Marcus Miller - Marcus

There’s a big buzz about MARCUS! Marcus Miller’s latest CD that is. The Grammy-award winning multi-instrumentalist/composer is on a roll with a fresh new band and a new sound that demands attention because of its funky new attitude and exciting energy. The highly successful bassist partners up with such luminaries as Corinne Bailey Rae on “Free,” re-envisions a range of pop and jazz standards including Stevie Wonder’s “Higher Ground,” and Nat King Cole’s “When I Fall In Love” not to mention his own uberjam “Blast” and three signature funk/jazz jams titled “Pluck,” “Strum,” and “Ooh.” With his signature licks front and center, Miller conveys his brand of excellence in fully-realized rhythms that not only compliment his guest artists but inspire them to give it all they’ve got. Miller’s innovative spoken word compositions are happening in a variety of time signatures and come equipped with some very sensual content that only his musical voice can express. “Cause I Want You,” spotlights Miller’s skilled ability to communicate the emotional content of a lyric and making you feel that “in love type love!” Yeah! Pass the envelope…and the winner is! He then proceeds to perform just above a whisper on his bass clarinet giving “When I Fall In Love,” a refined melodic approach that shows his romantic nature. “Lost Without You,” is taken to a new level and features both Taraji P. Henson in her spoken word debut while the other version emphasizes Miller’s finesse as a melody maker with Lalah Hathaway expressing herself as only she can. MARCUS is hot, hot, hot and this recording should do very well because of its broad appeal to a cross-generational audience, the great songs, and the wonderful talent represented on the CD.
http://www.soundsoftimelessjazz.com/