Phil Chen
Encyclopedia
Phil Chen is a well-known Chinese
-Jamaican
bassist. He was one of England's most utilized session bass
ists during the 1970s and 1980s, including being part of the Rod Stewart
band from 1977 to 1980, but is probably best known for his later work with Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger of The Doors
.
before relocating to England during the 1960s. Chen has worked with numerous nationally known musicians during his career since the 60s. He first joined Jimmy James and the Vagabonds before realizing that he could make much more money as a session musician. He went on to record with Jeff Beck
on his album Blow by Blow
, Donovan
on his album Cosmic Wheels
and Joan Armatrading
on her album Back to the Night. He also joined The Butts Band
led by Doors
members Robby Krieger
and John Densmore
and recorded their self titled debut
with them. He is also known for having been a member of Brian May
's Star Fleet Project
, along with Eddie Van Halen
, in 1983.
Other musicians Chen has performed and recorded with include Rod Stewart
, Pete Townshend
, Eric Clapton
, Ray Charles
, Desmond Dekker
, Jerry Lee Lewis
, Bob Marley
, Jimmy Cliff
and Jackson Browne
among others.
In 2004 he joined keyboardist Ray Manzarek
and guitarist Robby Krieger
(whom he had worked with in The Butts Band
) in their Doors reformation, Manzarek-Krieger
.
Chinese people
The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People with Han Chinese ethnicity ....
-Jamaican
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
bassist. He was one of England's most utilized session bass
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
ists during the 1970s and 1980s, including being part of the Rod Stewart
Rod Stewart
Roderick David "Rod" Stewart, CBE is a British singer-songwriter and musician, born and raised in North London, England and currently residing in Epping. He is of Scottish and English ancestry....
band from 1977 to 1980, but is probably best known for his later work with Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger of The Doors
The Doors
The Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, drummer John Densmore, and guitarist Robby Krieger...
.
Life and career
Phillip Chen was born and spent much of his early life in Kingston, JamaicaKingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...
before relocating to England during the 1960s. Chen has worked with numerous nationally known musicians during his career since the 60s. He first joined Jimmy James and the Vagabonds before realizing that he could make much more money as a session musician. He went on to record with Jeff Beck
Jeff Beck
Geoffrey Arnold "Jeff" Beck is an English rock guitarist. He is one of three noted guitarists to have played with The Yardbirds...
on his album Blow by Blow
Blow by Blow
Blow by Blow is the seventh album by British guitarist Jeff Beck, released on Epic Records in 1975, and recorded in October 1974. It is the first under his name alone...
, Donovan
Donovan
Donovan Donovan Donovan (born Donovan Philips Leitch (born 10 May 1946) is a Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist. Emerging from the British folk scene, he developed an eclectic and distinctive style that blended folk, jazz, pop, psychedelia, and world music...
on his album Cosmic Wheels
Cosmic Wheels
Cosmic Wheels is the tenth studio album, and eleventh album overall, from Scottish singer-songwriter Donovan. It was released in both the UK and the US in March 1973.- History :...
and Joan Armatrading
Joan Armatrading
Joan Anita Barbara Armatrading, MBE is a British singer, songwriter and guitarist. Armatrading is a three-time Grammy Award-nominee and has been nominated twice for BRIT Awards as Best Female Artist...
on her album Back to the Night. He also joined The Butts Band
The Butts Band
The Butts Band was a British and American group formed by ex-Doors members John Densmore and Robby Krieger that was active from 1973-1975.-History:The Butts Band came about as a consequence of The Doors trying to find a replacement for Jim Morrison...
led by Doors
The Doors
The Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, drummer John Densmore, and guitarist Robby Krieger...
members Robby Krieger
Robby Krieger
Robert Alan "Robby" Krieger is an American rock guitarist and songwriter. He was the guitarist in The Doors, and wrote some of the band's best known songs, including "Light My Fire," "Love Me Two Times," "Touch Me," and "Love Her Madly."...
and John Densmore
John Densmore
John Paul Densmore is an American musician and songwriter. He is best known as the drummer of the rock group The Doors.-Early life and The Doors:Born in Los Angeles, Densmore attended Santa Monica City College and Cal...
and recorded their self titled debut
The Butts Band (album)
- Track listing :#"I Won't Be Alone Anymore" #"Baja Bus" #"Sweet Danger" #"Pop-A-Top" #"Be With Me" #"New Ways" #"Love Your Brother"...
with them. He is also known for having been a member of Brian May
Brian May
Brian Harold May, CBE is an English musician and astrophysicist most widely known as the guitarist and a songwriter of the rock band Queen...
's Star Fleet Project
Star Fleet Project
Star Fleet Project is a project of Brian May, most famous as the guitarist from Queen, which resulted in an album with the same name. The project was released as the work of "Brian May + Friends", consisting of May, guitarist Eddie Van Halen, drummer Alan Gratzer , Phil Chen , and Fred Mandel Star...
, along with Eddie Van Halen
Eddie Van Halen
Edward Lodewijk "Eddie" Van Halen is a Dutch-American guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter and producer, best known as the lead guitarist and co-founder of the hard rock band Van Halen, inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame...
, in 1983.
Other musicians Chen has performed and recorded with include Rod Stewart
Rod Stewart
Roderick David "Rod" Stewart, CBE is a British singer-songwriter and musician, born and raised in North London, England and currently residing in Epping. He is of Scottish and English ancestry....
, Pete Townshend
Pete Townshend
Peter Dennis Blandford "Pete" Townshend is an English rock guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and author, known principally as the guitarist and songwriter for the rock group The Who, as well as for his own solo career...
, Eric Clapton
Eric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE, is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. Clapton is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: once as a solo artist, and separately as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream. Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and...
, Ray Charles
Ray Charles
Ray Charles Robinson , known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records...
, Desmond Dekker
Desmond Dekker
Desmond Dekker was a Jamaican ska, rocksteady and reggae singer-songwriter and musician. Together with his backing group, The Aces , he had one of the first international Jamaican hits with "Israelites". Other hits include "007 " and "It Miek"...
, Jerry Lee Lewis
Jerry Lee Lewis
Jerry Lee Lewis is an American rock and roll and country music singer-songwriter and pianist. An early pioneer of rock and roll music, Lewis's career faltered after he married his young cousin, and he afterwards made a career extension to country and western music. He is known by the nickname 'The...
, Bob Marley
Bob Marley
Robert Nesta "Bob" Marley, OM was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician. He was the rhythm guitarist and lead singer for the ska, rocksteady and reggae band Bob Marley & The Wailers...
, Jimmy Cliff
Jimmy Cliff
Jimmy Cliff, OM is a Jamaican musician, singer and actor. He is the only currently living musician to hold the Order of Merit, the highest honour that can be granted by the Jamaican government for achievement in the arts and sciences...
and Jackson Browne
Jackson Browne
Jackson Browne is an American singer-songwriter and musician who has sold over 17 million albums in the United States alone....
among others.
In 2004 he joined keyboardist Ray Manzarek
Ray Manzarek
Raymond Daniel Manzarek, Jr., better known as Ray Manzarek , is an American musician, singer, producer, film director, writer, co-founder and keyboardist of The Doors from 1965 to 1973, Nite City from 1977–1978 and Manzarek-Krieger since 2001.Manzarek is listed #4 on Digital Dreamdoor's "100...
and guitarist Robby Krieger
Robby Krieger
Robert Alan "Robby" Krieger is an American rock guitarist and songwriter. He was the guitarist in The Doors, and wrote some of the band's best known songs, including "Light My Fire," "Love Me Two Times," "Touch Me," and "Love Her Madly."...
(whom he had worked with in The Butts Band
The Butts Band
The Butts Band was a British and American group formed by ex-Doors members John Densmore and Robby Krieger that was active from 1973-1975.-History:The Butts Band came about as a consequence of The Doors trying to find a replacement for Jim Morrison...
) in their Doors reformation, Manzarek-Krieger
Manzarek-Krieger
Manzarek–Krieger is an American rock band formed by Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger of The Doors in 2002. They have also been known as The Doors of the 21st Century, D21C, and Riders on the Storm, but have recently been using the moniker Manzarek–Krieger or Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger of The...
.