In 1930, Phillips joined the
Denmark Street music publisher
Lawrence Wright as staff arranger and began writing arrangements for
Bert Ambrose, joining Ambrose's ensemble in 1933 and remaining there until 1937. Later in the 1930s, Phillips played in the United States on radio and freelance in clubs. He served in the
Royal Air Force during the
Second World War, then put together his own quartet in 1946 and (under the name Simon Phillips) wrote several pieces for the
BBC Symphony Orchestra, including the
Overture Russe in 1946, which was conducted by
Adrian Boult.
Recordings Phillips's first recordings under his own name were made in 1928, and he continued to record as a leader into the 1970s. His compositions, mostly for the Ambrose band, include ''Cotton Pickers' Congregation
, Night Ride
and Streamline Strut''. ==Family==