Marcus Miller Albums (12)
What The Critics Say
Like Quincy Jones, Marcus Miller has the ability to bring together highly individual artists from several areas of music and somehow get them to fit comfortably in his projects. In addition, Miller can uplift what could be a simple funk piece and make it of interest to jazz listeners through his musicianship, creativity, and imagination. On Marcus, he uses different personnel and instrumentations on each selection, playing a bewildering assortment of instruments himself in addition to his distinctive electric bass. Some of the pieces, particularly ones that feature the singing of Lalah Hathaway and the Ivey Sisters, are essentially R&B although usually with a curve thrown in. Some selections have Miller heading what sounds like Miles Davis' last band (with Michael "Patches" Stewart in Miles' place), and there are features for his atmospheric bass clarinet playing. David Sanborn fares well during his two appearances, and Tom Scott stops by for a cameo, as does bluesman Keb' Mo', and one should not overlook the harmonica playing of Gregoire Maret. Listeners who enjoy creative funk will certainly enjoy this eclectic program. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide
'Dreyfus Night in Paris'
Release Date 1/1/2003
Tracks 3
Label Dreyfus
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What The Critics Say
The unique all-star group featured on this live set from 1994 had not only never performed together before as a band, but most of the musicians had never been on the same stage with each other before. Miles Davis had passed away three years earlier, so the two Marcus Miller pieces, "Tutu" (which sounds surprisingly similar to "So What" during the solos even if the chords are different) and "The King Is Gone" are in tribute to the late trumpeter. "The King Is Gone" is a straight-ahead extended blues, while "Looking Up" has heated solos over a simple vamp. Overall, Kenny Garrett and Michel Petrucciani generally take solo honors (Biréli Lagrène is a bit overshadowed), while Miller and Lenny White keep the rhythms stimulating. Although the three selections are each quite extended, they hold one's interest throughout. Excellent music. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide
'The Ozell Tapes: The Official Bootleg'
Release Date 8/12/2002
Tracks 16
Label JVC Victor
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What The Critics Say
This is the Marcus Miller everybody always knew existed yet never really heard on record. This is the man who can play bass, saxophone, and bass clarinet, and also compose, produce, arrange, etc., and usually does so in a slick studio setting. The Ozell Tapes is reported to be an "official bootleg"; it's official to be sure but it's no bootleg. These are tapes from the band's 2002 tour straight from the soundboard without any remixing. The tapes are not from a single show, however, but the best performances from the entire tour. It's a small complaint, really, that it doesn't have the complete languid feel of a single show, because this is easily the best record Miller has ever released. His combined talents come into focus in spontaneous settings, where he walks the tightrope between composed or covered material, and between arranged and improvised material. And the material: There are two sets, on a pair of CDs. The music vacillates between the sacred and profane, but it's all from the heart of the groove. First there's the jam "Power," an early showcase of the band's strengths, and it's immediately followed by an elegant and emotionally played funked-up version of Miles Davis' "So What," with a two-piece horn section and Miller on electric bass turning the groove over and back accompanied by an atmospheric airy (à la "In a Silent Way") piano. From here the band moves to John Coltrane's "Lonnie's Lament," and turns it upside down into groove jazz meets gutter funk. The Coltrane vibe is replaced by something quite beautiful and lovely, and there is no irreverence in the interpretation. The ensemble is tight to the point of instinctual reaction, and on the covers it becomes obvious very quickly how well attuned the bandmembers are to Miller's seemingly endless musical palette. There are readings of "I Loves You Porgy" and Talking Heads' "Burning Down the House," Joe Sample and Will Jennings' "When Your Life Was Low," Thom Bell's "You Make the World Go Round," and "Killing Me Softly" -- all with stunning vocal appearances by the divine Lalah Hathaway. But the covers only show one side; on the band's originals such as "Scoop," "Panther," and "3 Deuces," the easy looseness is evident even though these cats play their asses off. Nowhere is this more evident than on the set's final track, a medley of the Miller/Miles Davis-penned tunes "Hannibal," "Tutu," and "Amandla." Miller pushes his bandmembers to play the same unexpected twists and turns Miles was famous for, tossing changeups into the mix at odd moments, moving a time signature, changing a groove, shifting an interval -- and they respond without a seam. They make it gritty and beautiful, improvising with grace, aplomb, and grit. The Ozell Tapes proves that Marcus Miller is not a "smooth jazz" musician or a "fusion" musician or a "pop" musician; this proves he is a jazz musician who plays thoroughly modern, emotionally and intellectually satisfying electric jazz. If rhythm, subtle harmony, melody, a touch of funkiness, and a bucket of soul are your thing, then this is for you no matter what kind of music you listen to. ~ Thom Jurek, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Marcus Miller continues to display his multi-instrument virtuosity with M², and while the order of the day is still smooth jazz, there's more of a soulful R&B edge than the majority of his previous work. It also features an all-star cast that includes Herbie Hancock, Branford Marsalis, Raphael Saadiq, Paul Jackson, Jr., and Lenny White among others. While it's not his most impressive work ever, fans will find plenty of chops to whet their appetite, and yet again it proves Miller to be one of the most talented smooth jazz artists on the scene. ~ Rob Theakston, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Multi-talented Marcus Miller's debut Suddenly was issued in the spring of 1983 on Patrick Rains' PRA Records label through Warner Bros. Miller shared production chores with Ray Bardani and Michael Colina, whom he'd worked with before on sides for David Sanborn. It's a tasty showcase for the bassist/songwriter/vocalist/producer who went from New York session stardom to mega-stardom with his frequent collaborator Luther Vandross. Vandross does vocals on "Lovin' You," "Just for You," and the squishy "Be My Love." The cornerstone cut is the gentle steppers favorite/quiet storm precursor "Much Too Much." The artist better realized his R&B/funk/jazz fusion on his 1984 Warner Bros. LP, Marcus Miller. ~ Ed Hogan, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Marcus Miller is one of the great hyphenates of contemporary rhythm and jazz, equally successful as a producer (Luther Vandross, David Sanborn), songwriter (numerous Vandross hits, James/Sanborn's "Maputo"), and artist in his own right. It's not easy to capture every aspect of the man who has been called the "Superman of Soul" on one disc, but Live and More -- which draws from sold out performances in Los Angeles, Montreux, and throughout Japan -- gives it a solid effort. While Miller plays everything but the kitchen sink himself (bass, bass clarinet, guitar, and vocoder), the genuine excitement here emerges from giving space to and interacting and stretching out with his sea of all-stars. Miller wrote the moody trumpet-led seduction "Tutu" for Miles, but Michael "Patches" Stewart carries on in those muted footsteps (complemented by a flügelhorn solo) above a controlled Miller bassline and Poogie Bell's subtle drum brushes. Miller emerges as a halfway decent singer on the Crusaders-like "Funny" but leaves the bulk of the instrumental work to Kenny Garrett's gentle soprano and Hiram Bullock's increasingly raucous guitar. Miller also offers the studio ballad "Sophie" on which he adds yet another voice to his repertoire -- soprano sax. ~ Jonathan Widran, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
It is obvious from the music of his group that Marcus Miller badly misses Miles Davis. The funky grooves he uses on this CD sound like a continuation of Davis' later band, Michael "Patches" Stewart contributes muted trumpet in Davis' style, altoist Kenny Garrett is among Miller's sidemen, and Miles Davis himself (along with the voices of several other notables in very brief moments) pops up twice on Miller's release. Marcus Miller's electric bass is a major force throughout the music. Samples are used intelligently, a tribute is paid to the late guitarist Eric Gale (Hiram Bullock starts off his solo sounding uncannily like Gale), "Strange Fruit" (a feature for Miller's bass clarinet) gets a revamping, and all of the music is both danceable and full of development. A few songs (especially later in the program) ramble on a bit and one wishes that Marcus Miller would drop the funk now and then for variety's sake, but in general his set holds one's interest. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide
