One bass-clarinet sounds warm, but it can sound quirky and aggressive as well. Whereas four bass-clarinets, pure, without any accompaniment, open up these characteristics into unprecedented spheres. This Vienna based quartet of black woods unfolds an exuberant playfulness, sounding out any stylistic and tonal options of such minimalist cast.(Jazzahead! 2016)

The Vienna based group recorded their debut album in 2013. They are winners of the European Jazz Contest 2014 and are currently working on their second album which will be released in the early 2017.

Reviews:

"I enjoyed listening to their music.... the sound is refreshing, the music creative, the playing terrific and fun to listen to."
- Eddie Daniels

„Vier Bassklarinetten, deren Klang mannigfaltige Aggregatzustände durchwandert. Vom groovigen Free- Bop alla Eric Dolphy bis hin zu abstrakten Klangschichtungen, von Swinganspielungen zu dissonanten Parallelakkorden. […] Sie weisen kompositorisch hohes Talent auf.“
- Andreas Felber (Radio Ö1)

"If you want a fresh outlook on ensemble sound, improvisational possibilities and compositional concepts, mixed with some fine playing - here it is! Woody Black 4 created a sound area that is completely their own."
- Wolfgang Puschnig

"Das Quartett verfügt über einen wunderschön warmen Sound, schwelgt aber bei aller lyrischen Disponiertheit keineswegs bloß im eigenen Wohlklang, sondern mutet seinen kammerjazzig groovenden Stücken auch kalkulierte Dissonanzen zu oder entfesselt diese zu stupender Perkussivität. Tolles Debüt!"
- Klaus Nüchtern (Falter)

„The slapping, woody horniness, four different characters but one band: woodyblack4! Cool groove, tight rhythm, bright and warm sound, exceptional improvisations and a plenty of different style elements … contemporary music? avant-garde? modern jazz? Call it like you want, it is just great music!“
- Matthias Schorn (Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra)

"Hier knistert alles vor Spielfreude und Originalität, hier fühlt man sich sofort in allerbesten Händen. [...] Eine absolute Punktlandung."
- Magazin SKUG

"Jazz on 1 bass clarinet is great, so can you imagine how it sounds with 4!! A great and very well played CD by young guys from Spain, Austria and Italy. Congratulations Woody Black 4 and please go on!!!"
- Harry Sparnaay