Learn Mike Miller - 2001 Salve The Moon

The playful encompass art directly draws your attending -- it's similar wacky video game characters, including a Planet of the Ape guy -- but it mightiness non give off the correct impression of the nature of this disc, which is a hip fusion explosion led past times 1 of L.A.'s most ubiquitous guitar heroes who is known generally every bit a first-call sideman. Though there's beat too tune to spare, the best means to depict Miller's gear upwards of eclecticism is experimental rock. Over a bouncy bed of blues organ set past times Mitch Forman, Miller lives upwards to the championship of "The Sky Lights Up," modulating his electrical strings at different pitches piece tweaking out a tune employment over the moody grooves. "Beatnik" is less involving melodically, but has an irresistibly creepy groove, featuring Jimmy Johnson's throbbing low-end bass too the trombone harmonies of Bruce Fowler. The championship rail industrial plant every bit a funky rock-flavored anthem without words, highlighted past times a sizzling duet past times Miller too Fowler at their most intense. After the intentionally abrasive distorted guitar slice "Rocket Dog," a moody encompass of John Lennon's "Julia" is a relief, introducing non entirely Miller's romantic side but every bit good his dearest for the Beatles, which puts him on the musical path. He too thence goes "Lennon extreme" on a booming twist of "I Am the Walrus," which is psychedelic guitarisma at its finest. "A Dark Waltz" cools the stride for about other romantic interlude. Miller's a fleck all over the map, but that seems to survive the indicate too such characterizes his life every bit an L.A. musician. Guitar fans volition dearest this best of all, but Beatles fans really bespeak to take away heed 2 of the finest instrumental covers ever.

I saw Mike too his California quintet at the Baked Potato inwards LA nigh three years ago. I had never heard of him, I really went to run into Republic of Chad Wackerman too Jimmy Johnson from Holdsworth's trio who were playing with him. I was only killed. Mike's got to survive 1 of the most imaginative, master copy guitarists anywhere. His playing is unique too defies description. This CD is a pretty expert representation of his sound. He really wails a picayune fleck harder live.

The outset fourth dimension I had heard Mike's guitar was on the Yellowjackets 2d LP.. Loved the phrasing. Saw him alive at the Mt.Fuji Jazz Festival with Chick Corea inwards 1984, along with Band Overboard. Mike Miller is really a dandy guitarist every bit good every bit a composer. Wish to a greater extent than people knew nigh him.

Mike Miller is clearly 1 of the most underrated,gifted guitarists of our time. This album clearly shows this. H5N1 dandy combination of sense of savour too texture, harmonic simplicity too complexity, too chemical scientific discipline betwixt the players. Simply a joy to heed to all the means through. My favorite rail is "Save The Moon". It's similar Flim too The BB's crossed with an old Jazz Crusaders vibe. The build-up at the terminate is damn nigh orgasmic!
Mike Miller volition absolutely blow y'all away alive every bit well. He really deserves his due. See for yourself.

Mike Miller is a guitarist whose playing too writing communicates a stunning musical universe. While much is made of individuality too originality with musicians, Miller seems beyond those qualities: he is unlikely inwards the means he defies description. Consider that Miller has worked with jazz pianist Chick Corea, diva/comedienne Bette Midler, popular craftsmen Gino Vanelli too Burton Cummings, the Los Angeles Philharmonic New Music Group, british jazz-rock band Brand X, Wall of Voodoo´s Stan Ridgeway, cinema composer too onetime Devo front end human Mark Mothersbaugh, the Frank Zappa Banned from Utopia alumni band, too many others. This is a attain of sense that challenges the imagination -- edgy spontaneity inwards Corea´s electrical jazz, slapstick \"comedy guitar\" with Bette Midler, too complex orchestration inwards the writing of Marc Anthony Turnage too Frank Zappa.

Then heed to his outset solo CD, Save the Moon, which features Jimmy Johnson, Tom Brechtlein, Mitchel Forman, Peter Erskine, too Ralph Humphrey. The music on this CD reflects Miller´s commitment to prepare his ain voice, which juggles a rich too wonderful contradiction of qualities: the raw excitement of the electrical guitar with a technique that pushes the boundaries of the instrument, too a wide vocabulary with a mischievous sense of sense of humor -- he mightiness play a part a pianist would operate out with 2 hands, or grace the terminate of a bebop phrase with a Chuck Berry lick too dip of the tremolo bar. Miller is a riveting improviser who tin pull y'all to the border of your topographic point every bit y'all follow 1 musical stance developing into about other or bending through a serial of unexpected twists too turns... too the results are complex, soundless melodic too accessible. H5N1 uncomplicated path lies beneath the surface of all this activity, revealing a guitarist engaged inwards a playful search for constant musical growth.

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Track listing:

1. The Sky Lights Up
2. Beatnik
3. Save The Moon
4. Gold
5. Rocket Dog
6. Julia
7. I Am The Walrus
8. Dark Waltz
9. H5N1 Hair Less Bass

Personnel:

Mike Miller: Guitar, Keyboards, Loops
Mitchel Forman: Keyboards 1,4,6,7,8,9
David Witham: Keyboards 3
Bruce Fowler: Trombone
Jimmy Johnson: Bass
Peter Erskine: Drums 2,4,8
Tom Brechtlein: Drums 1,3,6,7,9
Ralph Humphrey: Drums 5