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Marcus Miller w/ Herbie Hancock ?

#21
I agree that Marcus has a great jazz sensibility and some heavy knowledge of jazz history/theory. His playing with Miles was very jazz oriented, regardless of the fact that they were playing funk or pop tunes. Live especially, he'd do some great interactive playing, the same way an upright player would do when walking. Only Marcus was slapping. I think that he just chooses not to focus on that in his solo albums. He's emphasizing production, marketable songs, and air play. He kind of has to do that, he doesn't have the sell power to do whatever he wants and make money. I mean, he doesn't HAVE TO do that, he just wants to have a profitable career. With that said, Silver Rain is really bad, major disappointment. There's some incredible playing on it, and his musicality is undeniable. Its just instrumental pop garbage. It does have it's moments of funk strength, Frankenstien and Bruce Lee are pretty funky, listenable at the least. I certainly wouldn't call this a "jazz" album. Smooth Jazz maybe. It's just silly. I imagine, or I hope that he stretches this out live, and goes in more of the direction that he did with Miles. I haven't seen him live to support his solo material. Maybe I'll check him out if he comes around for this album. I just wish that he would take that chance to step out and record like that. That would be an album to hear.
 
#22
i wouldn't call siver rain smooth jazz,smooth jazz in general has no exstended solo's or interplay between insturments.while what marcus does on his solo cd's IS different from what he did with miles let's remember that that was 20+ years ago and that as a artist we have to let him grow and change.but the funny thing to me is as i have been lurking on this thread is some people are saying "can marcus play with herbie? or should herbie have called someone else.marcus and herbie have played together before,i saw them together in '99 at the north sea jazz fest(it was amazing!)herbie has used darell jones,vail johnson,matt garrison and several others on bass over the last several years so its plain to see that he likes different flavors on bass.marcus miller is one of the top bass players in the biz as well as a top producer and film composer i don't think he will have any problem playing the gig.
 
#23
watspan said:
I've read that HH has a Headhunter's 2005 band that has marcus Miller on bass. What do you think of that pairing? I have to admit I'm not familiar w/ Marcus's work but I've been a Herbie fanatic for decades and a total Paul Jackson freak! Matt Garrison was awesome in the future 2 future DVD. Just curious what you think of Marcus with the group.
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I got tickets to the June 6th show in Kettering, Ohio. It's about a 2 hr drive for me - but well worth it!

I think Herbie and Marcus will make a geat pair. They're both super-funky!!
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#24
For all my bashing of Silver Rain, I agree, Marcus will sound great with this group. I'm sure Herbie and Marcus, not to mention Roy Hargrove and Terri Lynn Carrington will do some great rhythmic and harmonic stuff. Powerful musicality in that group. In fact, I'm kind of irritated that they are not playing out here in California!
 
#29
I just got tickets yesterday to the St. Louis Headhunters show and I can hardly wait for it. Marcus Miller to me is a great player and a wonderful producer. I also like his writing. I would agree that he is not a true jazz player. It is not his fault that music stores shove all non-classical instrumental music into the "jazz" section. To me Marcus Miller is a great pop musican who understands jazz and is an overall educated musician. He came into music through pop and I think that has always been his main orientation, I don't think he is frustrated jazz musican forced to play pop. I'm pretty sure that he is comfortable enough financially that if he wanted to do purely experimental or avant garde recordings, he could do it because he has done so well as producer and studio player for best selling artists.
 
#30
Chip Boaz said:
Should be an interesting recreation of the Headhunters. The full lineup is: HERBIE HANCOCK,
* TERI LYNE CARRINGTON (drums),
* KENNY GARRETT (saxophone),
* ROY HARGROVE (trumpet),
* MUNYUNGO JACKSON (percussion),
* LIONEL LOUEKE (guitar),
* JOHN MAYER (guitar), and
* MARCUS MILLER (bass).
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Holy crap - that is one awesome line-up - Hargrove's own band are white hot live - I saw them a year or so back in London and they were incredible - likewise Garrett is sounding great right now but with Marcus on bass and Teri on drums you could have Kenny G and Britney Spears singing over it and it would still sound OK ;) - but that should be one HELL of a groove thang - I just hope they hit the UK for a couple of shows - but just not at the God-awful Forum in London - the sound sucks there...

Thanks for the info

M
 
#33
KJung said:
It's been quite a while since I listened to the era of Miles' stuff with Marcus. I'm sure I have it in my collection somewhere. I'll dig it out again. Thanks for the tip.

PS I took a look at your profile and noticed the Alembic/Furmin/Crest combo you are using. Man, that's a great sounding combo of stuff. Back in the day (early 80's), that was the first modular stuff available for bass (that we knew of anyway). We all used it (I had a BGW250 powering mine). Very cool!
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Thanks! :D
 

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