Smooth R&B, old school flavor, and instrumentals with feeling, deep passion, and emotion.

12 MP3 Songs
URBAN/R&B: R&B Pop Crossover, URBAN/R&B: Contemporary urban



Details:
Born and raised to make music, Phillip Jay has been making music over 19 years of his 23 year old life. This humble, self taught musician, singer, songwriter, and producer plays the keys, bass, trumpet, and drums. In fact every instrument, and vocal (other than rap) on this release was written, performed, and produced by Mr. Phillip Jay.
This collection of his latest writings will certainly "wow" you and leave you wanting more as you listen to it.
Learn more about Phillip Jay in portions of an interview below, and check out sound clips from "The personalities Of Phillip Jay" to the left of your page.


Q and A
about Phillip Jay

Q How did you come up with the name Phillip Jay?

A I didnât. Thatâs the name I was given by my mother. Iâm named after my father, so to distinguish between us, she calls me Phillip Jay (my first and middle name).

Q Iâve got to ask you, Whatâs with the big apple caps? I see you wear them a lot.

A Well, Iâve liked these hats since I was a kid, but theyâve been out of style for so long, I couldnât find them anywhere. But now, I know a place I can get them, so I get them. Plus Donny Hathaway used to wear them all the time, and I listen to a lot of Donny.

Q How old are you man? Not too many young people listen to Donny Hathaway.

A Yeah I know. Iâm 23. Thereâs just so much encouragement in his music and he was very versatile as a song writer and musician. Actually, I listen to more old school than newer music.

Q Where did your musical roots begin, and how did they progress?

A Wow! I guess when I was a little kid, about 4. I remember we used to have this piano in our house that belonged to my grandmother. I would play on it and teach myself songs. I couldnât read music yet (or anything else), but without knowing what the notes were, or any chord progressions, I would use my ears to play. I still do, much of the time, even though now I know much more about whatâs actually going on musically. In grade school I started playing the trumpet. When I was 11 or 12 or so, I started playing the drums and joined the band at my church. Then sometime around my last few years in high school, I got a little more serious about the keys (I think because of a girl I was dating). I began watching some of the best keyboard players and organists in Toledo and learned quite a bit from them. Just by watching and listening. Then I started playing the bass guitar. Few people would take time to show me stuff, but I was determined, and I still am, to figure out more. And as I learn more, I'll show others more. Growing up playing and singing in Church made me what I am today. Right now, I play all over town.

Q Why did you call this release âThe personalities of Phillip Jayâ?

A Well, a lot of people say that I like to do a lot of different styles of music, and that I should make up my mind which one I want to do. Someone even told me once that I sound like I have multiple personalities. I disagree. Iâm just a musician and a writer. I donât like to lock myself in a box of R&B, or Jazz, or whatever. So to kind of explain, Iâm just saying to all those people that I have multiple personalities. Iâm not crazy or anything like that. I just love music, and I refuse to limit myself. Also the title kind of fit with a poem thatâs on the record that deals with how I was feeling at the time I wrote itâ¦depressed. You knowâ¦the troubles of the worldâ¦..

Q In your opinion who are the best 5 song writers ? Living or deceased.

A There are so many I love to hear from, but I guess at the top of my list Iâd put King David, The Psalmist, Donny Hathaway, Marvin Winans, Stevie Wonder, and R. Kelly. He is an awesome song writer in spite of his legal troubles. You canât deny thatâ¦. I could go on. Tupac Shakur, Toledoâs own Lyfe, Curtis Mayfield, Marvin Gaye. Thereâs just so many.

Q Where would you put yourself on that list?

A Well, Iâd like for my listeners to decide that.

Q What are your favorite 5 songs?

A Number one is definitely âSomeday Weâll All Be Freeâ by Donny Hathaway. Then there is a praise song we sing in church called âMore Than Anythingâ by Lamar Campbell. Number three would be âThe Miseducation of Lauryn Hillâ. Even though she wrote that about her experiences, that song encourages me. Next would be âA Friendâ by The Winansâ¦. What is that, 4? Then Tupac Shakurâs âKeep Ya Head Upâ, and on that song he sampled another song I love. âOooh Childâ by The 5 Stair steps. Again the list is so long, I could just go on, and on.

Q What was your favorite song on this release?

A Itâs got to be âSearch No Moreâ. I remember when I wrote that. I was at Walbridge Park right here in Toledo. Thoughts just started coming to me, and I started writing them on the back of a c.d. envelope. I think God took the pen on that one. Itâs just so much encouragement in it. Yo, it encourages me.

Q Is Walbridge Park where you write most or all of your songs?

A Itâs not the only place, but I have written quite a few songs there. I write everywhere. Iâll be in a meeting or working or something and thoughts will just come to me in the form of poems. Then, when Iâm at an instrument, Iâll turn them into songs. Iâve even been riding down the street when thoughts came to me. But there is something unique about Walbridge park though. I guess every writer has their favorite spot.

Q What inspires your writing the most?

A Simply, life. Most of the lyrics in every song on my c.d. were inspired by something Iâve dealt with, someone Iâve met, or the mood I was in. With the exception of âI Canât Take It No Moreâ. That song, right now is just a fantasy. Itâs something Iâve felt like doing at times, and Iâm sure every body who works a 9 to 5 feels the same way at some point. Plus I wanted to let every body know that I can make beats also, even though Iâd rather just play.

Q I heard that you donât like a lot of the mainstream music that is out today. Why is that?

A Well not that I canât stand it or nothing like that, but I donât think that there are enough original songs in popular music right now. Thereâs a little too much sampling going on. Also recycled beats. Which leads me to my next point. There arenât enough real musicians either. It seems a lot easier to put a couple of notes together and call it a song, than to put chord progressions together, and use real instruments, and have everything âgelâ on a recording. Not that I donât like beats, I just think that musicians should be versatile. Also, the lyrics in most mainstream music today have no depth. Iâm tired of hearing about peopleâs rims and stuff, or songs about fighting, killing, and shaking booties. A real song has meaning to it, and most will encourage someone through it. I sound like Iâm preaching, but thatâs how I feel. Donât get me wrong, there are a lot of people who are real song writers and performers today. Radio and TV donât usually like our messages that much though, and all over people are being brainwashed because of it.

Q Who do you want to be like the most, and why?

A Well, the person I want to be like the most is Jesus Christ, because He lived a perfect life. I think we all should want to be like Him. As far as music goes.... there's these two cats around town named Chuck Walker and Anthony Haynes I'd like to make music like. Also they're so humble, they'll show you anything. Oh yeah and of course Donny Hathaway. Also, Iâve always looked up to my dad, and have always tried to imitate him.