Numinous is an unique orchestra of some of New York City’s finest jazz and classical musicians, performing the music of Joseph C. Phillips Jr..
Numinous features strings, various percussion, piano, bass, woodwind and brass instruments in a grouping some have called a 'chamber jazz orchestra'.
Incorporating improvisation and formal composition, Joe conducts the 14 member ensemble which performs throughout New York City music venues and clubs. Influenced by contemporary 'classical' composers as well as by jazz, rock, pop, and film composers, Joe naturally fuses these styles into an exciting soundscape and a singularly unique and interesting musical vision.
One of Joe's goals as a composer can be summed up by a quote from John Coltrane. In the liner notes to Coltrane's Sound, Coltrane says, "the main thing a musician would like to do is give a picture to the listener of the many wonderful things he knows of and senses in the universe." This great quote is a reminder and challenge for Joe to strive to create profound and beautiful music. Music not necessarily or always in the classic sense of beauty, meaning pleasing sounds, but music whose intention is to express something meaningful and hopefully lasting.
Responding to that challenge Joe formed Numinous in the fall of 2000, with the idea to stretch and push his compositions in new and different ways toward that goal. Always with the hope and desire to emotionally connect with, enlighten, and challenge listeners, and paraphrasing Johann Sebastian Bach's title page to his Clavierübung, to stimulate and refresh the spirit.
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