This curated archive highlights standout engagements from 1998 through 2005. Scroll through each year to revisit festival appearances, club residencies, international tours, and collaborative tributes drawn from the original performance log.
2005
Tributes, residencies & photo exhibitions
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Nov 17, 2005 – Jan 31, 2006
Beyond Expectations Exhibition
The California African American Museum in Los Angeles showcased 36 of Phil's photographs for a three-month installation with a gala opening on January 12, 2006, featuring Sonya Maddox-Upchurch Photography. Explore the companion music at cdbaby.com/cd/philsonya.
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Aug 30, 2005
Ray Charles Gala — Tribute to Brother Ray
Merle Reskin Theater, 60 E. Balbo Drive, Chicago — The Jazz Institute's third annual tribute reunited Marcus Belgrave, David "Fathead" Newman, Hank Crawford, Leroy Cooper, Phil Guilbeau, Johnny O'Neal, Pete Turre, former Raelette Cynthia Scott, and more. A 6:00–7:30 PM gala at the Hot House preceded the 8:00 PM concert.
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Aug 26, 2005
LaVe' Lee Jazz Club — Truly Release
Studio City, CA — Two special sets (8:30 & 10:30 PM) marked the release of "Truly" with Sonya Maddox at LaVe' Lee (12514 Ventura Blvd). CDs ($20) shipped from WONDERVISION Music, PO Box 38821, Los Angeles, CA 90038, with proceeds supporting the Jimmy Smith Memorial Scholarship Fund.
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Aug 15 & Jul 25, 2005
Hal's Venice Residency
Hal's Bar & Grill, 1349 Abbott Kinney, Venice — The Phil Upchurch Quartet with guest vocalist Sonya Maddox held down the last-Monday residency with 8–11 PM sets and the café's famed Caesar salads.
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Jul 30 & Apr 30, 2005
John Hammond Collaborations
Henri's Back Room (21601 Sherman Way, Canoga Park) welcomed the John Hammond Quartet with special guest Phil for blues-soaked evenings, anchored by 8 PM sets.
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Jun 30, 2005
Phil Upchurch Photo Exhibit
An intimate gallery showing celebrated Phil's photography; archival details remain available in this PDF announcement.
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May 27 – May 31, 2005
Memorial Weekend Run
Los Angeles — The City of Angels concert (May 27, 6:30–9 PM at 5550 Grovesner Blvd) led into Memorial Day at Hal's (May 30, 9 PM–midnight) and Guitar Nite with John Pisano at Spazio (May 31, 8 PM, 14755 Ventura Blvd, Sherman Oaks).
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May 17, 2005
The Last Sermon — Jimmy Smith Tribute
Hollywood Park Casino, Inglewood — Phil co-produced a two-show memorial featuring Joey DeFrancesco, Barbara Morrison, and surprise guests. Admission was free with donations welcomed for the Jimmy Smith Memorial Scholarship Fund.
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Apr 24, 2005
Jazz Guitar Workshop & Clinic
California Vintage Guitar & Amp (5244 Van Nuys Blvd, Sherman Oaks) hosted Phil and John Pisano for a Sunday masterclass at 2 PM as part of the Jazz Guitar Sunday Workshop Series.
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Feb 3, 2005
Vibrato Grill & Jazz
Herb Alpert's Vibrato (2930 Beverly Glen Circle, Bel Air) welcomed the Phil Upchurch Quartet featuring Sonya Maddox for a 6:30–10 PM engagement.
2004
International tours & Los Angeles residencies
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Dec 18, 2004
Stevie Wonder at The Forum
Inglewood, CA — Phil joined Stevie Wonder alongside Alicia Keys, Kim Burrell, Dave Chappelle, and an all-star lineup for a celebratory evening.
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Dec 21 & 27, 2004
Holiday Week Residencies
Spazio's Guitar Nite (Dec 21, 8 PM) and Hal's Venice Monday (Dec 27, 9 PM–midnight) closed the year with groove-heavy sets.
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Nov 18 – 19, 2004
Back-to-Back LA Club Nights
Vibrato (Nov 18, 6:30–10:30 PM) and Bones & Blues (Nov 19, 10950 S. Central Ave, $15 advance / $20 door) delivered consecutive evenings of soulful performances.
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Sep 9, 2004
Vibrato Extended Set
Beverly Glen Circle — A 6:30–10:30 PM engagement stretched toward overtime as the audience kept the room energized.
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Sep 3, 2004
Monsoon on Third Street Promenade
Santa Monica, CA — Late-night sets (10 PM–12:30 AM) paired Phil's guitar with Monsoon's global cuisine.
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Aug 28, 2004
Romano's Riverside Residency
Romano's Italian Restaurant (Riverside, CA) hosted an 8 PM–midnight appearance, complete with travel directions for fans headed east on the 60.
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Aug 18, 2004
Summer at Vibrato
Complimentary valet and a 6 PM–10:30 PM set welcomed fans back to Herb Alpert's Bel Air club.
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Jul 2 – 24, 2004
Jimmy Smith European Tour
Berlin, Moscow, Imatra, Wigan, Antibes, Budapest, Lyrie, Barcelona, and San Javier hosted Jimmy Smith's quartet with Phil on guitar for a whirlwind July itinerary.
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Jun 28, 2004
'To Russia With Love' Bon Voyage
Hal's Venice Beach hosted a send-off celebration for the upcoming European leg, featuring the Monday Night Band and friends.
2003
Residencies, workshops & Chicago celebrations
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Apr 19 – May 17, 2003
BB King's Universal City Saturdays
Saturday twilight sets (6–7:30 PM) filled BB King's at Universal Citywalk throughout late spring, while Mondays (Apr 28) remained dedicated to Hal's in Venice.
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Feb 2003
Southland Club Swing
Hal's (Feb 23), the Howling Monk Jazz Coffee Bar (Feb 15, two shows), and BB King's residencies (Feb 7, 15, 21) kept February packed with groove, wings, and community.
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Jun 1, 2003
45 Years in Chicago
A hometown celebration commemorated 45 fulfilling years of music with friends and fans in Chicago. Revisit the tribute with archived footage here.
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Jan 27, 2003
Hal's Monday Returns
Venice Beach's beloved Hal's Bar & Grill continued its no-cover tradition with Phil's quartet anchoring the month.
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Jan 24 – 25, 2003
Northwest & Universal City Weekend
A Portland appearance with Jimmy Smith segued into a Saturday evening at BB King's on Universal Citywalk.
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Jan 16 – 18, 2003
Kansas City Sessions
Recording and performances with Kevin Mahogany, Red Holloway, and Grady Tate in Kansas City launched the year's travels.
2002
Global tours, Spirit Traveler & workshop series
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Dec 30, 2002
Hal's Year-End Gathering
Venice Beach — The quartet closed 2002 at Hal's Bar & Grill with a 9 PM–midnight set, no cover, and crowd-favorite cuisine.
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Dec 8 & 14, 2002
South African Tour with Jimmy Smith
Pretoria and Bloemfontein welcomed the organ legend and Phil for international December engagements.
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Nov 28 – Dec 3, 2002
Spazio Holiday Appearances
Thanksgiving duos with Ernest Tibbs transitioned into Guitar Nite with John Pisano at Spazio (14755 Ventura Blvd, Sherman Oaks).
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Oct 18 – 19, 2002
BB King's Universal City Weekend
One-set evenings at 6:30 PM anchored the Universal Citywalk stage with Jimmy Smith.
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Sep 2002
September Schedule
Spazio's Guitar Nite (Sep 10), LaVeLee (Sep 13), Hollywood Park (Sep 24), Watts Festival (Sep 29), and the monthly Hal's residency (Sep 30) showcased a packed Los Angeles itinerary.
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Aug 23, 2002
Spirit Traveler at BB King's
An all-star summit featuring Wah-Wah Watson, David T. Walker, Ray Parker Jr., Al McKay, James Jamerson Jr., James Gadson, and Diane Louie paid tribute to the Motown-era innovations they helped create.
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Jul 19, 2002
Birthday at LaVeLee
Phil's 61st birthday celebration lit up Studio City's LaVeLee with two shows at 9 PM and 11:30 PM.
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May 19, 2002
Jazz Guitar Workshop Series
California Vintage Guitar & Amp hosted Phil for the Sunday Workshop Series from 2–4 PM, following a season of Hal's appearances.
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May 11, 2002
St. Lucia Jazz Festival
Rodney Bay's Gaitley stage welcomed an 11 PM set, surrounded by Bay Area club dates with Robert Walters, Chuck Rainey, and Red Holloway (May 8–9) and LaVeLee performances (May 3).
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Jan 28 – Feb 2, 2002
Blue Note Las Vegas Residency
The Phil Upchurch Quartet held court at the Blue Note Las Vegas, preceded by NAMM appearances at the D'Angelico booths (Jan 17–20) and House of Blues sets with Jimmy Smith in Boston (Jan 11–12).
2001
Festivals, tributes & nationwide touring
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Nov 29 – Dec 2, 2001
Catalina's with Jimmy Smith
Hollywood, CA — A four-night stand at Catalina's Jazz Club capped a month that also included the WVON Annual Jazz Concert in Chicago (Nov 21), Hal's Venice Monday (Nov 26), and the Grapevine in Redondo Beach (Nov 10).
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Oct 2001
Tributes & Tours
The Baked Potato doubleheader (Oct 27) with surprise guests, the Louie Satterfield Roast in Chicago (Oct 24), Hal's Venice (Oct 22), and a Jimmy Smith tour through Atlanta, New Orleans, Dallas, Austin, and St. Louis (Oct 10–21) defined the month.
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Sep 2001
Festivals & Workshops
Ojai Bowlful of Blues (Sep 29), Russian River JazzFest (Sep 9), JazzMasters workshops across Carmel, Mountain View, San Francisco, and Oakland (Sep 24–27), Hollywood Park Casino (Sep 18), and club appearances at the Grapevine (Sep 8) and Detroit with Jimmy Smith (Sep 1).
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Aug 9 – 18, 2001
Summer Residency Stretch
Captain Paul's Seafood in Calabasas (Aug 9–11), City of Angels JazzFest (Aug 18), and additional Catalina's dates with Jimmy Smith kept the summer groove alive.
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Jul 2001
Birthday Celebrations & Club Favorites
Hal's hosted Phil's 60th birthday festivities (Jul 16), joined by Seven-Degrees in Laguna Beach (Jul 6, Jun 24, Aug 26) and Hollywood Park Racetrack with Red Holloway (Jul 3).
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Jun 2001
Album Launch & Special Events
A CD release at Stevie Wonder's Creole Café (Jun 18), PBS "Bluesmasters" taping in Chicago (Jun 7–10), appearances at The Atlas (Jun 21), San Jose Repertory Theatre (Jun 4 solo set), and Dyan Cannon's televised gathering at CBS Studio Center (Jun 2).
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Mar 1 – Mar 11, 2001
With Jimmy Smith on the Road
House of Blues Hollywood (Mar 1), Yoshi's Berkeley (Mar 7–11), House of Blues Hollywood (Feb 28), and a week at New York City's Blue Note (Feb 20–25).
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Feb 5 – 17, 2001
West Coast & Northeast Appearances
The Grapevine Jazz Club (Feb 10), Hal's Venice (Feb 5), and Boston/Cambridge House of Blues dates with Jimmy Smith (Feb 15–17).
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Jan 12 – 26, 2001
The New Year Begins
Salt Lake's Snowbird Jazz Festival (Jan 12–13) preceded NAMM showcases for D'Angelico and Vestax (Jan 18–21) and a spotlight at Bones & Blues (Jan 26).
2000
Global showcases & West Coast residencies
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Dec 11 – 25, 2000
Holiday Travels
Rocco's Guitar Nite in Beverly Hills (Dec 11), the Grapevine in Torrance (Dec 23), Vestax showcases in Tokyo (Dec 15–16), a revival in Osaka (Dec 17), and a Maui engagement (Dec 25 – Jan 3) spanned three countries.
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Nov 7 – 27, 2000
Autumn Club Favorites
Hollywood Park Casino with Art Hillary's organ quintet (Nov 7), LaVeLee (Nov 10), a five-night Catalina's residency with Jimmy Smith (Nov 15–19), and Hal's Monday nights (Nov 27) kept Los Angeles humming.
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Aug 4 – Sep 2, 2000
Summer Showcases
Denver with Red Holloway (Aug 4), Rocco's Guitar Nite anniversary (Jul 17), Bellage Hotel in West Hollywood (Aug 31), Japan Christian Conference appearances (Aug 21–26), and a Labor Day weekend with Jimmy Smith at Catalina's (Sep 2).
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Jun 9 – Jul 31, 2000
West Coast Highlights
The Baked Potato's "Bodacious Blues Blowout" (Jun 9–10) with Ronnie Foster and Will Kennedy, Chicago's Petrillo Band Shell (Jun 11), San Jose Repertory solo work (Jun 4), continued Hal's Mondays (Jun 19, Jul 10), and Hawaii's Pizazz Jazz Club (Jun 30 – Jul 1) with Honolulu sessions alongside Azure McCall (Jun 24–29).
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May 4 – Jun 2, 2000
Tributes & Collaborations
Barbara Morrison at Catalina's (May 4–7), Monsoons on the Third Street Promenade (May 10), Kikuya's in Long Beach with Luther Hughes (May 14), Hal's Venice (May 15), Hollywood Park for Red Holloway's birthday (May 30), and Dyan Cannon's televised "God's Party" at CBS Studio Center (Jun 2).
1999
Festival circuits & international travels
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Dec 25, 1999 – Jan 3, 2000
Maui Holiday Run
A year-end Hawaiian engagement provided a warm close to the decade.
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Oct 6 – 28, 1999
Autumn on the Road
Jimmy Smith dates spanned the Iridium in New York (Oct 12–17), Boston's House of Blues (Oct 19–20), and San Francisco (Oct 28), with a Hollywood Park reunion (Oct 6) and Hal's residencies throughout the month.
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Sep 2 – 22, 1999
California Club Circuit
Catalina's Jazz Club with Jimmy Smith (Sep 2–5), Las Vegas appearances (Sep 10), Monsoon's on Third Street Promenade (Sep 22), and Hal's Venice (Sep 6) kept September full.
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Aug 11 – 27, 1999
Summer Highlights
Catalina Island Jazz Nights (Aug 11) bookended an overseas stop in Covington, England with Jimmy Smith (Aug 27) and Hal's Venice Mondays (Aug 2 & 16).
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Jun 10 – Jul 8, 1999
Festival Season
Japan with Dennis Chambers and Toshie Kankawa (Jun 10–22), Elkhart Jazz Festival (Jun 25–27), Shark Bar residencies (Jun 29), and Lake Arrowhead's Blue Hay Jazz Festival (Jul 8).
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May 3 – May 23, 1999
Midwest & West Coast Dates
Hal's Mondays (May 3 & 10), Hoyt Sherman Theatre in Des Moines (May 8), Shark Bar residencies (May 18), and Catalina's with Jimmy Smith (May 20–23).
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Jan 15 – Feb 27, 1999
Launching 1999
Japan with Jimmy Smith (Jan 15–23), NAMM showcases for Vestax (Jan 28–31), Bones & Blues (Jan 29), and a Phil Upchurch All-Stars night at the Baked Potato (Feb 27).
1998
International tours & early residencies
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Dec 4 – 28, 1998
Year-End Residencies
Hal's Bar (Dec 21 & 28), Catalina's with Jimmy Smith (Dec 16–19), and a planned First AME Church tour of Africa (Dec 4–15) closed the year.
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Nov 24 – Dec 1, 1998
Japan Tour with Toshie Kankawa
Stops included Hiroshima's Badland Club, Osaka's Banana Hall, Fukui's Bee Hall, Nagoya's Bottom Line, Tokyo's Roopongi Pit Inn, and studio sessions to end the run.
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Nov 6 – 14, 1998
Jimmy Smith Collaborations
Weekend performances in Austin and Denver paired Phil with the Hammond B-3 master ahead of the Japan tour.
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Oct 7 – 31, 1998
Autumn Adventures
The Norway Jazz Cruise with Red Holloway (Oct 23–31) joined Catalina Island's Country Club Jazz Nights (Oct 7) and campus concerts at Valley College and Redlands University (Oct 1 & 25).
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Aug 1 – Sep 12, 1998
International & City Festivals
A private Chicago celebration with Jimmy Smith (Aug 1), City of Angels Jazz Fest (Aug 22), Brazil dates with Jimmy Smith (Sep 11–12), and Catalina Island Jazz Nights (Aug 26 & Jul 1).
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Jul 1 – Jul 31, 1998
Summer Residencies
Marla's Memory Lane (Jul 10–11), New York City's Iridium with Jimmy Smith (Jul 23–26), and the Armand Hammer Museum (Jul 31) punctuated the season.
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Jun 4 – Jun 27, 1998
Chicago & Los Angeles Highlights
Herb Kent's roast in Chicago (Jun 27), Drew Medical's commencement in Long Beach (Jun 4), and repeated Catalina's engagements (Jun 10–14) kept June packed.
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Feb 10 – Mar 11, 1998
House of Blues & Yoshi's with Jimmy Smith
House of Blues Hollywood (Mar 1), Yoshi's Berkeley (Mar 7–11), House of Blues the night before (Feb 28), New York's Blue Note (Feb 20–25), Boston/Cambridge House of Blues (Feb 15–17), the Grapevine (Feb 10), and Hal's Venice (Feb 5).
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Jan 12 – 26, 1998
Winter Appearances
Salt Lake's Jazz Fest at Snowbird (Jan 12–13), NAMM showcases for D'Angelico and Vestax (Jan 18–21), Bones & Blues (Jan 26), and Hal's Mondays framed the start of 1998.