Damani Phillips is a native of Pontiac, Michigan, and currently serves as Associate Professor of Jazz and African-American Studies at the University of Iowa. Phillips has earned Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from DePaul University and the University of Kentucky in classical saxophone, a second Master of Music degree in Jazz Studies from Wayne State University and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Jazz Studies at the University of Colorado Boulder. An active performer, teacher and lecturer, Phillips has taught and performed throughout the world. He previously served on the faculty of Grinnell College and is actively sought as a guest artist, clinician and adjudicator throughout the country. Phillips has performed with artists/groups such as Lewis Nash, Christian McBride, Wycliffe Gordon, Bobby McFerrin, Marcus Belgrave, Terell Stafford, Hank Jones, Red Holloway and Pat Bianchi, among many others. He has released four albums as a leader: Yaktown Nights (2003), The String Theory (2010), The Reckoning (2012) and Duality (2015).
