Corridor Records® represents the life-long dream of Detroit Hammond organist and bandleader Lyman Woodard, who created the label in 1979. At that time Woodard was leading the wildly popular Lyman Woodard Organization, which blended blistering progressive jazz and highly danceable funk at several top Detroit clubs, particularly Cobb's Corner, located in the city's then down-and-out Cass Corridor. The label's first release, featuring the Organization caught live at Cobb's, was entitled Don't Stop the Groove

Taking his inspiration from the rich city scene in which he's played such a vital part, Woodard has always wanted Corridor Records to concentrate on Detroit musicians he particularly admires. After a long hiatus, he revived Corridor Records three years ago and released another live recording, The Lyman Woodard Trio Live at the 1996 Ford Monteux Detroit Jazz Festival. A few months later, the label also reissued Don't Stop the Groove on compact disc for the first time. The response to both releases was, to say the least, very encouraging.

Last year Corridor took the next step, recording and releasing an album by the Trio's guitarist, Robert Tye. Steeped in modern electronic sounds and rhythms, but informed by his very expansive jazz instinct, Tye's disc, Virtues of the Well, established him as a creative, expressive artist in his own right and attracted national attention.

This year Corridor has released another excellent addition to its small but high-quality catalogue -- a straight-ahead, hard bop session by tenor and soprano saxophonist Steve Wood. Deep Woods makes it clear that the only "bag" critics can put Corridor Records is the "high quality" dedicated to Detroit's continuing jazz legacy. "When I founded Corridor Records in 1979 at Cobb's Corner Bar in Detroit," Woodard says,"my dream was to create a label that focused on local artists who reflected the spirit and tradition of Detroit's unique musical legacy."

This spirited, colorful and can-do jazz artist and label owner has done just that. He's become a busy record producer, and that's good news for Detroit in particular and jazz in general.