Melding hip-hop, jazz, groove, funk, and rhythm into a soul flow that excites the mind as well as it delights the ears and moves the feet. Much like the venerated Tina Turner, Mike Phillips never does anything nice and easy -- on each track his harmonic invention, sheer energy, and versatility will simply blow you away. At the same time, the integrity of the music and the unforgettable melodies are an unbeatable combination sure to garner Phillips even more accolades and fans.
The power of Phillip's saxophone style is ably demonstrated on the title track, "Uncommon Denominator." Phillips says that title represents two levels: the fact that he's the uncommon link between an unlikely and diverse array of fans and demos. And second, because the dynamic player is not your average instrumental artist. "I don't want to be that individual who looks at the industry and says, ‘my God where am I going to fit in?’" Phillips explains. "The uncommon denominator is the vision of being different but still being able to bring together people who vibe to all types of music, be it Hip Hop, R&B, Latin, straight ahead jazz, and so on.”
Phillips possesses a musical athleticism that fits his focused approach to music as well as his role as the only musical endorsee of Nike's first-class Brand Jordan gear. Like an athlete, he admits that challenging himself to reach ever-higher levels of achievement is what inspires him, making Uncommon Denominator an exciting follow-up to his stellar 2003 chart-topping debut, You Have Reached Mike Phillips. "I love that CD, but if I don't address the issues of growth, than I'm cheating the fans by giving them something they could have heard on the last record," he says.
Helping Phillips see his concepts to fruition are such veteran producers as Jeff Lorber and Rex Rideout, as well as songman Ivan Dupee who, after producing much of Phillips first CD, returns to add two cuts (“Flow” and “Fiesta”) to the new disc. And in a slight departure from his duties as Hidden Beach CEO, Steve McKeever switches caps and helms the production on “We are One” for his star sax player. Also lending their writing and production skills are JR Hutson, British producer Gary Haase, and Phillips' talented band bassist Janek Gwizdala, who steps out on several tracks. With this stellar assistance, Phillips brings a more organic, soulful element to the album.
You can hear Phillips' sense of adventure on the tune "Crazy," which includes a spoken intro where Philips makes light of the straitjacketed ideas about what jazz should be. He then proceeds to show bebop versatility over a hip beat that even hip-hop heads could groove to, something he repeats on the sexy, rhythm -guitar driven romp "Flow." On "G-Money," unique chord progressions power Phillips sax through a memorable melody. But he can also get romantic, as on the ballad "Minnie," tease a Latin groove on "Fiesta," and pay tribute to legendary R&B band Frankie Beverly & Maze on a version of "We Are One." And the upbeat sax outings "Uptown On A Saturday Night" and "86th And Broadway" offer solid servings for gritty jazz faithfuls.
Phillips has been earning raves for his saxophonist skills since he first jumped on stage at the Harlem hangout Sylvia's in New York to jam with the band. The musician soon found himself invited on tour with Stevie Wonder, and into the studio and onto stages with bassist Wayman Tisdale, Jonathan Butler, and Rachelle Ferrell, as well as R&B acts Babyface, Brian McKnight, and Boyz II Men. He has played on rap recordings by Will Smith, the Notorious B.I.G., and producer Teddy Riley. His fame spread when he appeared as the opening act for R&B phenomenon and labelmate Jill Scott on her Words & Sounds tour in 2001. He was also prominently featured on the best-selling contemporary-jazz-meets-hip-hop series Hidden Beach Presents Unwrapped.
In 2003, Hidden Beach released Phillips' debut set, You Have Reached Mike Phillips, which was co-produced by Tisdale. Since then, Phillips has continued to amaze and thrill audiences across the country and around the world with solo performances and high-profile gigs with the biggest names in pop music. After touring with Motown legend Stevie Wonder -- a gig that took him to South Africa to meet Nelson Mandela -- Mike was handpicked by Prince for last year's sold out Musicology Tour.
For Phillips the experience of playing with Prince was like sitting in the front row of a funky music class. “It was school for me,” says the saxman. “Every night I watched how he connected his gift to the crowd. He told me that playing a solo is like making love. You have to pay attention to the things that make your partner respond – and space them out so they peak at exactly the right time.”
And based on comments Prince made in a Rolling Stone interview during the tour, he was equally impressed with Phillips’ showmanship and virtuosity. After watching Mike from the wings during one show, Prince remarked to the interviewer “listen to those people responding, and all he’s doing is playing a saxophone. They can feel that what he’s doing is real. So many shows now, they have pyrotechnics, pre-taped vocals and musical parts, and it’s so dead. But here’s one man breathing into an instrument, and the whole room feels alive. It made me want to rise up to that level when I came back onstage.”
Off the tour circuit, Mike worked his horn magic as Brand Jordan emissary at numerous sporting events, including this year's Super Bowl, NBA Finals, the U.S. Open, and a recent Ronald McDonald House charity tour with star tennis sibs Venus and Serena Williams. As if that's not enough, Phillips also finds time to share his wisdom and experience with young people through his Sax In The Schools project, where he talks to kids from elementary to high schools about motivation, music, and overcoming obstacles.
Overcoming obstacles comes naturally to the Mt. Vernon NY-reared Phillips, and says that with Uncommon Denominator he has adopted "changing the game" as his personal mantra. For one thing, he's seeking to change perceptions of jazz and instrumental music. "There is a connection from bebop to hip-hop, and if we can do our job and do something where we cross the genres up and make it a zebra for a minute, we can have some appreciation for when the art forms come together."
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