] Both magazines are published by Future Publishing.