Conflict is the second of two '60s solo records on Contemporary, the first already reissued
in a previous batch of limited edition releases. It’s tempting to judge Woods solely on the
company he keeps - the likes of Andrew Hill, Elvin Jones, and Harold Land don’t have to be
bothered with middling talent. However, Woods proves he can more than handle the
responsibilities on an album consisting entirely of forward-thinking, advanced hard bop
originals, which employ inventive call-and-response riffs. Elvin Jones contributes his
trademark thunderous moments, while the rest of the sidemen, Hill and Carmell Jones in
particular, are models of creative expression and Woods demonstrates his ability to handle
the changes and aptly deserves the company he keeps.
It's adventurous hard bop, recorded at a time when bop had mostly passed its golden years
and was beginning look restlessly for new directions, be it free, soul, or just a musician’s
vision.
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