About Phil French
Phil’s lifelong passion for music started at the age of 10, which is when he began formal saxophone training in the Maryland public school system. He honed skills while playing at Shiloh Church of God 7th Day in Hyattsville, Maryland. As a youth, Phil continued to play his saxophone in both Christian and secular arenas. Phil has had the experience of performing with many talented individuals including: the late Grover Washington Jr., the late Stanley Turrentine, Pieces of a Dream, Marion Meadows, Norman Connors, Brian McKnight, the late Ollie Woodson formerly of the Temptations, the Clark Sisters, The Winans, Fred Hammond, and Richard Smallwood. He’s also recorded on albums with Ben Tankard, Alvin Nesbitt, and Amos Davis. For four years Phil was a band member and music director for the Grammy Award winner Yolanda Adams. While playing with Yolanda, he also had the opportunity to record on her cd entitled, “More Than a Melody.” During this same time, Phil was also a band member of the legendary Jean Carne. It was during experience with Jean Carne that Phil was encouraged to fully develop and polish his stage presence and perfect his circular breathing technique.
Phil performs for all types of events from weddings to conferences, festivals, jazz restaurants to churches.
Phil truly believes that music is for everyone. Phil’s call and desire is to use the gifts that God has given him in music as a language to cross all barriers including but not limited to race, denomination, religion and color. Most of all, Phil simply wants to bring God glory. Phil truly realizes that all gifts come from God and that we must honor Him through our gifts.
Phil French Is a True Force to be Reckoned With
As a multi-threat talent he is trailblazing the music world of Gospel and Jazz with momentous success. As a gifted saxophonist, producer, songwriter, arranger, recording artist, and engineer, Phil French has laid a firm foundation with an impressive discography and a virtual “who’s who” of musical industry giants with whom he has performed and ministered. Household names such as The Winans, The Clark Sisters, Fred Hammond, Richard Smallwood, Kim Burrell, Yolanda Adams, Jean Carne, Stanley Turrentine, Grover Washington, Jr., Norman Connors, Ramsey Lewis, Najee and a host of others have been touched by his talents. What he’s been blessed to accomplish to date has prepared him for his next assignment. Taking everything and everyone to the next level, he has teamed up with his long-time friend, musician, writer, recording artist, and producer in his own right, Terrence Richburg, to bring to fruition his new, game-changing CD release on the RichEscape Music label, Everlasting.
Phil's Lifelong Passion for Music Started at the Age of 10
All it took was one look at the saxophone, and he knew he needed to try it out. “At school, you had to be in 5th grade in order to play the saxophone, but at the time, I was in 4th grade,” Phil recalls. “People tried to encourage me to play something else in the meantime, but I waited. There was something about the saxophone that drew me in, even before I picked it up to play it for the first time,” he says.
Musical Training
Once he was old enough, he started his formal musical training in the Maryland public school system including Thomas Stone Elementary School in Mt. Rainier, Roger B. Taney, Jr. Junior High School in Temple Hills and Crossland High School, also in Temple Hills. However, Phil French really honed skills while playing at Shiloh Church of God 7th Day located in Hyattsville, Maryland.
Phil as a Youth
As a youth, Phil continued to play his saxophone in both Christian and secular arenas. Mentors like Alvin Nesbitt, a gospel harmonica player, Pastor Jonathan Carson, a skilled organist and fellow sax man, and jazz icon, the late Grover Washington, Jr., all poured into Phil. He cites their influences in helping to make him the gifted saxophonist he is today.
Phil's Development
Throughout his development he has been afforded the opportunity to perform, minister, and share the stage with a variety of locally, nationally, and internationally acclaimed musicians and artists including Pieces of a Dream, Marion Meadows, Brian McKnight, the late Ollie Woodson formerly of the Temptations, Marvin Sapp, William Becton & Friends, Maurette Brown Clark, and a host of others.
Phil's Pivotal Musical Endeavor
Perhaps one of French’s most pivotal musical endeavors was serving as a band member and the Music Director for the GRAMMY Award winner Yolanda Adams for over four years. While playing with Yolanda, he also had the opportunity to record on her album More Than a Melody. During the same time, Phil was also a band member of the legendary Jean Carne. His experiences with Yolanda Adams and Jean Carne have helped him to polish his stage presence and perfect his amazing, jaw dropping circular breathing technique. Phil has also performed and recorded on sessions with the award winning Ben Tankard.
Now in Dallas, Texas
Now a Dallas, Texas resident, and a member of the renowned Potter’s House where Bishop T.D. Jakes is pastor, French has become one of the most sought after inspirational jazz instrumentalist. Performing all over the country for all types of events including jazz, Gospel and cultural festivals, conferences and convocations, jazz venues and restaurants, as well as Saturday and Sunday morning church services, Phil truly believes that music is for everyone. His call and desire is to use the gifts that God has given him in music as a language to cross all barriers including but not limited to race, denomination, religion and color. A favorite with Gospel music lovers and jazz fans alike, Phil has an uncanny ability to move each heart as he plays. Most of all, Phil simply wants to bring God glory.
Phil as a Recording Artist
In his role as recording artist, French has released 9 projects to date on his FrenchySoundz Music label: Been So Good! (2000), Royal Love Songs (2002), Songs to Hymn (2007), Beyond This World (2008), Songs for His Season (2009) and The Alpha Experience (2013), My Favorites (2017), I'm Just a Church Boyee (2019) and No Looking Back (2023). In 2014, he collaborated with Terrence Richburg signing with Richburg’s Stellar Award-nominated record label, RichEscape Music. French released of his 7th CD entitled, Everlasting (2015)
NEW PROJECT
Phil's latest project, NO LOOKING BACK, is a culmination of sorts, as well as a new beginning. It's a sonic reflection of how far God has brought him and where He's taking him.
The true power of this calling on Phil’s life journey defined itself, to the fullest,at the end of a Wednesday Night Bible Study. HERE'S A TESTIMONY THAT CONTINUES TO DRIVES PHIL TO CONTINUE MAKING SOULFUL JAZZ.
--at the end of a Wednesday Night Bible Study. I remember a young man apprehensively approaching me. This man wanting to speak with me, released to me SAYING, “I have one of your CDs and there's one song that I keep playing OVER AND OVER AGAIN, There is something about that song entitled, I NEED YOU. As a young father of two, I did bad things, that I no longer do, after hearing & listening to your music. You see, I used to abuse my wife. That song brought ME GODLY deliverance. The Lord freed and released me SUDDENLY of that foul spirit. I'M A NEW MAN BECAUSE OF YOU AND YOUR MUSIC MINISTRY!!!”
"Memorializing this one conversation constantly lets me know that I can't EVER stop creating music. That’s what it’s all about.”