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Organist Sonny Phillips was born in Mobile, Alabama in 1936 to a musical family, but did not begin his jazz education until the age of 23, when he began studying with Ahmad Jamal. The music of Jimmy Smith inspired him to switch to the organ, and soon he was performing with soul-jazz greats such as Lou Donaldson, Eddie Harris, Houston Person, and Gene Ammons. Phillips debuted as a leader on the 1969 Prestige set Sure 'Nuff, which was followed by the 1970 dates Black Magic and Black on Black. He returned to recording as a leader for the Muse label in 1976 with My Black Flower, but the next year's I Concentrate on You proved to be his final recording as a leader. After an illness in 1980, Phillips moved to Los Angeles, where he occasionally taught, performed, and recorded as a sideman during the years to follow.
from Wikipedia:
Sonny Phillips (b. December 7, 1936, Mobile, Alabama) is an American jazz keyboardist. His primary instrument is electric organ but he often played piano.
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 was released in 1969, and he released several further records as a leader before suffering a long illness in 1980. He went into semi-retirement after this and moved to Los Angeles; since then he has performed and taught occasionally.
