Beth is well-known for her sophisticated jazz and rhythmic Brazilian and Latin-jazz piano styles, not only in the Phoenix area, but throughout the Western U.S. from Canada to Mexico. She has been playing professionally for more than thirty years, leading her own groups, Jazz Con Alma and the Brazilian Jazz group Novo Mundo as well as playing with such well-known names as The Diamonds, Bobbie Vinton, and the Drifters.

Beth is a first-call player in the Valley who loves all kinds of music, and she has played with a variety of local artists such as Steven Powell, Diana Lee, Kim Weston, Walt Richardson, Pete Pancrazi, Alice Tatum, Dennis Rowland, and Mario Mendivil. She has performed with the Phoenix Symphony and played shows at Scottsdale Center for the Arts, The Ravenscroft, The Nash, and many of Phoenix’s iconic venues.

Her music is melodic, fun, fluid, passionate, innovative, heartfelt, rhythmic, eclectic, honest, artistic, humorous, spontaneous…and great!
https://bethlederman.com/

Juli has established herself as a solid, swinging, lyrical and entertaining performer on Chicago’s music scene. Juli has played many jazz clubs and festivals nationally and internationally; Chicago Jazz Fest, Hyde Park Jazz Fest, Milwaukee’s Summerfest, Chicago’s main jazz clubs – Jazz Showcase, Green Mill, Andy’s and Katerina’s. Skansen Jazz and Blues (Stockholm , Sweden), Pori Jazz Fest (Finland), Bent J’s club (Aarhus, Denmark), Storyville (Helsinki Finland), Arlandia Jazz Fest (Aaland Islands, Finland) and the ” Made in Chicago ” jazz festival in Poznan Poland to name a few.

Juli is in the tradition of saxophonists who were also great vocalists; Cleanhead Vincent, Eddie Harris, and Louis Jordan. Never has that been more apparent than in “5 4 3 2 1 Juli Wood,” her latest recording and most ambitious project to date.

“One of the pleasures of attending the Chicago Jazz Festival over Labor Day weekend each year is being able to hear the bevy of local players who make up the windy city jazz scene. Last year’s treat was Juli Wood, a gutsy tenor and baritone saxophonist who also sings with the earthy gusto of an R&B diva filtered through a hard bop sensibility.
Bill Milkowski” – JAZZTIMES

Juli’s love for the saxophone goes way back. “I remember watching SOUL TRAIN as a kid on T.V. in the 70’s and seeing Maceo Parker playing alto sax with James Brown. I thought that was the coolest looking and sounding instrument in the world! So the love affair with the saxophone started in the sixth grade and has been going strong ever since.”

Juli also has played with a quartet for the ACE ( Arts in Community Education )program run by the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. Every year for the last twenty years , the Juli Wood Quartet has performed in elementary schools in the greater Milwaukee metropolitan area. The group plays songs that the children recognize, and also introduces the students to the rhythms , harmonies, and melodies of jazz music. She is also involved in the mentoring program affiliated with the Jazz Institute of Chicago called ” The Women’s Leadership Initiative ” The mentors teach workshops and host jam sessions for young women who are learning jazz improvisation skills.

Juli is now a faculty member teaching saxophone and jazz improv at the prestigious Music Institute of Chicago. She is also a teacher for the North Shore Music – Wilmette music store.