Considered one of the best male vocalists in New Orleans, Phillip Manuel has charmed audiences all over the world with his personable, dynamic performance style and nuanced approach to jazz.  His childhood mentor and friend, Aaron Neville, describes Phillip’s voice as “a soulful instrument from the heart.”  Manuel was gifted with a voice mature beyond his years, and at an early age, he dedicated his life to sharing this gift.  It didn’t take him long to move from winning talent contests and singing in local night clubs to recording his first album, which he did at age 16 with Isaac Bolden of “Mr. Big Stuff” fame. 

While Manuel’s repertoire is firmly grounded in straight-ahead jazz, his reach as a performer keeps him in demand across the globe – headlining in everything from European jazz festivals to musical theater.  In recent years, just a sampling of his rich and varied work includes:  recording with Patti LaBelle, Fats Domino and Alain Toussaint, performing regularly with trumpeter Nicholas Payton’s jazz fusion group “The Time Machine,” singing on a movie soundtrack and touring with trumpeter Terence Blanchard.  In addition, he held starring roles in the musicals “Williams and Walker” and “Lulu,” sings frequently with the Louisiana and the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestras and, a hometown favorite, plays to sold-out crowds in his native New Orleans.