Charlie Wood

Award-winning US ex-pat singer/pianist Charlie Wood is a talented and versatile musician whose eclectic musical style incorporates elements of popular music, jazz, blues and traditional R&B. Born and raised in Tennessee, Charlie learnt his trade touring with iconic blues guitarist Albert King before settling back in Memphis. For over fifteen years the Charlie Wood Trio performed nightly at the King’s Palace Café on Beale Street, with guests including B.B. King, George Coleman and Joey DeFrancesco and picking up numerous awards and honours along the way, including the N.A.R.A.S. “Premier Player Award” for Keyboards, the Beale St. Merchants’ Association “Entertainer of the Year” award and the “Brass Note” on the Beale St. Walk of Fame. Charlie moved to the UK in 2009 and rapidly attracted attention from some of the finest players around, including Robert Plant who joined Charlie on stage to sing some Memphis “classics”, and Cleo Laine and the late John Dankworth who asked him to perform at Wavendon with them. Recent performance highlights include the London Jazz Festival’s “Jazz Voice” at the Barbican, BBC Radio 2′s “Friday Night Is Music Night” at the Cheltenham Jazz Festival and Radio 2′s “Jools Holland Show”. Charlie has recorded eight albums, including his latest “New Souvenirs”, featuring all new originals and co-produced by his frequent collaborator (and wife) Jacqui Dankworth. Charlie is in top form, his voice strong and rich with character and the songs dense with melody and harmony in the style of the Great American Songbook. Playing in the band tonight are, not surprisingly, two of the finest musicians on the scene: Dudley Philips bass and Nic France, drums. A highly charismatic performer definitely not to be missed.

“Remember the first time you heard Dylan, or Springssteen or Waits? Charlie Wood delivers that same jolt…brilliant” Jazz Times;
“…a born storyteller with a slight drawl and strong old-school Memphis soul/R&B undertone…Charlie Wood embodies hepcat worldliness and barroom empathy…he’s got style!” JazzReview