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If there’s one particular word which comes to mind while both describing critically-hailed saxophonist MIKE PHILLIPS and an ongoing theme of his illustrious music career within the jazz, R&B and even hip-hop worlds, it would be “authentic.” If the primary meanings of the word refers to something or someone “of undisputed origin” or “genuinely based on origins,” then Phillips’ unusually high appreciation for music since early childhood, which manifested into everything from absorbing and learning musical instruments and immersing himself into all things music – both past and present – then his widely-noted, soulfully warm saxophone-driven sound sonically and melodically personifies the term. Consequently, only musicians and singers of first-rate authenticity can manage to convey such originality and confidence while conveying long-cherished musical nuggets we’re already intimately familiar with. MIKE PHILLIPS manages to do all the above (and more!) with his latest groove-driven smooth-jazz musical offering, Pulling Off The Covers, which cleverly turns out to be not only the soundtrack of his life but many of ours as well. “When you’re doing a cover, you do it your way…you do it how you do it,” Phillips explains of both the title and overall approach to his multi-influenced new set.
