About Phil

Phil Flanigan left his home town, Geneva, New York, at the age of 17 with the intention of playing with jazz greats in New York City.  Two years later, he was doing just that.  His father’s record collection had provided an early exposure to the sounds of the giants of jazz, and his early performances with Scott Hamilton and Roy Eldridge provided the training.

Phil Flanigan, John Allred Photo: John Herr

It was his work with the Scott Hamilton Quintet during this time that was perhaps the most influential. Numerous tours to Europe, four tours of Japan, and many recordings on the Concord Jazz label resulted from this association.   The quintet also received accolades during its stint as the regular Sunday night band at Eddie Condon’s, during which time guest artists were featured with Scott’s band.  Some of these guests included Illinois Jacquet, Jimmy Rowles, Tommy Flanagan, and Ruby Braff.  Around this same time, Phil could frequently be found playing or sitting in with Roy Eldridge at Jimmy Ryan’s just down the block from Condon’s.  Aside from being just plain fun, it was a real education in the ways of professional jazzmen, principally because Roy, who played brilliantly on a nightly basis, also took Phil, Scott and company under his wing and at the same time treated them as his equals.

Phil with Mike Melito, 2011 Rochester Jazz Festival Photo: John Herr

In addition to the Sunday nights at Condon’s, Phil frequently played with the house band, which often included Ed Polcer, Jack Maheu, Connie Kay, and Vic Dickenson.  Guests included Jimmy McPartland, Wild Bill Davison, John Bunch, and Dick Wellstood.

This New York period was notable for opportunities to play with still extant swing and bop era practitioners.  Among the most memorable were Jo Jones, Tiny Grimes, Johnny Griffin, and Hank Jones.  On one particular night, Phil played with Sonny Greer, the drummer with the Ellington band when bassist Jimmy Blanton was developing his innovative approach.  The then 81-year-old Greer showed his appreciation for the fact that Flanigan had done his Blanton homework.  This period was also notable for opportunities to tour and record with the likes of Benny Goodman, Rosemary Clooney, Maxine Sullivan, Bob Wilber, Johnny Griffin, Kenny Davern, Warren Vache, Ruby Braff, Howard Alden and many other jazz icons.

Benny Goodman, Chris Flory, Phil Flanigan. photo: Brian Fosket

In 1989 Phil moved to Florida, quickly establishing himself as first-call jazz bassist for recordings and for concerts sponsored by the many active Florida jazz societies, as well as local clubs and private gigs with such luminaries as Eddie Higgins, Lonnie Smith, and Ira Sullivan.  While in Florida, he also became associated with Allan Vaché, a very fruitful musical relationship that has so far resulted in many recordings and concert situations, among them The Big Four, a drumless quartet featuring the music of Mugsy Spanier and Sidney Bechet.

Phil is highly respected both as a soloist and as an ensemble player.  Bob Wilber has called him the “most melodic bass soloist in jazz.” Dick Hyman has praised him for being able to play in the older styles like Milt Hinton and Bob Haggart, and Ray Brown’s comment is to the point:  “Phil knows his roots.” While certainly influenced by and a master proponent of the old school of jazz, his playing fits comfortably in the whole gamut of acoustic jazz, from early traditional to post-bop.

Tommy Flanagan, Phil Flanigan, James Martin

Phil has recorded for the Concord Jazz label over 20 times with various artists.  Recording as a free-lance bassist for other notable labels such as Arbors, Nagel-Heyer, Sunnyside, Atlantic and others has brought the total to over 90 releases to date.

In addition to his many performances, Phil has served as musical director of the South Florida Jazz and Swing Society and given bass clinics at universities.  He has written and arranged compositions for his own jazz groups and others, and has written string quintets, one of which was performed by the Miami Chamber Orchestra, and two others by graduate students at the North Carolina School of the Arts.

Phil Flanigan Discography

• Bob Wilber & The Scott Hamilton Quartet / Bob Wilber & The Scott Hamilton Quartet / Chiaroscuro 171 / 1977
• Scott Hamilton & Warren Vaché / With Scott’s Band in New York City / Concord 4070 / 1978
• Warren Vaché / Jillian / Concord 4087 / 1978
• Widespread Depression Jazz Orchestra / Downtown Uproar / Stash 203 / 1979
• Scott Hamilton & Warren Vache / Skyscrapers / Concord 4111 / 1979
• Scott Hamilton Quintet / Tenorshoes / Concord 4127 / 1979
• Concord Super Band / “Concord Superband II, Live in Tokyo” / Concord 4120 / 1979
• Concord Jazz All-Stars & Eiji Kitamura / Dear Friends / Concord/Toshiba 80180 / 1979
• Bob Wilber Sextet / Dizzyfingers / Bodeswell 101 / 1980
• Butch Miles Quintet / Tribute to Gene Krupa / Famous Door 142 / 1980
• Bob Wilber Sextet / Live at Bechet’s / Bodeswell 103 / 1981
• Scott Hamilton Quintet / Close Up / Concord 4197 / 1982
• Warren Vaché Trio / Midtown Jazz / Concord 4203 / 1982
• Scott Hamilton Quintet / The Second Set / Concord 4254 / 1983
• Ruby Braff / Mr. Braff to You/Phontastic PHON7568/1983
• Scott Hamilton Quintet / In Concert / Concord 4233 / 1983
• Rosemary Clooney Sextet / Sings the Music of Irving Berlin / Concord 4255 / 1984
• Maxine Sullivan Sextet / The Great Songs from The Cotton Club / Stash/Harbinger 244 / 1984
• Marty Grosz & Destiny’s Tots / Songs of Love and Other Matters / Statiras 8080 / 1985
• Ruby Braff & Scott Hamilton / A First / Concord 4274 / 1985
• Ruby Braff & Scott Hamilton / A Sailboat in the Moonlight / Concord 4296 / 1985
• Scott Hamilton Quintet / The Right Time / Concord 4311 / 1986
• Maxine Sullivan & The Scott Hamilton Quintet / Swingin’  Sweet / Concord 4351 / 1986
• Flip Phillips & Scott Hamilton / A Sound Investment / Concord 4334 / 1987
• Loren Schoenberg Orchestra & Quartet / That’s The Way It Goes / Aviva 6005 / 1987
• Loren Schoenberg Jazz Orchestra / Time Waits for No One / Musicmasters 50322C / 1987
• John Bunch Trio / The Best Thing For You / Concord 4328 / 1987
• Maxine Sullivan Sings the Music of Burton Lane / Lady’s In Love with You / Stash/Harbinger 257 / 1987
• Duke Robillard Quintet / Swing / Rounder 3103 / 1988
• Chris Flory Trio / For All We Know / Concord 4403 / 1988
• Maxine Sullivan Sextet / Sings the Music of Jule Styne* / Atlantic / 1988
• Kenny Davern Quartet / One Hour Tonight / Musicmasters 60148Y / 1988
• Kenny Davern Quartet / I’ll See You in My Dreams / Musicmasters 60212L / 1988
• Scott Hamilton Quintet / Plays Ballads / Concord 4386 / 1989
• Maxine Sullivan & The Scott Hamilton Quintet / Uptown* / Concord 4288 / 1990
• Lou Colombo Quintet / I Remember Bobby / Concord 4435 / 1990
• 1992 Stash Sampler / 1992 Stash Sampler / Stash 599 / 1992
• Concord Jazz Guitar Collection / Volume 3 / Concord 4507 / 1992
• Phil Flanigan Quartet / New York Toast / Philophile 7701 / 1994
• Per Lofgren Trio / So Nice / PER 0694 / 1994
• Eddie Higgins Quartet / Zoot’s Hymns / Sunnyside 1064 / 1994
• American Songbook Series / American Songbook Series: Jule Styne / Smithsonian RD04812 / 1994
• Betty Dickson Quartet / Stolen Goods / B&D 34943 / 1995
• Bob Wilber Sextet / Horns-A-Plenty / Arbors 19135 / 1995
• John Bunch & Phil Flanigan / Struttin’ / Arbors 19157 / 1995
• John Doughton Quartet / A Time For Love / Sunnyside 1073D / 1996
• Harry Allen Quartet / Live at Renouf’s / Master Mix 0117 / 1996
• Eric Allison Quintet / Mean Streets Beat / Contemporary 14080 / 1996
• Bob Wilber & Friends / What Swing is All About / Nagel-Heyer 035 / 1996
• Bob Wilber Big Band / Bufadora Blow-up/March of Jazz ’96 / Arbors 19187 / 1996
• Bob Wilber & The Wolverines Jazz Band / Live at Marianne’s Jazz Room / Switzerland / 1996
• Warren Vaché Trio / Live at the Vineyard / Challenge 70028 / 1996
• Irving Berlin / Irving Berlin Songbook / Concord 4513 / 1997
• Various Artists / Antonio Carlos Jobim Songbook / Concord 4521 / 1997
• Various Artists / Hoagy Carmichael Songbook / Concord 4515 / 1997
• Mark Shane & Terry Blaine / With Thee I Swing / Nagel-Heyer CD040 / 1997
• Gershwin Songbook / Gershwin Songbook / Concord 4519 / 1997
• Simon Salz Trio / Jump Right In / Refuge 1997 / 1997
• Rodgers & Hart / Rodgers & Hart Songbook / Concord 4514 / 1997
• Bob Wilber & Dick Hyman / A Perfect Match / Arbors ARCD 19193 / 1997
• Charles Cochran / Charles Cochran Meets Bill Mays/ Audiophile ACD-306 / 1998
• Hot Club USA / Django Lives / Koch Jazz KOC-CD 7878 / 1998
• Allan & Warren Vaché / Mrs. Vache’s Boys / Nagel-Heyer CD 050 / 1998
• Allan Vaché / Big Four Revisited / Nagel-Heyer CD 044 / 1998
• George Masso All-Stars / C’est Magnifique / Nagel-Heyer CD 060 / 1999
• Brian Ogilvy / For You / Arbors ARCD 19216 / 1999
• John Sheridan and his Dream Band / Dream Band, Make Me Dream Some More / Arbors ARCD 19215 / 1999
• Ralph Sutton / Johnny Varro / A Pair of Kings / Arbors ARCD 19245 / 2001
• Allan Vaché & Harry Allen / Allan and Allen / Nagel-Heyer CD 074 / 2001
• Ed Metz, Jr. / Tough Assignment / Nagel-Heyer CD 053 / 2001
• Hanna Richardson w/ the Phil Flanigan Sextet / Something to Remember You By/LA-LA LL5601/2001 (SAMMY winner)
• John Sheridan and his Dream Band / Get Rhythm in Your Feet/Arbors 19262/2002
• Various Artists / High Hopes: Tribute to Jimmy Van Heusen/SCF Records/2002
• Michiko Ogawa Trio / It’s All About Love/Arbors ARCD 19294/2003
• Allan Vaché / Big Four Strike Two/ Nagel-Heyer / 2003
• Allan Vaché and Friends / Ballads, Burners and Blues/Arbors ARCD 19288/2004
• Hanna Richardson and Phil Flanigan / Things Are Looking Up/ LA-LA LL5602 / 2004 (SAMMY winner)
• John Sheridan’s Dream Band/Easy As It Gets/Arbors 19309/2005
• Hanna Richardson and Phil Flanigan/Live at the Fleece/LA-LA LL5603/2006  (SAMMY winner)
• Bob Sneider, Mike Melito, Phil Flanigan/All Through the Night/Rochester International Jazz Festival/2006
• Bob Sneider & Joe Locke/Fallen Angel: Film Noir Project/Commission Project/2006
• Allan Vaché/With Benny in Mind/Arbors 19338/2006
• John Sheridan and his Dream Band/Swing is Still the King/Arbors 19339/2007
• The Ron Hockett Quintet/Finally Ron/Arbors 19360/2008
• Michiko Ogawa Trio/Together Again/Macby Records MCB-004/2008
• John Sheridan’s Dream Band/Hooray for Christmas!/Arbors 19397/2010