|
Idris Phillips
Birth name Phillip Bubel
Born January 1958
Genres Modern folk, jazz, world
Occupations Musician, composer, arranger, producer
Instruments Piano, keyboards, guitar, bass, percussion
Years active 1977–present
Labels Enter Into Peace
Associated acts Dawud Wharnsby
Website myspace.com/idrisphillips
Idris Phillips is a musician, composer, songwriter, and music producer
based in Los Angeles California, U.S..
In recent years, he is best recognized for his work as a pianist,
guitarist and producer for Canadian singer-songwriter Dawud Wharnsby,
co-writing the songs "War", "Eight Years Old" and "Let It Go" on
Wharnsby's 2007 album "Out Seeing The Fields" (Enter Into Peace/Beloved
Musika).The two artists tour together regularly world-wide and are
currently at work on several collaborative recording projects.
Early career
Born Phillip Bubel January 1958, Phillips began playing classical guitar
as a child and by his teens was also an accomplished pianist.
Phillips found himself as a session player in a recording studio for the
first time at the age of 16. Shortly thereafter, his composition and
arranging skills tweaked the interests of record label executives who saw
the talented and handsome young prodigy as a possible candidate for
investment. Music industry politics and pressures pushed Phillips and his
music out on the road where live performance earned him his reputation as
a versatile and skillful player, opening for the likes of other popular
jazz performers like Mose Allison and crossing backstage circles with
artists like Richie Havens and Livingston Taylor.
Touring throughout the United States during the mid 1980s as a member of
several jazz ensembles and rock bands, Phillips made his home in Phoenix,
Arizona.
In 1989 he embraced Islam and became known as Idris Phillips - Idris being
the Qur'anic form of the name Enoch.
Taking a break from cross country tours, Phillips worked briefly in the
early 1990s as a hotel entertainment booking agent in Phoenix, AZ. He
eventually found himself back on the road again, touring the U.S. and
parts of Western Canada until the late 1990s when he settled outside
Hollywood California to work as a session player and composer for film and
television music libraries.
Career as Idris Phillips
Becoming formally and professionally known as Idris Phillips in 2005 , the
writer/performer has recently found recognition world-wide for his melodic
compositions which blend varying musical styles (jazz, pop, new-age) with
diverse instrumentation. Beyond his work as a composer for Hollywood music
libraries, to the growing independent film industry of the Middle East,
Phillips' music was recently used to underscore the Egyptian documentary
"The Fog Is Lifting.
Phillips returned to live performance in June 2006, reaching out to
international audiences alongside Canadian folk/world-music artist Dawud
Wharnsby at a concert in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (performing alongside
South African singer-songwriter Zain Bhikha and Malaysian boy-band Raihan.)
The concert also aired in Malaysia on the national holiday of Eid ul Fitr
in November 2006.
In November 2006 Phillips and Wharnsby also toured the United Kingdom with
Canadian percussionists The Fletcher Valve Drummers, concluding their tour
of UK with a brief performance of their song "War" at The Gobal Peace &
Unity Event held in London's Excel Centre, to an audience of over 20,000.
The event was televised via satellite by England's Islam Channel
throughout Europe and North Africa.
As the lawfulness of "musical instruments" has long been a debate among
teachers and students of the Islamic faith, Idris Phillips' rendition of
"War" - with guitar - at The Global Peace And Unity Event marked the first
time in British history that a Muslim musician appeared on stage with a
stringed instrument at a major mainstream Islamic religious conference.
His performance challenged stereotypes that "music" is "categorically
unlawful" according to Islamic theological teachings, warming the audience
and the stage for world renowned singer-songwriter and peace activist
Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens) who performed immediately afterward, also with
guitar.
|