The Vibery, located in Redhook, continues its Black History Month celebration Saturday, Feb. 28 at 8 p.m., with a special evening of music featuring the extraordinary Haile Israel. “Soulful Saturday” will transform the alcohol-free social bar into a relaxed, late-night lounge atmosphere filled with reggae and jazz-infused musical performances.
Israel, also known as Phillip Lee Brown, is a master guitarist, educator, and singer-songwriter. Born in Chicago, his path was set at just two years old, sitting on the piano bench at the home of Ike “Fats” Cole, brother of Nat King Cole. That moment, he said, left him “hooked on the magic of his playing.”
His journey took him from studying guitarists of the 1960s to discovering jazz through Wes Montgomery, leading to a scholarship in Jazz Studies at Central State University. When George Benson’s “Breezin” arrived in 1976, Israel was again profoundly inspired, setting him on a lifelong quest of expansion and tone.
When reggae emerged from Jamaica, his Caribbean roots called. Embracing the Rastafarian faith, he moved to Jamaica and became a session musician at the legendary Studio One, working with Coxing Dodd, and later recorded at Tuff Gong for Ziggy Marley. He went on to perform with Black Uhuru, Israel Vibration and served as musical director for Ras Michael and the Sons of Negus for two decades, earning the respected title of “Priest.”
For eight years, the Virgin Islands became his home, where he performed while dedicating himself to working as a music educator and youth advocate. Now based in California, he is taking time to revisit his greatest influence, George Benson. “He has unknowingly kept me focused on my own goals of achievement,” he reflected.
According to event coordinator Aisha-Zakiya Boyd, the evening is not to be missed. “Haile is one of the most versatile and humble musicians I’ve ever met. Anytime he is performing, I expect a soulful sermon and invite others to come and experience it for themselves,” said Boyd.
