Earnest Woodall

Earnest Woodall operates as a self-promotional mastermind among musicians, one of the few able to handle writing, performing, recording, packaging, and releasing his own work without any financial or creative input from record companies. From the late eighties onward, the ambient/jazz composer started with bedroom recordings and steadily advanced to superior equipment and improved sound quality over time. By issuing one album each year, Woodall displays a fearless readiness to tackle any genre that sparks his interest, an approach made especially striking by the scant outside assistance he obtains. Drawing from nearly any source for creative fuel, he achieved a standout achievement with 2002's Pictures in Mind, composed after an especially affecting visit to a New York art museum.