BIOGRAPHY PAGE

PHIL FLANIGAN
Bass

Bassist Phil Flanigan left his hometown of Geneva, NY at the age of 14, with the intention of playing with jazz greats in New York City.  Two years later, he was doing just that.  His father’s record collection had provided an early exposure to the sounds of the giants of jazz, and his early performances with Scott Hamilton and Roy Eldridge provided the training.

The next fourteen years in New York found him working, touring and recording with Benny Goodman, Rosemary Clooney, Maxine Sullivan, Bob Wilber, Johnny Griffin, Kenny Davern, Warren Vache, Ruby Braff, Howard Alden and many others.

Phil has recorded for the Concord Jazz label over 20 times with various artists, but principally as a member of the Scott Hamilton Quintet.  Recording as a free-lance bassist for other notable labels such as Arbors, Nagel-Heyer, Sunnyside, Atlantic and others has brought the total to over 80 releases to date.

Phil is highly respected both as a soloist and as an ensemble player.  Bob Wilber has called him “the most melodic bass soloist in jazz.”  Dick Hyman has praised him for being able to play in the older styles like Milt Hinton and Bob Haggart.  Ray Brown’s comment is to the point:  “Phil knows his roots.”  While certainly influenced by and a master proponent of the old school of jazz, his playing fits comfortably in the whole gamut of acoustic jazz, from early traditional to post-bop.

In addition to his many performances, Phil has served as musical director of the South Florida Jazz and Swing Society and given bass clinics at universities.  He has written and arranged compositions for his own jazz groups and others, and has written string quintets, one of which was performed by the Miami Chamber Orchestra, and two others by graduate students at North Carolina School of the Arts.

His recent performances and recording with two acoustic groups, the Hot Club USA and Allan Vache’s Big Four, have been acclaimed by critics and audiences alike. Visit Phil on the web at www.hannaphil.com