It's
easy to be familiar with Phil Kenzie's superb
sax work. Just recall the soaring solos on Al
Stewart's "Year of the Cat" or "Time Passages"
still enjoying favored airplay almost twenty years
after its initial release, or the punchy brass
intro to "Jet" by Paul McCartney,
or the inspired solo on "The Long Run"
from "The Eagles Live" album. In fact,
this gifted sax player/arranger has lent his masterful
touch to hits by everyone from Rod Stewart
to Jackson Browne...Stevie Nicks and Roseanne
Cash to David Bowie, and in the process
amassed some nineteen gold and platinum albums!
Now based in the United States, Phil is
originally from the Liverpool area and in his
first band, The Pressmen, he played many
of the clubs made legendary by The Beatles,
even occasionally sharing billing with the "Fab
Four", including The Cavern and Hamburg's
famous Star Club. So it was totally appropriate
that he should later play on the most classic
swan song of the century, "Let It Be".
This connection continued as later Phil
worked on recordings for Apple Records,
most notably John and Yoko's Plastic Ono Band
at Lennon's home in Ascot and all the horn section
work and solos on George Harrison's "All Things
Must Pass". Through these sessions, Phil
also worked with such notable stars as Eric
Clapton, Steven Stills, Peter Frampton, Delaney
& Bonnie, Leon Russell, Doris Troy, and Billy
Preston.
As
a sought after session man, Phil was doing
gigs around London with Manfred Mann's "Chapter
Three", arranging and performing shows for
Jack Good's psychedelic update of Othello entitled
"Catch My Soul", finding time to appear
on Paul McCartney's "Band On The Run" album
and to be heavily involved in the hit cult classic
"The Rocky Horror Picture Show", playing
and recording both the show and the movie; supplying
the screaming rock sax for Meatloaf's portrayal
of "Eddie". During this time Phil also
worked with Alan Parsons, David Essex, Joan
Armatrading, Ian Gilliam, Alex Harvey, Leo Sayer,
Black Sabbath, |
Steve
Harley, Marc Bolan, Wishbone Ash, Annie Lennox,
David Bowie, The
Coasters, The Temptations, Arthur Connolly,
Mick Ronson, Ian Hunter and Roger Daltry,
appearing on his "Ride a Rock Horse"
album and on both David Bowie's "Diamond
Dogs" album and his widely inventive television
special "The 1980 Floor Show".
At
this point Phil was asked by Alan Parsons
to record what would become a legendary hit.."Year
of The Cat" by Al Stewart. In the
subsequent tour of America and another hit for
Al, "Time Passages", he caught the attention
of Rod Stewart and was asked to join
his band, recording with Rod what would turn
out to be his biggest album to date, "Blondes
Have More Fun". Phil would ultimately
appear on five albums for Rod including "Footloose
and Fancy Free", "Foolish Behavior", "Rod Stewart
Live" and "Greatest Hits".
At
this point Phil was asked by Alan
Parsons to record what would become a legendary
hit.."Year of The Cat" by Al Stewart.
In the subsequent tour of America and another
hit for Al, "Time Passages", he caught
the attention of Rod Stewart and was
asked to join his band, recording with Rod what
would turn out to be his biggest album to date,
"Blondes Have More Fun". Phil
would ultimately appear on five albums for Rod
including "Footloose and Fancy Free", "Foolish
Behavior", "Rod Stewart Live" and "Greatest
Hits".
After
deciding to live in America,
Phil worked with The Eagles, Rod
Stewart, Graham Nash, David Crosby, Rodney Crowell,
Roseanne Cash, Vince Gill, Stevie Nicks, Jackson
Browne, Karla Bonoff, Boy George, Carly Simon,
Randy Meisner, Steven Stills, Poco, The Pointer
Sisters, Kenny Loggins, Tom Petty, Ronnie Spector
and Debbie Gibson.Having
become a highly valued musician by some of the
biggest stars on either side of the Atlantic
Ocean, some players might be content to sit
back. Not Phil Kenzie. While maintaining
a busy schedule of film, TV and recording dates,
he has expanded his activities into songwriting
and the production of his first album, "Unsafe
Sax". Given his past record, you know
this one is well worth the wait.
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