Joseph Edward Filippelli, born on March 26, 1915, and died on August 17, 2001, was professionally known as Flip Phillips. He was an American musician who played the tenor saxophone and clarinet. He is most famous for working with Norman Granz's Jazz at the Philharmonic concerts from 1946 to 1957. Phillips recorded an album for Verve Records when he was in his 80s. He performed in different types of music, including mainstream jazz, swing, and jump blues.
Career
He was born in Brooklyn, New York, United States. In the 1930s, he played the clarinet in a restaurant in Brooklyn. Later, he became a member of bands led by Frankie Newton, Red Norvo, Benny Goodman, and Wingy Manone. In the middle 1940s, he was a regular soloist for the Woody Herman band. For the next ten years, he performed with Jazz at the Philharmonic. During this time, he made multiple appearances on recordings by Charlie Parker. He retired to Florida but returned to music after 15 years, moving back to New York. He recorded and performed until his 80s.
He recorded many songs for Clef in the 1940s and 1950s. In 1949, he led a small-group album with Buddy Morrow, Tommy Turk, Kai Winding, Sonny Criss, Ray Brown, and Shelly Manne. He also accompanied Billie Holiday on her 1952 album Billie Holiday Sings.
He died in August 2001 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, at the age of 86.
Discography
- Flip Phillips Collates (Clef, 1952)
- Flip Phillips Collates Vol. 2 (Clef, 1953)
- Flip Phillips Quartet (Mercury, 1953)
- Jumping Moods (Clef, 1954)
- Rock with Flip (Clef, 1954)
- The Flip Phillips Buddy Rich Trio (Clef, 1954)
- Flip Phillips Quintet (Clef, 1955)
- The Battle of the Saxes (American Recording Society, 1956)
- Flip (Clef, 1956)
- Flip Wails (Clef, 1956)
- Swingin' with Flip Phillips and His Orchestra (1956)
- Flip in Florida (Onyx, 1963)
- Your Place or Mine? (Jump, 1963)
- Flip Phillips Revisited (1965)
- Phillips's Head (Choice, 1975)
- John & Joe (Chiaroscuro, 1977)
- Live at the Beowulf (1978)
- Flipenstein (Progressive, 1981)
- The Claw: Live at the Floating Jazz Festival (Chiaroscuro, 1986)
- A Sound Investment with Scott Hamilton (Concord Jazz, 1987)
- A Real Swinger (Concord Jazz, 1988)
- Try a Little Tenderness (Chiaroscuro, 1992)
- Live at the 1993 Floating Jazz Festival (Chiaroscuro, 1993)
- Spanish Eyes (Candid, 1997)
- John & Joe Revisited (Chiaroscuro, 1999)
- Swing Is the Thing! (Verve, 2000)
- Celebrates His 80th Birthday at the March of Jazz 1995 (Arbors, 2003)
- Live at the Beowulf: Arbors Historical Series, Vol. 5 (Arbors, 2004)
- In a Tender Mood (Norgran, 1952 [1955])
With Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich
- The Drum Battle (Verve, 1952 [1960])
- Big Band (Clef, 1954)