Mike Phillips

2) guitarist for Christian metal band Deliverance

3) songwriter of North to Alaska

4) bass player

1) Mike Phillips is a jazz saxophonist from Mt. Vernon, NY. Mike began with music at the age of five. After experimenting with an assortment of instruments including acoustic and electric bass, violin, piano, French horn and trumpet, he focused on the saxophone.

In the summer of 1993, Mike debuted at Wilsons in New York. Invited there by a friend who was playing keyboards with the house band, Mike walked on stage and began to blow before anyone asked him to sit in.

Mike has been a regular there ever since, performing with such artists as Babyface, Rachelle Farrell, Brian McKnight, Boyz II Men, and the artist formerly known as Prince. He has also performed throughout the US and abroad, touring with for example Teddy Riley and Blackstreet, Jonathan Butler, Simply Red, Wayman Tisdale, Kenny Lattimore and Stevie Wonder.

In 1996, Mike was invited to perform at President Clintons Inaugural Gala held at The Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. He has also performed at the 80th birthday celebration for president Nelson Mandela in South Africa, a Superbowl appearance with Wonder, and the Billboard Music Awards. Mikes television credits include Saturday Night Live, The David Letterman Show, BET On Jazz, BET Sound Stage, and The Tonight Show.

Mike have worked with diverse performers such as the late rapper Notorious B.I.G., Will Smith, vocalist Mariah Carey, and the gospel ensemble Anointed. And he collaborated with Teddy Riley on the Rugrats The Movie soundtrack.

Apart from jazz he has also included blues, gospel and hip-hop elements. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.