University of Iowa Professor Damani Phillips has released a new CD, Duality (Dazzle Recordings).
From the Dazzle Recordings website:
"Duality is Damani Phillips’ fourth album as a leader and his first on Dazzle Recordings. This project is a double album containing one disc of varying flavors of traditional jazz and a second disc of jazz placed on equal footing with hip hop music. The project seeks to attract younger and less experienced listeners with the familiar sounds and grooves on the hip hop disc while pairing that music with an album of quality straight-ahead jazz. Comprised of a mixture of original compositions, arrangements, infrequently played jazz covers and hip hop songs (in both live band and track format), Duality contains something relevant to all listeners."
Phillips is an assistant professor in the School of Music and the African American Studies Program, both part of the UI College of Liberal Arts & Sciences. He teaches courses in jazz history, jazz theory and improvisation, and African American music. He has taught and performed throughout the United States, England, and Japan.