Phil Morrison is a Jazz Luminary, Internationally Award Winning Composer and Master Bassist. Phil Morrison has performed with many of the greats including Freddy Cole T-bone Walker, Sam Rivers, Tony Williams, Hal Galper, Dizzy Gillespie, Stark Reality, Alan Broadbent, John Clark, Alan Braufman, Russell Malone, June Christy, Gloria Lynn, John Abercrombie, Ron Zack, Mark McKnight, Stan Walker, Jack Miller, Barry Greene, Howard Paul, Jody Espina, Eric Jones, Steve Silverstein, Billy Hoffman, Lekan Parsons, Bill Prince, Von Barlow, Joshua Bowlus, John Lumpkin, Simon Wu, Taylor Roberts, Peter Miles, Teddy Adams, Maria Howell, Gina Rene, Clyde Connor, Ekendra Das, Linda Ransom, Tony Whedon, Huxsie Scott, Ryan Little, Ryan Dillahay, Spencer Boyum, Justin Varnes, Stutz Wimmer, Kevin Bales, Doc Holladay, Melvin Smith, Ryan Little, Norm Gagne, Pace Conner, Chuck Reinas, Rudy Manuel, Sam Rodriguez, Keith Williams, Zac Chester, Ken Trimmins and Joe Watts.

Bassist/composer Phil Morrison learned to play the drums while serving with the U.S. Air Force in Japan but after discharge, the bass became his instrument of choice. In his hometown of Boston, around the same time that Ornette Coleman was causing a stir nationally, saxophonist Sam Rivers was also spearheading a new musical direction. His group included pianist Hal Galper, drummer Tony Williams or Steve Ellington and bassist Phil Morrison. That period was very significant in Phil’s development as a jazz bassist.

Some years later, an innovative electric jazz group was put together by vibist Monty Stark featuring John Abercrombie on guitar, Vinnie Johnson on drums & Phil on bass. This group went on to record for Ahmad Jamal’s record label(AJP Records) and did a TV soundtrack consisting of children’s songs written by Hoagy Carmichael who also starred in the series. This cd “Now” by Stark Reality was re-released in 2003 by Stone’s Throw Records. The show was called “Hoagy Carmichael’s Music Shop” and was produced by Hoagy’s son, Hoagy Jr. and WGBH-TV in Boston. The popular group “Black Eyed Peas” sampled Phil’s bassline from that recording(“Comrades”) and used it in their “Monkey Business” cd “Audio Delite….” To hear the tracks, go to Monty Stark .

Other recordings featuring Phil Morrison on bass include “Birigwa” which presents a unique African singer from Uganda and “Natural Food” …both on Porter Records. A wonderful singer from Boston, Mamie Lee, used Phil on acoustic bass in her rhythm section and her MGM recording “Once In A Lifetime” as did similarly gifted singer, Gwen Michaels. Gwen Michaels CD

Phil continued freelancing & worked with various major artists such asDizzy Gillespie, bluesman T-Bone Walker, vocalist Gloria Lynne and French Hornist John Clark. Phil subsequently joined the trio of pianist/singer Freddy Cole(youngest brother of Nat), with whom he worked for about 5 years. During that time, he frequently toured Brazil because of Freddy’s popularity there and developed a strong appreciation for Brazilian music and culture. The Brazilian influence is reflected in many of Phil’s original compositions, including a song which was written for the actual “girl from Ipanema” who walked to the beach and inspired Tom Jobim. Her name is Helo Pinheiro and the song(co-written with Keith Williams) is called “Helo From Ipanema”

He Was The King”, a tribute to Nat “King” Cole, was co-written with Freddy Cole and songs honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Dizzy Gillespie, Maya Angelou, Nelson Mandela, Tony Williams and others can be found in Phil’s songbook “Phil Morrison…Words & Music.. plus Other Stuff” (c)2000.

Phil began writing lyrics while working with pianist/vocalist Ron Zack who was also into bebop, basketball and Brazilian music. Phil’s interest in basketball was the inspiration behind writing a song for the basketball great……Michael Jordan, co-written with pianist, Keith Williams. They also wrote a song for the Beijing Olympics – 2008 while performing in China when China was selected to host the games. Tiger Woods is also included in the Phil Morrison catalogue of songs with his piece entitled “They Call Him Tiger”.

Phil Morrison and Keith Williams were co-leaders of a group called the “World Unity Jazz Ensemble” (WUJE) and have recorded in and would frequently travel to China & Japan.  This group features international musicians and instruments and has recorded two cds which are available from this site “China Skies” & “Hollow Reed”. The “Hollow Reed” cd features the world renowned erhu artist (Chinese violin), Jiebing Chen. 

Phil spent quite a few years residing in Atlanta, Georgia, where he wrote a beautiful song honoring the ATL. It can be heard on the “Remember When” cd featuring Linda Ransom with the Phil Morrison Trio.  He now enjoys living on the coast of Georgia, where he composed the official song for that area called “Take Me To The Coast of Georgia”. It can be heard on a YouTube music video or the “Sea Island Blues” cd performed by The Phil Morrison Trio featuring Keith Williams.