Greg Phillinganes
| Greg Phillinganes | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Gregory Arthur Phillinganes |
| Born |
May 12, 1956 Detroit, Michigan |
| Genres | Pop rock, progressive rock |
| Occupations | Musician, songwriter |
| Instruments | Keyboards, synthesizer, analog synthesizer, programming, vocals |
| Associated acts | Stevie Wonder, The Jacksons, Michael Jackson, Toto, Eric Clapton |
| Notable instruments | |
|
Korg Kronos Korg Oasys Korg Triton Korg Trinity Roland V-Synth Yamaha Motif | |
Greg Phillinganes (born Gregory Arthur Phillinganes on May 12, 1956 in Detroit, Michigan) is an active session keyboardist in Los Angeles, California. He is a graduate of Cass Technical High School in Detroit.[citation needed] Phillinganes was discovered by Stevie Wonder, who heard a cassette of instrumental renditions of his own songs done by Phillinganes.[citation needed] Wonder recruited Phillinganes for his Wonderlove band, where Phillinganes stayed from 1976 to 1981.
In 1981, he released his first solo album, Significant Gains. While the album itself was not very successful, he did manage to score a minor R&B hit with "Baby, I Do Love You". Three years later, he released his follow-up album Pulse, which featured another minor hit (and perhaps his best-known solo hit), a cover of Yellow Magic Orchestra's song "Behind the Mask" (with additional lyrics written by Michael Jackson). This single was much more successful on the dance music charts. When he later joined Eric Clapton's backing band, Phillinganes introduced the tune to Clapton, who covered it on his 1986 August album. Amidst his solo recordings and touring with Clapton throughout the 1980s, he became well known as a prominent session musician for a multitude of different artists, performing on many hit albums of the time. His session work has continued into the present.
In addition to Stevie Wonder, Greg Phillinganes has worked and toured with other musicians including the Bee Gees, Donna Summer, Anita Baker, Eric Clapton, Donald Fagen, Aretha Franklin, Patti LaBelle, Michael Jackson, Richard Marx, Paul McCartney, Quincy Jones[1] and Stevie Nicks among others. He was also the musical director for Michael Jackson's Bad and Dangerous concert tours. In 1995 he played on the Joan Armatrading album What's Inside. During 2004, Phillinganes acted as a replacement for David Paich on tour with the band Toto. In 2005, he joined the band and helped Toto with their new album. He continued to tour as a member of Toto until the band broke up in 2008. When Toto reformed in 2010, Phillinganes was not part of the lineup.
He has been recruited as the musical director for Cirque du Soleil's Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour.
Discography
Solo
- 1981 Significant Gains
- 1984 Pulse
Session work
(Partial list)
- 1976 Songs in the Key of Life (Stevie Wonder)
- 1981 The Dude (Quincy Jones)
- 1982 The Nightfly (Donald Fagen)
- 1983 Hearts and Bones (Paul Simon)
- 1983 Can't Slow Down (Lionel Richie)
- 1986 August (Eric Clapton)
- 1987 E.S.P. (Bee Gees)
- 1989 Journeyman (Eric Clapton)
- 1998 ...Hits (Phil Collins)
Track 2: "True Colors"
- 2006 Falling In Between (Toto)
- 2007 Falling In Between Live (Toto)
- 2009 More to Say (Terri Lyne Carrington)
With The Jacksons
With Michael Jackson
- 1979 Off the Wall
- 1982 Thriller
- 1987 Bad
- 1991 Dangerous
- 1995 HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I
- 1997 Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix
- 2009 Michael Jackson's This Is It
- 2010 Michael
- 2011 Immortal
- 2012 Bad 25
Soundtrack
- 1984 Streets of Fire
Track 4: "Countdown to Love" taken from Pulse
References
External links
- Official TOTO website
- SOUL WALKING - Greg Phillinganes
- Greg Phillinganes interview at Allaboutjazz.com
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