Rosemary Phillips has performed in Russia, and the Quebec Jazz festivals Jazz Divas at which Dianne Reeves was also featured. She performed at the Mustique and Bequia Jazz and Blues Festival, the Music Village in Brussels 2004 with Charles Loos ( prized for being the best Musician of Francophone Belgium and has performed with Chet Baker and Toots Thielman, touring all the Jazz festivals worldwide- Israel, America- with over 27 albums).
The BBC world television are featuring her in May 2006 for a program entitled
"Destination Music" where they filmed her performing at the Holetown Festival
as well as at the Royal Pavilion Hotel and interviewed her in Barbados. Rosemary
performed as the opening act for Bryan Adams 2003,along with Broadway singer
Alex Santoriello,
she also performed at the Holders Season- at which
Pavarotti, Tim Rice, Jacques Loussier have also performed-singing there in
2002 as the featured Jazz singer and in 2004s Gala finale night. She has Recorded
tracks on album with the London Symphony Orchestra, from which a single was
released and also released a Jazz album Jazz à la Rosemary.
She also performed during Jazz Festival seasons Paint it Jazz & with Trinidadian Band Kaiso Fusion with Michael Boothman.
Rosemary is the recipient of the Irving Burgie (songwriter for Harry Belafonte)
award for excellence in the performing arts, has been offered original
material
from Frances legendary songwriter for Edith Piaf (Charles Dumont) who
wrote the famous "Non Je ne Regrette Rien" which sold millions
of copies worldwide and which was translated in English: "No Regrets." Edith
Piaf is perhaps equivalent to the Ella Fitzgerald of the French speaking world.
Charles Dumont who wrote for her gave Rosemary a song never before released
entitled "L‚amour Comme Ça" which is also the title
of her album.
This new Album, was recorded at the WAZIF Studio in Belgium with internationally
acclaimed Music Director and pianist Charles Loos along with
Jan de Haas on drums and percussion, as well as Bart de Nolf on Bass.
These musicians tour worldwide and are well respected in Europe, with albums
of their own. The album was mixed in Barbados by Anthony Lowhar, CMI studio.
Another song on the album entitled "Circus Lane" was written by Matthieu Bioul
who was the winner to the equivalent of American Idol in Belgium
and whose label is with Sony France!
This exciting new album released in December with a big launch in 2006 include
originals which Rosemary wrote lyrics and music for, arranged by Charles Loos.
These songs are "When my man can't decide" and "I don't
like that" and a poem she wrote in Spanish called "un Río". She
received an original entitled "Advantage" from Barbados' acclaimed musician
and songwriter Anthony "Gabby" Carter whorecords on Eddie Grant's
Ice label. On the album she also through her Master's
research on Josephine Baker, decided to sing two Josephine Baker Songs: "J‚ai
Deux Amours" and
"C'est Lui" sung in a beautifully refreshing way!
Rosemary has immortalised a Harrison College school song her father wrote which
the school didn't accept as it was 'too jazzy' called 'In
Deo Fides" (In God we trust) which is the school's motto.
The music and lyrics were written by John Phillips and it was arranged by
Charles Loos.
She includes jazz standards such as "Paper Moon", "Stormy
Weather" as well as "How Deep is the Ocean".
Rosemary pulls from a wide repertoire singing not only Barbadian Folk, jazz
standards, French Songs, and even Russian for a song her Grandfather
used to sing, but she also sings in Spanish and recorded a song called "Alfonsina
y el Mar" made popular by Argentine singer Mercedez Sosa, whom she
met in Belgium.
Rosemary has performed with guitarist Michael Sealy who has backed
stars such as Sarah Vaughn, as well as with Flautist Hal Archer who has
performed at the prestigious Carnegie Hall and also on Broadway. She
has performed
with Grammy award Winner for Steel Pulse, Jimmy Haynes who has toured with
Brazil's
acclaimed Gilberto Gill, and he has also recorded on Bob Marley's "Natty
Dreads" album. Rosemary Phillips and Jimmy Haynes performed together
as a special guest at the British High Commissioner's private residence
as well as in front of thousands of onlookers for the Independence Festival
in Hero's Square and also at her album launch at the prestigious Frank
Collymore Hall in front of over five hundred persons where she received
a standing ovation for her performance which also invited Anthony Gabby
Carter,
Michael
Boothman from Trinidad, Cuban musicians, and Charles Loos from Belgium.
Rosemary Phillips' motto is to embrace all cultures and hence she tries
to sing in as many languages as she can
Rosemary is a combination of races and cultures and feels that she will
not only hold the Barbados flag high and proud, but she also feels a need
to
connect to the world Her father is Barbadian, and her mother was born in
Scotland, and grew up in England, with her mother's parents having English,
Polish, German
and
Russian roots. Rosemary lived in Strasbourg and Vichy for two years between
these two regions of France and 4 years in Belgium where she began her first
recordings, although her purpose was to study Psychology in French. While
living in Europe
she experimented with various forms of music including Celtic folk, Classical
singing in the Strasbourg University Choir, as well as gospel in a gospel
group directed by American singer Gyles Waddy. She has worked closely with
French
Classical Composer Saint-Preux and through this connection she recorded
3 tracks on an album with the London Symphony Orchestra.
Rosemary is currently finishing her final thesis paper in Post Colonial
Theory at the University of the West Indies, supervised by Dr. Carl Wade,
who specialises
in African American literature; is currently writing a paper on Josephine
Baker's lyrics and life in the socio-historical context of the times,
which she plans
to publish. Interestingly enough, the owners of the Josephine Baker Castle
contacted Rosemary Phillips to be present and to sing at the Castle, Josephine
Baker's former
home. Baker's Castle was home for her, her husband and her 12
adopted Children of different races and nationalities, intended to prove
to the world that people
of different races could live in harmony. The Josephine Baker Castle
and Museum have asked Rosemary to perform for her 100th anniversary in
June
2006 !
"Rosemary has a magnificent and beautiful voice"
Charles Dumont
(songwriter for Edith Piaf (2004 Paris, France)