Phillip Charles has been involved with the music industry for many years. As a musician, engineer, producer and DJ, this Philadelphia native is a one-man tour-de-force. Throughout his developing career, he has honed his flawless ear and abilities with some of the most prolific characters in the electronic and nu-jazz movement. His production career jumped off in 1991 while working with artist Sagat on Maxi Records projects. After switching coasts in 1992, he found himself in San Diego sharing a house and musical endeavors with Greyboy All-Stars Steve Haney and Zack Najor.
Throughout his four-year stay on the Left Coast, he also collaborated with hip-hop pioneers Souls of Mischief. Phillip returned to Philly in 1996 and immediately delved into the studio with engineer John Wicks on the Women of Color project. In this same year, King Britt's groundbreaking Sylk130 project released When the Funk Hits the Fan (Ovum/Sony Records). Phillip's remix of the single Seasons Change became an instant deep house dance classic. This is just the foundation of a rich musical friendship between these two experimental craftsmen. The next collaboration between King and Phillip appeared on the 1998 remix compilation paying homage to Miles Davis's legend with their explorative remix of Sea for Miles (Columbia/Sony Records). Again in 1998, they matched minds in the studio and created the Platinum selling remix of Macy Gray's Do Something (Epic Records). Phillip's collaborative efforts have also matched him with Tek 9, a project that included Digable Planets Ishmael Butterfly Butler and Dego Macfarland of 4hero. He also worked diligently with Philadelphia poetess Ursula Rucker.
His production efforts, as well as his role as bassist, on her 2001 IK7! release Supa Sista proved his versatile musical talents both in and out of the studio. His love affair with music extends beyond the realm of new jazz, deep house and soul.
Phillip also pursues a fervent obsession with tech-house and has released work on highly respected labels such as Bedrock, Yoshitoshi, Renaissance, Fabric, Ovum, and Sony. As part of the venerable Tigerhook crew, and co-conspirator of Dot Matrix, a slew of memorable dance floor classics were conceived.Over the past decade, top jocks have charted and played many works stemming from Retrofonixlabs, Charles studio based in Philadelphia.
Recently, Charles has been back at work with old cohort King Britt. In 2007, Charles remixed Lyfe Jennings Let’s Stay Together from the ground-breaking R&B album The Phoenix. In 2008 Britt and Charles also commissioned dance remixes for David Geffen on Solange Knowles’ 2008 breakout single I Decided, which is currently at the number one position on Billboard’s Breakout Dance Charts. Set for release in late 08 or early 09 is a full length experimental fusion album Blueprintz, on Britt’s highly anticipated Five Six Media Recordings. In Blueprintz, Charles employs a few of Philly’s finest musicians to make a masterful blast-from-the-past re-interpolation of styles ranging from Herbie Hancock’s Sextant album to Twin Peakish idioms and various ambient excursions.
Currently, Charles has paired up with world renowned house producer John Creamer working on various remixes and original works. Their first collaboration is a brilliant re-work of Cuban artist Carlos Valera’s Una Palabra, which gained notoriety when featured on the Man on Fire soundtrack. Featuring prominent Philly jazz guitarist Tim Motzer, Una Palabra has been praised by jocks including Dj Chus and Hernan Cattaneo. Current projects also include pairings with house legend Nadia Ali on a new track entitled C’est La Vie as well as a classic remake of Chris Isaacs Wicked Game. Creamer and Charles plan to release an album showcasing their creative fusion later this year.
