Phil Kelly

Phil Kelly is an American Jazz drummer, composer and arranger who has composed for bands like Bill Watrous’ NY Wildlife Refuge, the Doc Severinsen edition of The Tonight Show Band, Doc Severinsen, Si Zentner.

Kelly has served as an arranger/conductor/drummer for vocalists like Julius LaRosa, Buddy Greco,Frank D’Rone, Sylvia Syms, John Gary, Jenny Smith, and Al ‘TNT’ Braggs among others. Beyond his jazz, film and television compositions, Kelly wrote tunes for more than 500 national commercials. He wrote background pieces for ESPN, ABC Sports, NFL Films. He scored industrial films and trade show music for major corporate clients like Cadillac, Chevrolet, Volkswagen, American Airlines and Zales Jewelers.

As a jazz drummer in his early days, he played with artists such as Terry Gibbs, Red Garland, and Denny Zeitlin. He appears in hundreds of recordings through his years of studio recording work.

In 2009, Kelly launched a new CD project at Bear Creek Studio in Woodinville, recording his own 17 piece big band. The album “Convergence Zone” appears on the indy Origin Records label.