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Saxophonist Mike
Phillips is changing the game. Armed with hissignature passion and magnetic
presence (his live show is a must-see!),the talented musician challenges established
norms by embracing a variety of musical influences while adding his own unique
flavor to the mix. To that end, "You Have Reached Mike Phillips"
is more than the title of his Hidden Beach Recordings debut. Hearing his music
is likened to dialing the phone and getting his soul on the line. The "voice"
is distinctive, honest, and from the heart.
Via Mike’s
guest performances on Hidden Beach’s "Experience: Jill Scott 826
+" and the chart-topping Hip Hop/Jazz effort "Unwrapped Vol. 1"
among other projects, music lovers everywhere have enjoyed a small
sampling of Phillips’s skills. Skills that, by the way, earned him the
distinction of being the first non-athlete signed to Brand Jordan. With "You
Have Reached Mike Phillips," the talented performer takes center stage.
His production team is a creative consortium that spans the realm of music
itself. At one end is the familiar bassist/producer Wayman Tisdale, a jazz
artist (and former NBA baller) in his own right. Producer Ivan Dupee, creative
kingpin of the Chicago-based, hip-hop soaked Dupee productions, anchors the
studio team. Rounding out the production credits are Eric Parker, Jerry Barnes,
Ralph Roole, and Jazdin Reddy aka JR Swingha.
Mike’s dynamic
music approach is glowingly illustrated on "Just One Take," the
set’s first single. With its catchy, string-embraced refrain, Mike’s
sax soars with an almost human vocal quality. The accompanying rhythmic bass
play not so much drives the midtempo cut as it escorts the song’s melody
line. Along the way, Mike bops and rolls supremely—blowing with a confident
vengeance until musically strolling into the sunset.
"Ivan wanted
my sax to be raw," Mike reports, adding that only one take was needed
to nail the song in the studio. "Its title is self-explanatory. Ivan
turned on the mic and we just came out blazin." The saxophonist credits
label head Steve McKeever for supporting the artist’s vision for the
project. "He wanted my album to have that same feel I have at my live
performance," Mike says. "So we invited some close friends down
and turned the studio sessions into a live audience
thing."
"You Have
Reached Mike Phillips," the album’s title track (also produced by
Dupee), demonstrates the chameleon-like abilities of the artist. It begins
with understated sax riffing before dropping into a funky hip-hop groove that’s
tempered by Mike’s floating sax. "Lately record listeners who are
into smooth jazz have been trying to ‘dial up’ something fresh but
have been getting the same ‘busy signal’ on their CD players,"
explains Mike. "But with the release of my album, folks can now dial
in and reach Mike Phillips’s brand of music. And it’s definitely
a good connection."
Mike gets beautiful
with his music on the Tisdale and Parker-produced "Will You Stick With
Me," which takes a tempered approach. With tinkling keyboards, shimmering
percussion effects and a luxurious string arrangement, the song evokes a sense
of honest romance. The sophistication continues on "Love Is A Drug"
and the soul-nourishing "Baby Calls." "When It Comes To Loving
Me" is a haunting slow jam that caresses the heart, while the JR Swingha-produced
"Wonderful & Special" is a bouncy, mid-tempo romp that juxtaposes
the neo-soul sound with understated hip-hop.
Phillips has
been entertaining audiences with his genre-blending sax play, with the help
of notable artists from an array of musical arenas. In the world of jazz he’s
gigged with the likes of Tisdale, Jonathan Butler and Rachelle Farrell. In
R&B quarters he’s shared the stage with crooners such as Babyface,
Brian McKnight and Boyz II Men. And in the
summer of 2001, Mike blazed a trail across the country as the opening act
for labelmate Jill Scott during her sold-out "Words & Sounds"
tour.
But he also has
an edgier side.
The saxman is
equally at home in the hip-hop realm, where he’s pushed auditory boundaries
with the help of superstar rappers/personalities Will Smith, the late Notorious
B.I.G., Nelly, DJ Premier and Gangstarr, Coolio, Missy Elliott, legendary
producer/DJ Tony Touch, and visionary
artist/producer Teddy Riley. With uncanny savvy, the saxophonist is able to
bring out the best of all music forms. "Each music form helps the other,"
Mike says. "Sometimes hip-hop beats start flowing in different keys and
if it begins sounding too thugged-out, that’s when the jazz can take
over. Done the right way, they can perfectly balance each other."
Like so many
top talents, Mike began his love affair with music very early in life, experimenting
with a list of instruments, including acoustic and electric bass, piano, trumpet,
and French horn. After settling on saxophone, the ambitious student diligently
practiced his craft, woodshedding with a vengeance. He also played a lot in
church. By the time he reached 16 he knew he wanted to do it for a living.
"When I got my first paycheck of $25 back when I was a kid I thought,
‘This is cool—something I can do.’"
Phillips made
his presence felt on the professional music scene in 1993 with his now legendary
debut performance at Wilson’s, a popular New York jazz & R&B
hotspot. Invited there by a friend who played keyboards with the house band,
Mike unexpectedly took the stage and, to the surprise of
the bandleader, started riffing before anyone asked him to sit in. Gradually,
the bewildered looks of the other players (and audience) morphed quickly to
smiles and the rest is history.
Mike Phillips
is changing the way people think about musicians; changing the way people
listen to raw, passion-drenched instrumentation; changing the way people respond
to live performances….with "You Have Reached Mike Phillips,"
he is changing the game
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