Celebrated alto saxophonist Phil Woods (1931), one of the true masters of the bebop vocabulary, passed away this September. Woods has had his own sound since the mid-1950s and stuck to his musical guns throughout a remarkably productive career. 

Probably one of the more unusual recordings in Phil Woods' considerable discography, Greek Cooking (1967) features the alto saxophonist leading a tentet with a distinctly Greek flavor, including four Greek musicians.

The presence of bouzoukist Iordanis Tsomidis, pursuing a career in the US at that time, is central to the unique atmosphere and character of the album. Tsomidis’ bouzouki, together with Woods’ alto saxophone, give "Greek Cooking" it’s distinctly world sound, making it a pioneering album in what we now call world jazz.