Christopher Gordon Blandford Wood (24 June 1944 – 12 July 1983) was a British rock musician, best known as a founding member of the

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...

band

Traffic Traffic comprises pedestrians, vehicles, ridden or herded animals, trains, and other conveyances that use public ways (roads) for travel and transportation. Traffic laws govern and regulate traffic, while rules of the road include traffi ...

, along with Steve Winwood,

Jim Capaldi Nicola James Capaldi (2 August 1944 – 28 January 2005) was an English singer-songwriter and drummer. His musical career spanned more than four decades. He co-founded the progressive rock band Traffic in 1967 with Steve Winwood with whom he co ...

and

Dave Mason David Thomas Mason (born 10 May 1946) is an English singer-songwriter and guitarist from Worcester, who first found fame with the rock band Traffic. Over the course of his career, Mason has played and recorded with many notable pop and rock mu ...

Career

Born in Quinton,Stephanie Wood a suburb of

Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1. ...

, Chris Wood had an interest in music and painting from early childhood. Self-taught on flute and

saxophone The saxophone (often referred to colloquially as the sax) is a type of Single-reed instrument, single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of brass. As with all single-reed instruments, sound is produced when a reed (mouthpi ...

, which he began playing at the age of 15, he began to play locally with other Birmingham musicians who would later find international fame in music:

Christine Perfect Christine Anne McVie (; née Perfect; 12 July 1943 – 30 November 2022) was an English musician and songwriter. She was best known as keyboardist and one of the vocalists of the band Fleetwood Mac. McVie was a member of several bands, nota ...

(later

Christine McVie Christine Anne McVie (; née Perfect; 12 July 1943 – 30 November 2022) was an English musician and songwriter. She was best known as keyboardist and one of the vocalists of the band Fleetwood Mac. McVie was a member of several bands, nota ...

Carl Palmer Carl Frederick Kendall Palmer (born 20 March 1950) is an English drummer best known as founding member and the last surviving member of the progressive rock supergroup Emerson, Lake & Palmer. He was also a founding member of progressive rock s ...

, Stan Webb and

Mike Kellie Michael Alexander Kellie (24 March 1947 – 18 January 2017) was an English musician, composer and record producer. In a career that spanned more than 50 years, Kellie was a member of the rock bands the V.I.P.s, Spooky Tooth and the Only ...

. Wood played with Perfect in 1964 in the band Shades of Blue and with Kellie during 1965–1966 in the band Locomotive. He attended the Stourbridge College of Art, then the Birmingham School of Art (Painting Dept.) and subsequently was awarded a grant to attend the

Royal Academy of Art The Royal Academy of Arts (RA) is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly in London. Founded in 1768, it has a unique position as an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects. Its purpo ...

starting in December 1965. Aged 18, Wood joined the Steve Hadley Quartet, a jazz/blues group in 1962. His younger sister Stephanie designed clothes for

the Spencer Davis Group The Spencer Davis Group were a British band formed in Birmingham in 1963 by Spencer Davis (guitar), brothers Steve Winwood (keyboards, guitar) and Muff Winwood (bass guitar), and Pete York (drums). Their best known songs include the UK numb ...

, based in Birmingham, and it was through her that Wood was first introduced to fellow Birmingham native Steve Winwood.Ellie Iglio and Stephanie Wood
Chris Wood Biography
; www.winwoodfans.com. A well-known Birmingham club, the Elbow Room, was an after-hours haunt of local bands and musicians and it was here that Wood used to meet up with Winwood and Jim Capaldi. At the age of 18, Winwood abandoned the Spencer Davis Group at the height of their popularity and, along with Wood, Capaldi and Dave Mason, formed Traffic.Dan Ropek, author of Chris Wood biography To focus his fledgling band, Island Records' founder Chris Blackwell arranged for the four to retreat to an isolated farmhouse on the Berkshire Downs near

Aston Tirrold Aston Tirrold is a village and civil parish at the foot of the Berkshire Downs about southeast of Didcot. It was part of Berkshire until the 1974 boundary changes transferred it to Oxfordshire. The 2011 Census recorded the parish's population ...

. Initially without electricity, telephone or running water, The Cottage (as it became universally known) was so remote that a generator had to be installed to power the group's equipment. A concrete outdoor stage was built with the band's stage equipment set up to overlook the surrounding fields. After six months honing their music, Traffic released their first single, "

Paper Sun "Paper Sun" is a song by British rock band Traffic, and was released as their debut single in May 1967. It was a number 5 hit in the United Kingdom, In Traffic, Wood primarily played flute and

, occasionally contributing

keyboards Keyboard may refer to: Text input * Keyboard, part of a typewriter * Computer keyboard ** Keyboard layout, the software control of computer keyboards and their mapping ** Keyboard technology, computer keyboard hardware and firmware Music * Musi ...

, bass and

vocals Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or withou ...

. Wood also co-wrote several of Traffic's songs, particularly during the earlier period of the band's recording career. His most notable contribution is as the co-writer (with Winwood and Capaldi), of "

Dear Mr. Fantasy "Dear Mr. Fantasy" is a rock song by Traffic from their 1967 album, ''Mr. Fantasy''. Jim Capaldi contributed the lyrics, while Steve Winwood and Chris Wood composed the music. In a song review for AllMusic, Lindsay Planer commented: Dave ...

". Wood introduced the 17th century traditional song "John Barleycorn" to the band after hearing it on

The Watersons The Watersons were an English folk group from Hull, Yorkshire. They performed mainly traditional songs with little or no accompaniment. Their distinctive sound came from their closely woven harmonies. They have been called the "most famous fam ...

album ''Frost and Fire''. It became the title song of their 1970 album, "

John Barleycorn Must Die ''John Barleycorn Must Die'' is the fourth studio album by English rock band Traffic, released in 1970 as Island ILPS 9116 in the United Kingdom, United Artists UAS 5504 in the United States, and as Polydor 2334 013 in Canada. It marked the ban ...

." Wood played with Jimi Hendrix in 1968, appearing on ''

Electric Ladyland ''Electric Ladyland'' is the third and final studio album by the Jimi Hendrix Experience and the final studio album released before Hendrix's death in 1970. A double album, it was the only record from the Experience produced by Hendrix. The ba ...

''. When Winwood temporarily formed supergroup

Blind Faith Blind Faith were an English supergroup featuring Steve Winwood, Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker, and Ric Grech. They were eagerly anticipated by the music press following on the success of each of the member's former bands, including Clapton a ...

in 1969, Wood, Mason and Capaldi joined

Mick Weaver Mick Weaver (born 16 June 1944, Bolton, Lancashire, England) is an English session musician, best known for his playing of the Hammond B3 organ, and as an exponent of the blues and funk. Career Weaver's band performed as Wynder K. Frog and ...

otherwise known as Wynder K Frog, to become Mason, Capaldi, Wood and Frog. He then went on to tour the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

with

Dr. John Malcolm John Rebennack Jr. (November 20, 1941 – June 6, 2019), better known by his stage name Dr. John, was an American singer and songwriter. His music encompassed New Orleans blues, jazz, funk, and R&B. Active as a session musician from ...

, where he met singer Jeanette Jacobs (formerly of the 1960s girl group

The Cake The Cake was a 1960s girl group consisting of Jeanette Jacobs, Barbara Morillo and Eleanor Barooshian. They were managed and produced by Charles Greene and Brian Stone, two Sunset Strip impresarios who also managed Sonny & Cher, Buffalo S ...

). Wood and Jacobs married in November 1972, at Kensington Registry Office, when he was 28 and she was 22. In 1969, Wood also appeared on the eponymous second album of Free and the

Small Faces Small Faces were an English rock band from London, founded in 1965. The group originally consisted of Steve Marriott, Ronnie Lane, Kenney Jones and Jimmy Winston, with Ian McLagan replacing Winston as the band's keyboardist in 1966. The ...

' '' The Autumn Stone''. In 1970, Wood and his wife, along with Steve Winwood, joined

Ginger Baker's Air Force Ginger Baker's Air Force was a jazz-rock fusion supergroup led by drummer Ginger Baker. History The band formed in late 1969 upon the disbandment of Blind Faith. The original lineup consisted of Ginger Baker on drums, Steve Winwood on orga ...

, releasing one album before reforming Traffic. Wood remained with Traffic from the time of its 1970 reformation until its 1974 breakup. He played on

John Martyn Iain David McGeachy (11 September 1948 – 29 January 2009), known professionally as John Martyn, was a Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist. Over a 40-year career, he released 23 studio albums, and received frequent critical acclaim. ...

's '' Inside Out'' (1973). Throughout Traffic's life, Chris was also in demand as a session musician with his immediately identifiable flute or saxophone playing cropping up on albums by

Rebop Kwaku Baah Anthony "Rebop" Kwaku Baah (13 February 1944 – 12 January 1983) was a Ghanaian percussionist who worked with the 1970s rock groups Traffic and Can. Biography Baah was born on 13 February 1944, in Konongo, Gold Coast. In 1969, Baah performe ...

Tyrone Downie Tyrone Downie (20 May 1956 – 5 November 2022) was a Jamaican keyboardist and pianist best known for his involvement as a member of Bob Marley and The Wailers.Foster, Chuck (1999) ''Roots Rock Reggae'', Billboard Books, , p. 66, 116 He studi ...

Fat Mattress Fat Mattress were an England, English folk rock band that formed in Folkestone in 1968. Founded by guitarist and vocalist Noel Redding, during his time as bassist for The Jimi Hendrix Experience, and vocalist Neil Landon, the band was completed ...

, Gordon Jackson, Crawler, The Sky,

Bobby Whitlock Robert Stanley Whitlock (born March 18, 1948) is an American singer, songwriter and musician. He is best known as a member of the blues-rock band Derek and the Dominos, with Eric Clapton, in 1970–71. Whitlock's musical career began with Memp ...

and others. Through much of his life, Wood suffered from addiction to drugs and alcohol, which were initially attributed to a

fear of flying Fear of flying is a fear of being on an airplane, or other flying vehicle, such as a helicopter, while in flight. It is also referred to as flying anxiety, flying phobia, flight phobia, aviophobia, aerophobia, or pteromechanophobia (although a ...

. His wife was unfaithful while he was on tour, leading to an increased drinking, culminating in

liver disease Liver disease, or hepatic disease, is any of many diseases of the liver. If long-lasting it is termed chronic liver disease. Although the diseases differ in detail, liver diseases often have features in common. Signs and symptoms Some of the si ...

. He cut down on drinking, but his medication caused further complications. His wife Jeanette, from whom he had separated, died in 1982, at the age of 31, from the effects of a

seizure An epileptic seizure, informally known as a seizure, is a period of symptoms due to abnormally excessive or synchronous neuronal activity in the brain. Outward effects vary from uncontrolled shaking movements involving much of the body with l ...

. Wood was profoundly affected by her death.

Death and legacy

The death of two close friends, Free's

Paul Kossoff Paul Francis Kossoff (14 September 1950 – 19 March 1976) was an English guitarist, mainly known as the co-founder and guitarist for the rock band Free. He was ranked number 51 in ''Rolling Stone''s list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All ...

and former bandmate

followed by that of his (by then, estranged) wife lay very heavy on Wood. In 1983, Wood died of

at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in

. At the time, he was working on a solo album that was to be titled ''Vulcan'', and had recorded material for the album over the previous few years, mostly in London at Island's Hammersmith Studio, The Fall Out Shelter, with engineer Terry Barham, as well as at

Pathway Studios Pathway Studios was an independent recording studio in North London. Founded in 1970, the studio became an early favorite of Stiff Records' Dave Robinson and Jake Riviera, and was the location for early recordings by The Damned, Madness, ...

in London. Following Wood's death, the Vulcan recordings remained in the possession of Wood's sister, Stephanie. In 2008, with the consent of Stephanie Wood a CD titled ''Vulcan'', consisting of selected material Wood recorded while working on the incomplete album (plus an unreleased Traffic live performance of one of Wood's compositions), was released by

Esoteric Recordings Esoteric Recordings is a UK independent record label specialising in 1970s progressive rock, folk, psychedelic, and jazz-rock reissues as part of Cherry Red Records. Its releases include both catalogue reissues and new works from artists who ...

.Esoteric Recordings News Release
, October 2008; www.cherryred.co.uk. Traffic recorded one additional studio album, '' Far from Home'' (1994), after Wood's death. The album is dedicated to him, and the central figure on its front cover is a

stick figure A stick figure, also known as a stickman, is a very simple drawing of a person or an animal, composed of a few lines, curves, and dots. On a stick figure, the head is most often represented by a circle, which can be either a solid color or som ...

of a man playing flute. In June 2013, on Wood's 69th birthday, the Chris Wood Estate (run by his sister, Stephanie) announced that a commemorative box set was being prepared – in collaboration with contemporary music archivists HiddenMasters, to properly honour Wood's life in music. Among other music, the set would include the album ''Vulcan'' as Chris originally sequenced it in 1978. The box set ''Evening Blue'' was finally released three and a half years later in early 2017, in a special deluxe first edition limited to 1,000 copies.

Discography

Solo

*2008 ''Vulcan'' (recorded 1983)

with Traffic

*''

Mr. Fantasy ''Mr. Fantasy'' is the debut album by English rock band Traffic, released in December 1967. The recording included group members Jim Capaldi, Steve Winwood, Chris Wood, and Dave Mason; however, Mason left the band shortly after the album was r ...

'' (1967) *''

'' (1968) *'' Last Exit'' (1969) *''

Best of Traffic ''Best of Traffic'' is a compilation album by the band Traffic, released in 1969. The U.S. LP version of the compilation had a different cover design and replaced "Smiling Phases" with "You Can All Join In". Track listing # " Paper Sun" (Steve ...

'' (1969) *''

'' (1970) *''

The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys ''The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys'' is the fifth studio album by English rock band Traffic, released in 1971. The album was Traffic's most successful in the United States, reaching number 7 on the ''Billboard'' Top LPs chart and becoming the ...

'' (1971) *''

Welcome to the Canteen ''Welcome to the Canteen'' is the first live album by English rock band Traffic. It was recorded live at Fairfield Halls, Croydon and the Oz Benefit Concert, London, July 1971 and released in September of that year. It was recorded during Dave Ma ...

'' (1971) *''

Shoot Out at the Fantasy Factory ''Shoot Out at the Fantasy Factory'' is the sixth studio album by English rock band Traffic released in 1973. It followed their 1971 album ''The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys'' and contained five songs. ''Shoot Out'', while achieving poorer revi ...

'' (1973) *'' On the Road'' (1973) *''

When the Eagle Flies ''When the Eagle Flies'' is the seventh studio album released by English rock band Traffic, in 1974. The album featured Jim Capaldi, Steve Winwood and Chris Wood, with Rosko Gee on bass guitar. Percussionist Rebop Kwaku Baah was fired prior to t ...

'' (1974) *''Heavy Traffic'' (1975) *''More Heavy Traffic'' (1975) *''Smiling Phases'' (1991) *''Heaven Is In Your Mind – An Introduction To Traffic'' (1998) *''Feelin' Alright: The Very Best Of Traffic'' (2000) *''The Collection'' (2002) *''The Best Of Traffic – The Millennium Collection'' (2003) *'' Traffic Gold'' (2005)

with
Ginger Baker's Air Force Ginger Baker's Air Force was a jazz-rock fusion supergroup led by drummer Ginger Baker. History The band formed in late 1969 upon the disbandment of Blind Faith. The original lineup consisted of Ginger Baker on drums, Steve Winwood on orga ...

*''

'' (1970) *Ginger Baker, ''Do What You Like'' (Compilation of Ginger Baker's first three albums, including ''Ginger Baker's Air Force'') (1998)

with Others

*''

'' (

The Jimi Hendrix Experience James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942September 18, 1970) was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. Although his mainstream career spanned only four years, he is widely regarded as one of the most ...

, 1968) *'' Free'' ( Free, 1969) *

(

, 1969) *''Fiends and Angels'' ( Martha Velez, 1969) *''O.K. Ken?'' ( Chicken Shack, 1969) *''Thinking Back'' (Gordon Jackson, 1969) *''We Are Everything You See'' ( Locomotive, 1969) *''Contribution'' (

Shawn Phillips Shawn Phillips (born February 3, 1943) is an American singer-songwriter and musician, primarily influential in the 1960s and 1970s. His work is rooted in folk rock but straddles other genres, including jazz fusion and funk. Phillips has re ...

, 1970) *''Don't Hold Back (There In The Greenbriar)'' (

Sky The sky is an unobstructed view upward from the surface of the Earth. It includes the atmosphere and outer space. It may also be considered a place between the ground and outer space, thus distinct from outer space. In the field of astronomy, ...

, 1970) *''

The Cry of Love ''The Cry of Love'' is a posthumous album by American rock singer-songwriter and guitarist Jimi Hendrix. Recorded primarily in 1970, it features new material that Hendrix was working on for his planned fourth studio album before his death later ...

'' (Jimi Hendrix, 1971) *''Winwood'' (Compilation of Winwood's activities from 1966 to 1970, including material from Traffic) ( Steve Winwood, 1971) *''

Oh How We Danced ''Oh How We Danced'' is the debut studio album by the British musician Jim Capaldi. The album was recorded while Traffic was on hiatus due to Steve Winwood's struggles with peritonitis and was released by Island Records in 1972. Like his contemp ...

'' (

, 1972) *''Rebop'' (

Reebop Kwaku Baah Anthony "Rebop" Kwaku Baah (13 February 1944 – 12 January 1983) was a Ghanaian percussionist who worked with the 1970s rock groups Traffic and Can. Biography Baah was born on 13 February 1944, in Konongo, Gold Coast. In 1969, Baah performe ...

, 1972) *'' Inside Out'' (

, 1973) *''Now Hear This'' (

Hanson Hanson or Hansson may refer to: People * Hanson (surname) * Hansson (surname) * Hanson (wrestler), ringname of an American professional wrestler Musical groups * Hanson (band), an American pop rock band * Hanson (UK band), an English rock ...

, 1973) *'' Music from Free Creek'' ( Free Creek, 1973; re-released 1976 as ''Summit Meeting'') *''

Short Cut Draw Blood ''Short Cut Draw Blood'' is the third studio album by the British musician Jim Capaldi, released by Island Records in 1975. It marked a major turning point in Capaldi's career: it was his first album recorded after the breakup of Traffic, and mor ...

'' (Jim Capaldi, 1975) *''96 Degrees In The Shade'' (

Third World The term "Third World" arose during the Cold War to define countries that remained non-aligned with either NATO or the Warsaw Pact. The United States, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Western European nations and their allies represented the " First ...

, 1977) *''Crawler'' ( Crawler, 1977) *''The Story's Been Told'' (Third World, 1979) *''Funky'' (

Spencer Davis Group The Spencer Davis Group were a British band formed in Birmingham in 1963 by Spencer Davis (guitar), brothers Steve Winwood (keyboards, guitar) and Muff Winwood (bass guitar), and Pete York (drums). Their best known songs include the UK numbe ...

, 1997)

References

External links

Chris Wood official website
o
Jim Capaldi website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wood, Chris 1944 births 1983 deaths English rock saxophonists English rock flautists Ginger Baker's Air Force members Traffic (band) members Musicians from Birmingham, West Midlands 20th-century English musicians Deaths from pneumonia in England English jazz flautists English jazz saxophonists British male saxophonists 20th-century saxophonists British male jazz musicians 20th-century British male musicians 20th-century flautists