Jazz Nights (3)

You're going to like these guys! I first heard Mulgrew Miller on CD - Time and Again, a disk from 1991. It's a knockout, and is filled with many of the things that make this pianist so good. There is technique aplenty, but you don't hear it unless you listen for it because it vanishes into the creating of the music. There is also Miller's exceptional sense of melody, something that has become ever more prominent over the years. And there are excellent tunes, many by Miller himself, who is surely one of the best composers around. After I heard this one, I sought out earlier work and want to recommend especially a compilation of his first two releases, Keys to the City and Work, available together these days as a reissue on 32 Jazz 32055. Miller really crackles on these, and you can hear some of his tunes that he returns to later on other CDs - always interesting.

I also heard him in person many times - in the old days often at Bradley's or Zinno, both now gone, alas. One of the evenings - and early mornings - featured him and Kenny Barron playing two-piano duets at Bradleys. It was a spectacular night and I can recall (dimly) staying for the dreaded 2 am set. Well worth it. There was also a wonderful night in February of '02 at the Village Vanguard (Miller, Goods, Karriem Riggins) - my notes keep telling me how good Mr. Goods was, and how well he and Miller worked together.

Many CDs have followed the early ones, and Mr. Miller performs regularly in New York and all around the world. In addition to his own groups, I want to recommend several CDs on which he is not the nominal leader. One of the most impressive things about him is that his presence regularly elevates others' work. It can't be an accident because it happens too often. And it's no surprise either, as Mr. Miller is a "graduate" of both great Jazz Universities - The Jazz Messengers and Betty Carter's group. He knows how to be positive within a collective. So, here is a selection of "Mulgrew Miller as non-leader" CDs that I especially like. There are many others - these are just a few I have at hand (* = buy these on sight!):

*Vincent Herring: Evidence, Landmark LCD 1527-2 (1990). Miller with the always-fine and here excellent Herring early on. There's a particularly good Miller tune here (Soul-Leo) and one by Kenny Barron.

*Joe Lovano: Quartets, Blue Note CDP 724382912521 (1995). Both disks in this two-CD set are excellent, but the one with Miller is especially good - Lewis Nash and Christian McBride complete the quartet. This one is a desert island disk.

*Steve Wilson: Generations, Stretch SCD 9019-2 (1998). Miller is especially fine on this one - listen for example to one of my favorite of Miller's tunes "Small Portion."

*Buster Williams Quartet: Live at the Montreaux Jazz Festival, TCB 20152 (1999). Once again, Miller stands out (and there are some excellent Buster tunes as well - both "Tokudo" and "Christina").

Tony Williams Trio: Young at Heart, Columbia CK 69107 (1996). More good Miller songs are on this one - "Promethean," for example, which first appeared on Keys to the City.

*Cassandra Wilson: Blue Skies, JMT 834419-2 (1988). Back when she was still singing great songs (ahem!), she did this one with Miller, Lonnie Plaxico (B), and Terri Lyne Carrington (D). It's great, and the opening track, "Shall We Dance" is my favorite vocal track ever (unless I'm listening to Bessie Smith). I know she is still recording with some very good people, but I would love to hear Ms Wilson now with these same people. It is no surprise that this CD is so good.

Benny Golson: Quartet , Laserlight 17076 (1996). Great Golson tunes and an excellent group.

Jim Rotondi: Destination, Sharp Nine CD 1022-2 (2001).

*Billy Pierce: Give and Take, Sunnyside SSC 10260 (1988).

And on and on. It seems you just can't go wrong if Mr. Miller is playing on someone's record! Mr. Miller brings professionalism, creativity, technique, and a fine sense of what makes a good tune to whatever group he plays in.

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In recent years, bassist Richie Goods, who studied at Berklee College of Music and is a former student of Ron Carter's, has often recorded and appeared with Mr. Miller. He is one of a group of excellent young bassists around today. He has already played with "everybody," Don Braden, Vincent Herring, Vanessa Rubin, Russell Malone, and Antonio Hart, for example. He has also recorded two fine trio albums with Miller:

With Our Own Eyes, Novus 63171-2, 1993, (with Tony Reedus). As usual there are standards and several songs by Miller. I particularly like his ballad, "Summer Me, Winter Me," which is also appears on the Tony Williams disk mentioned before.

Getting to Know You, Novus 63188-2, 1995, (with a superior rhythm section: Big Black, Karriem Riggins, and Steve Kroon). There is another version of "Small Portion" here, as well as an excellent "If I should Lose You," and a nice tune from Richie Goods himself, "Nandhi."

For the last few years Goods has been a member of Mr. Miller's "Wingspan" group. Wingspan is Mr. Miller's working band, which was first recorded in 1987 (reissued on 32 Jazz as 32168). The current version of the group is represented by a 2002 CD, "The Sequel," Max Jazz MXJ 204. I am still waiting for my copy, but the reviews are great, and it made a number of "best of the year" lists, including that of the always-reliable Gary Giddins. I can't wait to hear it. Well, I just heard it - it arrived literally as I was typing that sentence. Dave Holland's sextet wins all the "best jazz group" awards these days, and they are indeed very, very good. Wingspan holds its own with that group.

Miller and Goods have played together for some years now and there is real rapport between them. We'll hear that as they play standards and their own tunes on May 9th. Hope to see you there.

mj