Renowned jazz bassist and multiple Grammy Award winner Marcus Miller was born June 14, 1959 in New York City, U.S.A. He has had a significant effect on the jazz music scene for decades. Miller has won numerous international awards and is a UNESCO Artist for Peace.
His distinctive bass sound can be heard on over 500 recordings. He has worked with music legends such as Miles Davis, Luther Vandross, and Aretha Franklin, and was the mastermind behind Miles Davis’ groundbreaking album “Tutu,” which won two Grammys and is considered one of Davis’ most important contributions to jazz.
Miller is also highly skilled as a keyboardist, clarinetist, and bass clarinetist. With his diverse background and extensive studio experience, Miller continues to evolve his style and is well-positioned to share the lessons he has learned about embracing the world while maintaining individuality.
Miller said about his album Afrodeezia: “My mind continues to be blown by the power of music to heal, to provide strength, to get people through unimaginable suffering. Afrodeezia was inspired by my role as a UNESCO Artist For Peace and spokesperson for the Slave Route Project. I wanted Afrodeezia to be an extension of THAT – an acknowledgement and celebration of the different musical styles that grew out of the experience of slavery and the difficult, continuous, yet joyous journey to freedom.
On my last album Renaissance, I wrote a song entitled “Gorée” and my new album, Afrodeezia essentially picks up where “Gorée” left off. I recorded Afrodeezia in different locations from around the world. I wanted to go back to the original source of the rhythms that make up our musical heritage of jazz, soul, rhythm and blues… to follow these elements like footprints from their beginnings in Africa, to different ports along the slave route. That journey took my band and I from Morocco and Nigeria, to Paris, São Paulo, across the Caribbean to Louisiana, and finally, to the urban cities of the north: Chicago, Detroit, New York.
Music has played a vital role in our ability to persevere. When things seem hopeless, we can always turn to music to find solace, hope, and even joy.”
Discography:
Suddenly (Warner Bros., 1983)
Marcus Miller (Warner Bros., 1984)
The Sun Don’t Lie (Dreyfus Jazz, 1993)
Live & More (GRP, 1997)
Tales (Dreyfus Jazz, 1995)
M² (Telarc, 2001)
Silver Rain (Koch, 2005)
Free (Dreyfus Jazz, 2007)
Marcus (Concord, 2008)
Thunder (Heads Up, 2008) with SMV
The Ozell Tapes (Dreyfus Jazz, 2002)
The Ozell Tapes Live: The Official Bootleg (Telarc, 2002)
Renaissance (Dreyfus Jazz, 2012)
Afrodeezia (Blue Note, 2015)
Laid Black (Blue Note, 2018)
More information at www.marcusmiller.com