ARTIST LINEUP
Most artists who put a “Doc” in their name do it out of cleverness, for marketing reasons, or as a crafty way to express their mastery of their instrument or vibe. Since the release of his 2003 debut Saxappeal, Phillip “Doc” Martin has all that down pat, wowing audiences everywhere from Blues Alley in D.C. to the St. Lucia Jazz Festival and the Catalina Island JazzTrax Festival and earning inspiring amounts of airplay (including on XM Watercolors and The Weather Channel) for tracks like “Deep Pockets” and the title track from his 2009 set Realization. His latest Next Paradigm Records Self-Titled release, Phillip Doc Martin further establishes this powerful expertise via his dynamic flow and tight, funky old school driven alto vibe.
While many independent artists with cool, successful “day jobs” prefer to avoid references to them when they talk about their music, Martin is the complete opposite, fully embracing the inspirational factor of being a top notch practitioner in two very different professions. Beyond his ever-expanding musical fan base, hundreds of patients in the Washington DC area know him as “Dr. Martin,” a board certified dentist at his own practice Quality Dental of Bowie.
As Martin continued to hone his skills, he became influenced by influential sax players from across the traditional and smooth spectrum, including Charlie Parker, Everette Harp, Grover Washington Jr., Dave Koz and Gerald Albright. His appeal as a live performer has secured him shows at prominent venues like Ram’s Head Tavern in Annapolis, Maryland, Philadelphia’s Dell East and SoCal’s Spaghettini, in addition to appearances at the Bahamas Jazz Festival, Carolina Music Festival, Trenton Jazz Festival and Berks Jazz Fest.
“The truth is, as frustrating as things became for me as a musician over the years, I couldn’t put the sax down,” he says. “My first love was always playing the sax, and I continue to strive to be the best sounding alto player you’ve ever heard. I wanted to quit man times, but playing brings me so much joy, and I’m so glad I made the decision to continue. If it’s unheard of that a saxophone artist also wants to be the best dentist you’ve ever gone to, that’s a testament to the hard work I have put in so that I may enjoy these two amazing careers. In both worlds, success comes from working with incredible, dedicated people and developing inspiring, enduring relationships.”
Lead bassist Phylicia Rae is a rising star in the smooth jazz genre who is stepping out in full force. She has been greatly influenced by the late great Wayman Tisdale and Julian Vaughn. Born and raised in Rochester, New York.
Phylicia Rae developed a love for music at an early age. She became a prominent figure in the music scene in Rochester, NY playing for different bands in the city. Her first single as a solo artist “Just Like That” was released in September 2020, followed by her national debut with her second single “Told You So”. Which received steady airplay on national radio stations as well as internet radio across the country.
In 2021 Phylicia Rae joined as the newest member of the group Jazz In Pink headed by Gail Johnson. Since then she has shared the stage with many amazing artists in the smooth jazz genre such as Kim Scott and Jacob Webb. Phylicia’s latest single “That’s It” ferociously climbed the billboard smooth jazz national airplay charts hitting an impressive #33.
Today, Phylicia Rae co-owns the series “Next Paradigm Live” which has become a major stop for smooth jazz national acts. Playing bass, session work, booking artist, graphic designing is just few of Phylicia’s talents as she continues to push the envelope of what a true independent artist of this new generation can achieve.