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Woody Goss

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Woody Goss
Goss (right) performing with Vulfpeck in 2017
Goss (right) performing with Vulfpeck in 2017
Background information
Bornc. 1989 (age 36–37)
Skokie, Illinois, U.S.
Genres
Occupations
  • Musician
  • songwriter
Instruments
  • Piano
  • keyboards
Years active2011–present
Member ofVulfpeck

Woody Goss (born c. 1989)[1] is an American musician, keyboardist and songwriter. He is best known as a founding member of the funk-soul band Vulfpeck. He has released several solo and collaborative albums. His background spans several genres including funk, jazz, R&B, and pop.

Life and career

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Goss grew up in Skokie, Illinois. His father had a passion for jazz music and played the piano. Goss started on piano at age seven. In his early teens he was drawn to bebop jazz through the works of pianist Thelonious Monk. In high school he was drawn to funk music through the works of George Clinton, Sly and the Family Stone and James Brown. He played in the rhythm section in his high school band.[2][3]

He studied jazz piano at the University of Michigan School of Music. In college he played psychedelic jazz in a band called Honey. He booked music acts at the Canterbury House, a church and music venue associated with the university. The venue became a hub where Goss met like-minded musicians, including Jack Stratton and Theo Katzman, who along with Goss and bassist Joe Dart started recording as Vulfpeck in 2011.[2][3][4]

Goss has recorded six albums and four extended plays with Vulfpeck. His songwriting credits with the band include "Dean Town", "Fugue State", "Tee Time", "My First Car", "A Walk to Remember" and others.[3][5][6][7] In 2019, he released a Christmas album titled A Very Vulfy Christmas consisting of eight jazz-style rearrangements of Vulfpeck originals. The recordings feature drummer Dana Hall and bassists Matt Ulery and Joe Fee. The album was accompanied by a Peanuts-style cartoon, with Vulfpeck band members animated as cartoon characters.[2][8]

Goss has released three jazz albums as a solo artist, Solo Rhodes (2016), Rainbow Beach (2021), and High Loon! (2023).[9][10][11] He has released three albums in collaboration with musician Jeremy Daly titled Strange Satisfaction (2020), Gravy in My Coffee (2021), and Hold Up, Look Back (2024).[12][13] The albums are categorized on streaming services as pop, rock, and alternative.[a] Goss and singer-songwriter May Erlewine released an album titled Anyway in 2020.[14]

Influences

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Goss started with classical piano lessons at an early age.[15] His interest and musical influences evolved over time from oldies R&B-pop as a child, to bebop jazz via Thelonious Monk as a teenager, to funk and groove-based music via Parliament-Funkadelic and James Brown in high school, to experimental rock via Frank Zappa and Ween in college.[2][3] His bandmates Stratton and Dart describe him as a natural improvisor.[3][6]

Personal life

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Goss is an avid birdwatcher and lives in the Chicago area.[10][16] In 2019 and 2022 he hosted workshops and master classes at the Music Department of Columbia College Chicago.[17][18]

Discography

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See also: Vulfpeck discography

Solo albums

  • Solo Rhodes (2016)
  • Rainbow Beach (2021)
  • High Loon! (2023)

As Woody Goss Trio

  • A Very Vulfy Christmas (2019)

As co-leader

  • Strange Satisfaction (2020), as Woody and Jeremy
  • Gravy in My Coffee (2021), as Woody and Jeremy
  • Hold Up, Look Back (2024), as Woody and Jeremy
  • Anyway (2020), with May Erlewine

Notes

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  1. ^ Namely on the Apple Music streaming service

References

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  1. ^ Andrew Lapin (Summer 2017). "No Label, No Problem". Alumni Association of the University of Michigan. Archived from the original on April 26, 2025. Retrieved June 21, 2026.
  2. ^ a b c d Leo Sidran (November 28, 2019). "The Third Story Podcast – Episode 137: Woody Goss" (Podcast). third-story.com. Event occurs at 11:10–11:20, 13:55–15:05, 23:45–24:50, 27:40–31:40, 33:35–34:30, 42:50–44:40, 47:20–49:20 (excluding advertisement durations). Archived from the original on June 21, 2026. Retrieved June 21, 2026.
  3. ^ a b c d e Danny Hazan (May 18, 2015). "Can't Fake the Funk". Medium. Archived from the original on November 7, 2017. Retrieved June 21, 2026.
  4. ^ "Canterbury House – mission page". canterburyhouse.org. 2026. Archived from the original on March 10, 2026. Retrieved June 21, 2026.
  5. ^ Kendall Deflin (October 5, 2016). "Vulfpeck's Woody Goss Takes Us Birdwatching..." liveforlivemusic.com. Archived from the original on March 29, 2025. Retrieved June 21, 2026.
  6. ^ a b Berklee Cafe939: Joe Dart Clinic (Video). Berklee College of Music. December 15, 2018. Event occurs at 25:00–26:55, 59:05–1:00:40. Archived from the original on January 16, 2019. Retrieved June 21, 2026 – via notreble.com.
  7. ^ Vulfpeck: Tee Time – credits description (Video). Vulfpeck. December 1, 2017. Archived from the original on May 18, 2026. Retrieved June 21, 2026 – via YouTube.
  8. ^ Andrew O'Brien (December 25, 2019). "Vulfpeck's Woody Goss Releases 'A Very Vulfy Christmas' Album". liveforlivemusic.com. Archived from the original on July 10, 2025. Retrieved June 21, 2026.
  9. ^ "Vulfpeck's Woody Goss Releases Beautiful Album Entitled 'Solo Rhodes'". liveforlivemusic.com. January 12, 2026. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved June 21, 2026.
  10. ^ a b Michael Reed (March 14, 2022). "Woody Goss Interview" (Podcast). CHIRP Radio. Archived from the original on January 7, 2026. Retrieved June 21, 2026.
  11. ^ "Apple Music: Woody Goss – High Loon!". Apple Music. April 28, 2023. Retrieved June 21, 2026.
  12. ^ Mick R. (June 15, 2021). "Bandcamp of the Day: Woody & Jeremy". New Noise Magazine. Archived from the original on December 6, 2022. Retrieved June 23, 2026.
  13. ^ "Apple Music: Woody and Jeremy – Hold Up, Look Back". Apple Music. July 12, 2024. Retrieved June 21, 2026.
  14. ^ "New May Erlewine album offers a dreamy, joyful escape..." Michigan Radio. August 12, 2020. Archived from the original on March 6, 2026. Retrieved June 21, 2026.
  15. ^ Allegra Rosenberg (July 29, 2018). Interview with Woody Goss (video). Allegra - stopitsgingertime channel on YouTube. Event occurs at 0:30–1:05, 2:50–3:35. Archived from the original on July 8, 2025. Retrieved June 21, 2026 – via liveforlivemusic.com.
  16. ^ Ann Hetzel Gunkel (April 7, 2026). "Woody Goss". Chicago Bird Alliance. Archived from the original on June 21, 2026. Retrieved June 21, 2026.
  17. ^ "Artists in Residence: 2019–2020". Columbia College Chicago. September 3, 2019. Archived from the original on March 16, 2025. Retrieved June 23, 2026.
  18. ^ "Deep Dish Music Festival Brings College and High School Performers to Columbia". Columbia College Chicago. March 8, 2022. Archived from the original on March 26, 2025. Retrieved June 23, 2026.
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