Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Sonny Phillips was born on December 7, 1936 in Mobile, Alabama. Phillips began playing jazz organ after hearing Jimmy Smith in his twenties. He studied under Ahmad Jamal, and played in the 1960s and 1970s with Lou Donaldson, Nicky Hill, Eddie Harris, Houston Person, and Gene Ammons.

His debut album Sure ‘Nuff was released on the Prestige Records label in 1969. He released several records as a leader in the Seventies before suffering a long illness in 1980. He also recorded twenty-three albums as a sideman with Harris, Person, Ammons, Rusty Bryant, Billy Butler, Willis Jackson, Etta Jones, Boogaloo Joe Jones and Bernard Purdie.

Electric organist and pianist Sonny Phillips went into semi-retirement after suffering a long illness. He moved to Los Angeles, California and has since performed and taught occasionally.

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Three Wishes

Nica inquired of Sam Woodyard what three things he would wish for if they could come true and his response was:

1. “To keep living! That’s all there is. Because we don’t come through here but once.”

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Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Ulysses Owens Jr. was born December 6, 1982 in Jacksonville, Florida and began playing the drums at the age of 3. He played many types of music in his younger years, centering on his experience in the church. By the time he was in his early teens, he realized that he would become a jazz musician and received a full scholarship to study at the Juilliard School, in its inaugural jazz program.

After graduating from Juilliard in 2006, Ulysses traveled the world as a jazz drummer. After hearing about Jacksonville’s high dropout rate and other problems with struggling youths, he and his family designed a program to help suspended youths stay in school.

Owens was vocalist Kurt Elling’s drummer on Dedicated to You: Kurt Elling Sings the Music of Coltrane and Hartman, and on bassist Christian McBride’s The Good Feeling, both of which won Grammy Award. He has also played and recorded with pianist Joey Alexander, Gregory Porter and Matthew Whitaker. His composition The Simplicity of Life was commissioned by the string quartet ETHEL for their multimedia show ETHEL’s Documerica.

Drummer and percussionist Ulysses Owens Jr., who is co-founder and artistic director of the charity, Don’t Miss A Beat, continues to perform and compose.

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GEORGE V. JOHNSON ~ CD RELEASE PARTY

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ANTONIO PARKER & FRIENDS

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