Contemporary jazz saxophonist
Mike Phillips combines smooth, romantic riffs with a funky, hip-hop-influenced sound. Initially emerging as a sideman for
Jill Scott in the 2000s,
Phillips has played with a bevy of name artists, including
Prince,
Stevie Wonder, and
Bootsy Collins. He has also distinguished himself with his own albums, including 2005's
Uncommon Denominator and 2020's
Pulling Off the Covers.
A native of Mount Vernon, New York,
Phillips became interested in music at a young age and played several instruments before honing in on the saxophone as his main instrument. He began learning the jazz tradition, inspired by a mix of classic and more contemporary artists, including
John Coltrane,
Charlie Parker,
Grover Washington, Jr.,
George Howard, and
Art Porter. By the time he was 16,
Phillips was already dedicated to pursuing a professional music career. In 1993, he made an early debut playing a gig at Wilson's Nightclub in New York, an opportunity that led to further work as a session and sideman for jazz, R&B, and hip-hop artists, including
Groove Theory,
Jon Lucien, and
Jill Scott. He also joined
Scott on tour in 2001. The following year, he released his debut album,
You Have Reached Me, on
Hidden Beach Recordings.
In 2005,
Phillips released his sophomore album,
Uncommon Denominator. More session work followed, including further collaborations with
Scott, as well as
Stevie Wonder,
Tom Braxton,
Prince, and
Michael Jackson. In 2010, he returned to his solo work with
MP3, and followed with studio appearances for
Lin Rountree and
Bootsy Collins. In 2020,
Phillips delivered his fourth album as leader,
Pulling Off the Covers. ~ Matt Collar