Chris Woods (musician) Chris Woods (musician) Chris Woods (December 25, 1925, Memphis, Tennessee – July 4, 1985, New York City) was an American jazz alto saxophonist. Woods played locally in Memphis early in his career before moving to St. Louis to play with the Jeter-Pillars Orchestra and trumpeter George Hudson. He then joined Tommy Dean's combo, recording with them for Town and Country, Miracle, and States. Striking out on his own, he first recorded as a leader in 1953 for United Records. In 1962 he moved to New York, where he played with Dizzy Gillespie, Clark Terry, Sy Oliver, and Ted Curson. He
Louis Smith (musician) Louis Smith (musician) After graduating from Tennessee State University he attended graduate school at the University of Michigan. While studying at the University of Michigan, he played with visiting musicians such as Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Thad Jones and Billy Mitchell, before going on to play with Sonny Stitt, Count Basie and Al McKibbon, Cannonball Adderley, Percy Heath, Philly Joe Jones, Lou Donaldson, Donald Byrd, Kenny Dorham and Zoot Sims. Smith decided to forego being a full-time musician to take a job a director of Atlanta's Booker T. Washington High School. There he recorded two albums for Blue Note. The