Play It in Woo - Phase 2 of Documentary Production

DONATIONS FOR PHASE 2 OF PRODUCTION HAVE ENDED! Thank you so much for your support, which pushed us past our goal in 10 days, and enabled us to move forward with our next shoot in California.

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It is with great excitement that we invite you to a special fundraising event for our new music documentary, entitled PLAY IT IN WOO. The film is about keyboardist Philip Woo, whose playing with such legends as Roy Ayers, Frankie Beverly and Maze, and Ashford and Simpson made him one of the first Asian American musicians to become a prominent player in the soul and funk genres of the ‘70s and ‘80s. At this point, we’ve shot 7 days in Seattle and New York, and are now gearing up for Phase 2 in late April, when we plan to film with Phillip Woo for a week while he is in California. To date, we’ve been fully self-funded, but moving forward, we will need help. And that’s where you come in!

Please consider making a donation towards this crucial step in our film's production - we can't wait to tell (and show) you more about our new film.

Here’s a little about our film, Play It in Woo:

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"Everybody Loves the Sunshine " by Roy Ayers and Ubiquity.

"Before I Let Go " by Frankie Beverly and Maze.

Both songs are anthems in the Black music soundtrack, and are candidates for, as the New York Times says, "The song of every summer."

And both songs feature the keyboard playing of Philip Woo, who is one of the first Asian American musicians to make a name in the funk and soul genres of the 1970’s and 1980’s, recording and touring with such legends as Roy Ayers, Frankie Beverly & Maze, Ashford & Simpson, Patti Labelle, and more. Philip’s playing has continued to live on through the countless artists that have sampled his keyboard playing, from Notorious B.I.G. and A Tribe Called Quest to Mary J. Blige and Beyonce.

Philip Woo’s story is one of stubborn self-belief in the pursuit of your dream, and having to constantly break the mold of Asian American stereotypes at every stage of life. It’s a truly American story of art and activism, of community and displacement, and the intertwined paths of the Black and Asian American communities in all its beautiful complexity. And it is the story that we will tell in our film, PLAY IT IN WOO.

PHASE ONE (complete)

To date, we've filmed 7 days in Seattle and New York with a wide range of musicians including legends Roy Ayers and Valerie Simpson; hip hop luminaries Jake One and Large Professor; KEXP DJ Supreme La Rock; drumming great Mike Clark (Herbie Hancock, The Headhunters); Felicia Collins (guitarist from Paul Shaffer and the World’s Most Dangerous Band); and Robert Damper (music director and keyboardist for Kenny G). We also filmed interviews with Philip’s family members taking us through Philip’s childhood and teenage years in Seattle.

PHASE TWO (April 2024)

Our next phase of production takes us to California in April 2024, where we will be filming in Los Angeles, Oakland, and Vallejo with Philip’s high school band conductor and mentor, James Gardiner; former bandmates from Roy Ayers and Ubiquity and Frankie Beverly and Maze; as well as music journalists and producers. This is the phase that we are currently fundraising for.

AFTER THIS...

After Phase Two, we will have enough footage to craft a true standalone trailer that will fully represent our film. We will use this trailer to continue fundraising that will launch us into our last phase of production, which will focus on filming in Japan, where Philip Woo lives. And once production is complete, that will take us into the edit, and all the post-production costs that will come with a film like ours - namely, music and archival footage rights. But, as we've been doing, we'll get there one mighty step at a time, and we will be keeping you updated along our journey!

Please follow us on Instagram @playitinwoo for fun behind-the-scenes photos, footage, and more updates!