Marcus Miller

  • Brooklyn, NY
    hometown
  • Jazz
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  • 1975
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About Marcus Miller


Primarily a bassist, multi-instrumentalist, and producer, Marcus Miller has worked on hundreds of sessions -- crossing jazz, R&B, and rock -- and has released several solo recordings since his late-'70s beginnings with Bobbi Humphrey and Lonnie Liston Smith. Despite the many hats he has worn -- improviser, interpreter, arranger, songwriter, film-music composer, bassist, clarinetist, saxophonist -- none of them have been put on for the sake of a whim. Never one to merely get his feet wet, Miller has been a utility player in the most extreme and prolific sense.

He was a fixture as a performer in New York's jazz clubs before he was old enough to drive. Born in Brooklyn on June 14, 1959, and raised in nearby Jamaica, he knew how to play several instruments with ease by the time he entered his teenage years. His father, who directed a choir and played organ, had a profound impact upon his musical upbringing. Once he broke in with Humphrey and Smith, he gained steady work with the likes of Dave Grusin, Earl Klugh, Grover Washington, Jr., Chaka Khan, and Bob James. During 1981 and 1982, the in-demand musician went on the road with longtime personal hero Miles Davis and would end up working with him on several albums -- including Tutu and Music from Siesta -- after that.

Throughout the '80s, '90s, and 2000s, Miller scattered several of his own albums throughout the constant pull of production and session work. His solo recordings were almost as diverse as his outside work; hybrids of smooth R&B, funk, and jazz peppered the majority of the albums, while 1993's The Sun Don't Lie and the following year's Tales (both issued through PRA) also incorporated sampling technology. 2001's M2 won a Grammy for Best Contemporary Jazz Album. 2003's The Ozell Tapes: The Official Bootleg, released on Telarc, displayed his range as well as anything else bearing his handiwork; the live set incorporated originals, improvisation, and covers that ranged from material originally recorded by Talking Heads and the Stylistics to John Coltrane. Silver Rain appeared in 2005. In 2007, Miller issued Free in Europe, while 2008 saw Marcus released globally; it was his debut for Concord Jazz. In 2009 Miller formed a touring band with Christian Scott on trumpet; they recorded Tutu Revisited, a wide-ranging tribute to Miles Davis; it was released in Europe in 2011 as a CD/DVD package. Miller returned to the studio for 2012's Renaissance, an album which contained a vocal duet by Gretchen Parlato and Rubén Blades, as well as a guest spot by Dr. John. ~ Andy Kellman, Rovi

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Photos

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  • Koch
    Marcus Miller
    Koch
    Kumiko Higo

News

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  • Marcus Miller
    Bassist Marcus Miller Injured in Fatal Bus Crash | Billboard
    www.billboard.com
    Grammy-winning jazz bassist Marcus Miller and several members of his band were injured when their bus overturned Sunday on a busy highway in Switzerla...
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Tour Dates

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  • Jun 7 Friday
    Niagara Falls, NY, US Bear's Den, Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel
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  • Jun 7 Friday
    Columbia, MD, US Merriweather Post Pavilion
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  • Jun 9 Sunday
    Pittsburgh, PA, US Pittsburgh Jazzlive International Festival
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  • Jun 26 Wednesday
    Samois-sur-Seine, France Ile Du Berceau
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  • Jun 27 Thursday
    Paris, France L'Olympia
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  • Jun 29 Saturday
    Vienne, France Théâtre Antique
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  • Jun 29 Saturday
    Vienne, France Théâtre Antique
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  • Jun 30 Sunday
    Frankenthal, Germany Fort Kléber
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  • Jul 3 Wednesday
    Paris, France Theatre Mogador
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  • Jul 5 Friday
    Lewes, UK Glynde Place
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  • Jul 5 Friday
    Boulogne Sur Mer, France Salle Omnisports
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  • Jul 6 Saturday
    Lewes, UK Love Supreme Festival
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  • Jul 12 Friday
    Mainz, Germany Zitadelle
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  • Jul 22 Monday
    Patrimonio, France Festival Les Nuit De La Guitare Patrimonio
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  • Jul 24 Wednesday
    Rome, Italy Cavea, Auditorium Parco della Musica
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  • Jul 26 Friday
    Marciac, France Chapiteau
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  • Jul 26 Friday
    Marciac, France Chapiteau
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  • Jul 30 Tuesday
    Lucca, Italy Piazza Napoleone
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  • Jul 30 Tuesday
    Lucca, Italy Piazza Napoleone
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  • Aug 2 Friday
    New York, NY, US Highline Ballroom
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  • Aug 3 Saturday
    Newport, RI, US Newport Jazz Festival
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  • Nov 11 Monday
    Leverkusen, Germany Forum
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  • Nov 14 Thursday
    Oslo, Norway Cosmopolite
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Discography

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Next Page
  • Live in Lugano (2012)
    Marcus Miller
    Live in Lugano (2012)
  • Renaissance (2012)
    Marcus Miller
    Renaissance (2012)
    Concord Jazz
  • A  Night in Monte Carlo (2011)
    Marcus Miller
    A Night in Monte Carlo (2011)
    Francis Dreyfus Music
  • Panther (2008)
    Marcus Miller
    Panther (2008)
    Jazzdoor
  • Marcus (2008)
    Marcus Miller
    Marcus (2008)
    Concord
  • Free (2007)
    Marcus Miller
    Free (2007)
    Jvc Victor
  • Silver Rain (2005)
    Marcus Miller
    Silver Rain (2005)
    Victor Records
  • Dreyfus Night in Paris (2004)
    Marcus Miller
    Dreyfus Night in Paris (2004)
    Dreyfus Records
  • The Ozell Tapes: The Official Bootleg (2003)
    Marcus Miller
    The Ozell Tapes: The Official Bootleg (2003)
    Telarc
  • M² (2001)
    Marcus Miller
    M² (2001)
    Telarc
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