Mike Phillips, The Making of a Jazz Great

What is a Jazz Great? Is it determined by how many records one sells or the number of articles written? Perhaps it is determined by the acceptance of one’s peers or the corporate powers that be? Certainly a major factor is the impact an artist makes on the genre.

The greats have ushered us through the evolution of jazz that began with the Negro spirituals, then the blues that spawned bebop, swing, and fusion, to the variations of modern jazz we enjoy today. So what’s next? Jazz lovers under 40 have patiently waited for something we could call “our jazz”. We want something that reflects the grit and rawness of Hip Hop culture. In steps, saxophonist Mike Phillips.

Before Phillips, there have been great attempts to bridge together the worlds of Hip Hop and Jazz. The watershed moments are credited to Miles Davis’ Doo-Bop recording in the early nineties, and later to Hip Hop legends like A Tribe Called Quest who laid lyrics over the likes of jazz greats Cannonball Adderley and Roy Ayers. The great run of Tribe takes us through the late nineties. But here we are, more than 10 years later, waiting for the next wave of jazz ciphers.

Fortunately, Mike Phillips has taken the reigns, delivering music with a level of authenticity that prompts fans to pump his tracks, loudly, in their rides. But is he the next Jazz Great? He has numerous successful recordings and collaborations under his belt. He has the acceptance of his peers; the accolades from Prince alone are a major stamp of approval. His corporate acceptance is unprecedented. His role as the only musical endorsee of Nike’s Brand Jordan gear has given him access to a completely new audience. One that most jazz artists have limited access to.

Only time will answer the question at hand, but Phillips’ current project Hidden Beach Presents: Unwrapped Volume 5.0 – The ColliPark Café Sessions has made me a believer.

The brainchild by Atlanta super producer Mr. Collipark (Lil Jon, The Ying Yang Twins, Soulja Boy, Hurricane Chris) and Hidden Beach Recordings, Unwrapped 5.0 takes a genuinely Southern twist on the latter’s critically acclaimed Unwrapped series. Hits like Hurricane Chris’ “A Bay Bay,” DJ Unk’s “Walk It Out” and The Ying Yang Twins’ “Salt Shaker”, get a beautiful jazz makeover. Phillips is accompanied by a group of veteran musicians including Jeff Bradshaw, Peter Black, Jimmy Brown, Kofi Burbridge and the album Executive Producer is Abdul Ra’oof. Look for the revamped “Shawty” video that depicts a classic family reunion with playful kids, good times and a Soulja Boy appearance! The video airs on VH1 Soul and BET-J next week.

Phillips, often referred to as “Mike Philly” (his “dude from the hood” persona), sees more than hot collaboration as the force that propels jazz into the future. A key focus has always been and remains on education. “When the baton is passed from one generation to the next, along with it comes education. The education tells the historic greatness of the music, the stories of the legends before us and evolution of the art form,” says Phillips. “Don’t get me wrong, I am not the Jazz police. You can’t beat people over the head with the history. You have to meet people half way. [My music] bridges the divide that’s widening everyday.” With an ever growing divide between the listeners and fading presence of Jazz across the country, how can a younger generation be engaged, “Live performance”. It’s the best way for someone new to jazz to connect with the music. My performance is a cross pollination of a straight-ahead groove, then I grab the mic and spit 32 bars. Without the live experience you can’t connect or understand,” says Phillips. Setting a positive tone for the future, Phillips believes that one thing that will not end, is the demand for music. Like all things, it evolves. Phillips is a great example of an artist adjusting to evolution. This fall he will release his next recording, appropriately titled, “MP3”, which embraces the music’s new digital model. Mike Philly is an artist ushering Jazz into the Hip Hop and digital age. He gets it. And the young “jazz heads” thank him.