Philip Wailes was born in Bloomington, Indiana, and attended the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, where he received his Bachelor’s Degree in Jazz Studies. He moved to New York City in 2018, and received his Master’s Degree in Jazz Double Bass from the Manhattan School of Music in 2022. During this time, he instructed various student ensembles from a number of different schools, including the 2018 Indiana All-State High School & Junior Jazz Ensembles. As a performer, Philip has performed and collaborated and performed with a number of world-class jazz artists including Walter Smith III, Miguel Zenon, and John Raymond.