Marcus Miller: Detroit

[Dr. Cheese]

Believe it or not, although Marcus Miller has been an artist I have followed my entire adult life, (he is eight months older than me,) there are times when I suspect I have underestimated him as a composer and band leader. As I said last week, Marcus Miller is the model for being a successful musician, in my opinion. That said, some of the financial opportunities he had from studio work no longer exist because recording has changed so much in the last twenty years.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

It is a joy and an education to hear Marcus Miller explain why he plays the way he does.

 

[Joshua]

One of my absolute faves. I got on board at The Sun Don't Lie back in the early 90s, and everything since has offered something that works for me. If you haven't seen it yet, there's a biopic on Amazon Prime on him that is a great watch as well.

 

[ritz]

1978



I'm from June 17, 1959 (and Marcus June 14, 1959), but my skills are much less.....

 

[Dr. Cheese]

One of my absolute faves. I got on board at The Sun Don't Lie back in the early 90s, and everything since has offered something that works for me. If you haven't seen it yet, there's a biopic on Amazon Prime on him that is a great watch as well.

I love Marcus’ solo albums, but I fell in love with his playing as a sideman with Luther Vandross, David Sanborn, and Miles Davis. Miller’s output with those artists was sort of a “holy trinity” for me.

 

[Joshua]

I am familiar with his Mile's output, but not much else. Any you'd specifically recommend to a fellow Marcus listener?

 

[Whousedtoplay]

It is a joy and an education to hear Marcus Miller explain why he plays the way he does.

I'm always mesmerized by Marcus Miller's melodiousness - the one and only Marcus Miller.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

I am familiar with his Mile's output, but not much else. Any you'd specifically recommend to a fellow Marcus listener?

Get Luther Vandross’ first three solo albums and look at David Sanborn between 1982-1988.

 

[jerry]

It is a joy and an education to hear Marcus Miller explain why he plays the way he does.

That's the same woman that played in the other clinic video, I dug her feel.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Sideman Marcus Miller is so creative. Even before he developed his bright active tone, he just knew what to do to make a song just right.

 

[jerry]

I've posted this before, Marcus on fretless in the 70's:

 

[cxcxcx]

National treasure. I distinctly remember the first time he classed himself as a superior musical force in my listening experience. I followed this guy, years before he established himself as a bandleader. I saw a Marcus show, as I’d done many times before, and of course I was impressed, inspired, blown away, and amazed, but there was another feeling I had this time that usually doesn’t go with a presentation from a high-level, virtuoso player. Took me a while to figure out that I was entertained, a point where all the technique and instrumental concerns step to the back burner in favor of pure communication.

There’s gratefully a number of musicians that fill that bill, but very few are bassists in that select group and Marcus has been one for quite a while now.

 

[cxcxcx]

I am familiar with his Mile's output, but not much else. Any you'd specifically recommend to a fellow Marcus listener?

This is Marcus:



And he wrote and played on this one:



And:

 

[Dr. Cheese]

I've posted this before, Marcus on fretless in the 70's:

He burst on the scene doing everything well and he has only gotten better.

 

[Phat Nick]

Too much great music with Marcus to be listed! I follow the man since I started playing,love his solo albums,but love him even more as a sideman...here is one of my favorite tunes where he plays (he also wrote the song),this is one album that I really treasure

 

[two fingers]

I'm always mesmerized by Marcus Miller's melodiousness - the one and only Marcus Miller.

"Melodiousness" is a fantastic word. I shall steal it and work it into conversation by the end of business today.

 

[MonetBass]

The first time I heard Marcus was on David Sanborn's A Change of Heart album. Then I was lucky enough to get to see him live for that album's tour. Soon after I bought the Bob James / David Sanborn album Double Vision, and Marcus really shines on that one.

EDIT: When I first heard Marcus's version of "Teen Town", my jaw dropped.

I am familiar with his Mile's output, but not much else. Any you'd specifically recommend to a fellow Marcus listener?

David Sanborn - A Change of Heart, Close-Up, Upfront
Marcus Miller - The Sun Don't Lie, Tales
Bob James / David Sanborn - Double Vision

 

[Phat Nick]

The first time I heard Marcus was on David Sanborn's A Change of Heart album. Then I was lucky enough to get to see him live for that album's tour. Soon after I bought the Bob James / David Sanborn album Double Vision, and Marcus really shines on that one.

EDIT: When I first heard Marcus's version of "Teen Town", my jaw dropped.

David Sanborn - A Change of Heart, Close-Up, Upfront
Marcus Miller - The Sun Don't Lie, Tales
Bob James / David Sanborn - Double Vision

Double vision is one of my favorites too! Some other essential early Miller to me might include Lenny White’s “streamlines”,The Brecker Brother’s “straphangin’” and Donald Fagen’s “the nightfly”. “Never too much” by Luther Vandross is one of the most awesome bass lines,imho

 

[MonetBass]

Double vision is one of my favorites too! Some other essential early Miller to me might include Lenny White’s “streamlines”,The Brecker Brother’s “straphangin’” and Donald Fagen’s “the nightfly”. “Never too much” by Luther Vandross is one of the most awesome bass lines,imho

I had forgotten that Marcus played on Fagen's The Nightfly (along with Will Lee, Anthony Jackson, Abraham Laboriel Sr. and Chuck Rainey). Good one!

 

[Phat Nick]

I had forgotten that Marcus played on Fagen's The Nightfly (along with Will Lee, Anthony Jackson, Abraham Laboriel Sr. and Chuck Rainey). Good one!

Yeah,this album is of course awesome music,but also a sort of “great bass players rendezvous “