Greg Phillinganes

Greg Phillinganes

Greg Phillinganes (born May 12, 1956 in Detroit , Michigan ), resident in Los Angeles , is an American session keyboardist and was a member of the Californian rock band Toto from 2005 until their temporary dissolution in 2008 .

Career

Phillinganes was discovered in 1976 by Stevie Wonder and hired for his "Wonderlove Band". Phillinganes played there from 1976 to 1981. During this time he also worked with Quincy Jones for Billy Eckstine . In 1981 he released his solo debut album Significant Gains . With the song I don't want to be the one he had a hit that was very well known in the soul scene. His work on Donald Fagen's solo debut The Nightfly earned him a lot of attention in the music scene .

He then began working with Michael Jackson on his album Thriller (released 1982). For this album Jackson also wrote additional lyrics for the song Behind The Mask by Yellow Magic Orchestra , which was not released on the album. Phillinganes recorded this song for his second solo album Pulse (1984). The song became a top 20 hit in the UK in 1987 for Eric Clapton . In the following years Phillinganes worked with Michael Jackson on many of his following albums. Phillinganes also worked for many other stars as a songwriter , keyboard player or on tour, for example Lionel Richie , Paul McCartney , Al Jarreau , Aretha Franklin , Elton John , the Pointer Sisters , Babyface , Christina Aguilera , Richard Marx and Mick Jagger . He was also very active in working on film soundtracks. On July 26, 1988 , he appeared as a musical guest on an aftershow by Prince at Camden Palace in London.

In 2004 Greg Phillinganes represented Totos keyboardist David Paich , who was absent from the family due to a serious illness, on a tour. From 2005 until their temporary dissolution in May 2008 he was a permanent part of the band. The album Falling In Between , which was released in spring 2006, shows Phillinganes as a new member of the band. On the tour for the album he played at all concerts, either with Paich or, outside the United States, as the only keyboard player.

For the 49th Grammy Awards 2007 he was nominated as arranger of the song "Good Morning Heartache" (sung by Chris Botti & Jill Scott ) in the category "Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist (s)" (best arrangement with vocals).

In 2014 he was a member of the house band for The Night That Changed America: A Grammy Salute to The Beatles .

In the summer of 2016 he was part of the band on David Gilmour's "Rattle That Lock" tour.

Discography

Solo / with Toto

• 1981: Significant Gains
• 1984: Pulse
• 2006: Falling In Between (Toto)
• 2007: Falling in Between Live (Toto)

Albums by other artists (excerpt)

• 1976: Songs in the Key of Life (Stevie Wonder)
• 1978: Destiny (The Jacksons)
• 1979: Off The Wall ( Michael Jackson )
• 1980: The Dude (Quincy Jones)
• 1981: Love All The Hurt Away (Aretha Franklin)
• 1982: Thriller (Michael Jackson), Lionel Richie (Lionel Richie), So Excited (Pointer Sisters), The Nightfly (Donald Fagen)
• 1984: Dreem Street (Janet Jackson)
• 1987: Primitive Cool (Mick Jagger), ESP (Bee Gees), Bad (Michael Jackson)
• 1989: Journeyman ( Eric Clapton )
• 1991: 24 Nights ( Eric Clapton )
• 1991: Rush Street (Richard Marx)
• 1993: My World (Ray Charles), Duets (Elton John)
• 1994: Merry Christmas (Mariah Carey), Return To Pooh Corner (Kenny Loggins)
• 1996: Secrets (Tony Braxton), Day (Babyface)
• 2001: Lovesongs (Babyface)
• 2002: Stripped (Christina Aguilera)

Soundtracks (excerpt)

• 1984: Streets Of Fire
• 1987: Over The Top
• 1989: Lethal Weapon 2
• 1998: Pleasantville
• 2001: Dr. Dolittle 2
• 2004: Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights

Web links

• Literature by and about Greg Phillinganes in the catalog of the German National Library