Improvisation Can Be Taught - Jazz Piano Legend Mulgrew Miller
- 6 years ago
Pianist extraordinaire Mulgrew Miller discusses the fine art of Jazz improvisation. Mulgrew Miller (born August 13, 1955 in Greenwood, Mississippi) is an American jazz pianist who performs in a number of jazz idioms. He began his career as member of Art Blakeys Jazz Messengers.\r
In a childhood filled with early musical experiences, mostly playing gospel music in his church and R&B and blues at dances. Miller was interested in jazz piano, and established a trio in high school that would play at cocktail parties. Miller admits that they did not really know what they were doing and were merely approaching jazz. Miller is said to have set his mind definitely to becoming a jazz pianist after seeing Oscar Peterson on television. Much of Millers playing has the same technical prowess so often connected with Peterson. Currently, he maintains a working trio with Ivan Taylor on bass, and Rodney Green on drums. He has released four albums to date with Derrick Hodge (bass) and Karriem Riggins (drums) (both on the label MAXJAZZ): Live At Yoshis Vol. 1 (2004), Live At Yoshis Vol. 2 (2005), Live At The Kennedy Center Vol. 1 (2006), and Live At The Kennedy Center Vol. 2 (2007).\r
On May 20, 2006, Miller was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Performing Arts at Lafayette Colleges 171st Commencement Exercises.\r
Miller currently resides in Easton, Pennsylvania. As of 2006 he is the Director of Jazz Studies at William Paterson University. He was the Artist in Residence at Lafayette College for 2008-new\r
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For more Mulgrew, please visit:\r
In a childhood filled with early musical experiences, mostly playing gospel music in his church and R&B and blues at dances. Miller was interested in jazz piano, and established a trio in high school that would play at cocktail parties. Miller admits that they did not really know what they were doing and were merely approaching jazz. Miller is said to have set his mind definitely to becoming a jazz pianist after seeing Oscar Peterson on television. Much of Millers playing has the same technical prowess so often connected with Peterson. Currently, he maintains a working trio with Ivan Taylor on bass, and Rodney Green on drums. He has released four albums to date with Derrick Hodge (bass) and Karriem Riggins (drums) (both on the label MAXJAZZ): Live At Yoshis Vol. 1 (2004), Live At Yoshis Vol. 2 (2005), Live At The Kennedy Center Vol. 1 (2006), and Live At The Kennedy Center Vol. 2 (2007).\r
On May 20, 2006, Miller was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Performing Arts at Lafayette Colleges 171st Commencement Exercises.\r
Miller currently resides in Easton, Pennsylvania. As of 2006 he is the Director of Jazz Studies at William Paterson University. He was the Artist in Residence at Lafayette College for 2008-new\r
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For more Mulgrew, please visit:\r