WHO'S THE GREATEST FUNK BASS PLAYER # 4 MARCUS MILLER

In this Series of Posts, I will Writing about the Artist's who are in My "Who's the Greatest Funk Bass Player" Poll. 

The Poll is over to the Right of the Blog, it has been Running for a Few Week's, so if You haven't already Voted, Please do so!

In these Post's, I will write a few Facts, Figures, Stats and Interesting Stuff on the Artist in Question, I will also include a Playlist of their Greatest Songs.

I will Write a Post on Each Artist, One Every Other Week! 

ARTIST NUMBER 4..............MARCUS MILLER 

Born William Henry Marcus Miller Jr on June 14th 1959 in Brooklyn, NYC.

His Father "William" was a Church Organist and Choir Director, by the Age of 13 Miller was already Proficient at Writing Songs and Playing the Clarinet, Piano and Bass!

By the Age of 15, he was already Working Regularly in NYC, this would Eventually Lead him to Writing and playing Bass for Jazz Flautist "Bobbi Humphrey" and Keyboardist "Lonnie Liston Smith"

Marcus Miller is Multi-Talented in the Music World, he is a Songwriter, Producer, Singer and a Multi-Instrumentalist, which includes the Following: Bass, Double Bass, Guitar, Sax, Clarinet, Recorder and Keyboards!

He Spent 15 Years as a Sideman and Session Musician before Finally going Solo in 1982 and Releasing his Debut Album in 1983.

The Album was Called "Suddenly" and was on the Warner Brothers Record Label, he Produced and Wrote all the Album Tracks apart from 2, these he Co-Wrote, the Album was to Feature a Who's Who in Music at that Time!  

• Marcus Miller: All instruments, lead and background vocals
• Percussion: Ralph MacDonald
• Vibes: Mike Mainieri
• Background Vocals: Yvonne Lewis, Luther Vandross, Tawatha Agee, Brenda White
• Alto Saxophone: David Sanborn
• Drums: Buddy Williams, Yogi Horton, Harvey Mason
• Acoustic Guitar: Nicky Moroch
• 2-String Bass: Dean Crandall, Lewis Paer

Check out the Suddenly Album:

Marcus Miller has Appeared on 100's of Tracks and Albums over the Years, including some of the Greats: 
  
Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Luther Vandross, David Sanborn, Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey, McCoy Turner, Wayne Shorter, Aretha Franklin, Frank Sinatra, Elton John, Grover Washington Jr, Donald Fagen, Bill Withers, 
Chaka Khan and LL Cool J, just to name a Few!

Marcus Millers Album Discography, as follows:

15 Solo Albums
Nearly 30 Albums for Luther Vandross
1 Album for Grover Washington Jr
15 for David Sanborn between 1977 and 1999
7 Albums for Miles Davis between 1981 and 2002
2 Albums with "The Jamaica Boys" between 1987 and 1989, The Jamaica Boys Featured amongst others, Miller, Bernard Wright and Lenny Williams.
1 Album for Dizzy Gillispie in 1984

He as also had Songs Featured in over 20 Movies over the Period Between 1990 to 2009.

In 2008 after Playing with 2 other "Bassist" Stanley Clarke and Victor Wooton, they Decided to Release an Album under the Guise of S.M.V, the album was called "Thunder"

A Selection of Marcus Millers Solo Tracks:




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SERIOUS HEART PROBLEMS and ELECTRO MUSIC

The Date now is Late June 1987, the Final Week in June to be Precise, how can I remember this so easily, my Father had just Died the Previous week!

Ironically He Died the day before Father's Day!

I had Never had that Feeling before, I had known a few people who had Died, but Nobody that Close, and he was only 52 Years of Age!

I Felt Really Sorry for my Mother, she was only in her Middle 40's, I Remember Me & Susan used to try & Help out a lot back then, getting her Shopping in and taking her out to different Places and mainly making Sure she was not on her own a lot!

We also  helped her with the Funeral Arrangements etc, in one way I was Lucky because, Work Wise I was Self-Employed and did not Work for a while, so we Probably spent as much time around my Mother's House as we did our own!

I was 28 Years of Age by this Time and Never seen a Dead Body before, but I knew that I wanted to see My Old Man for One Last Time, so me and Susan went to the Chapel Of Rest, I think I actually went Twice!  

I will Never Forget that Experience and we Decided that Our Kids were not going to see their Grandad like that, Since then I have only ever seen one other person like that, but He was an Exception, because He was a Great Man, Neighbour & Friend of ours, by the Name of George Bowles.

During that Week between the Death and Funeral of my Father, I found out a few things concerning why he had Died etc, as I have said previously my Mother was not a Person who told me that much, but it Turned out my Father had a More Serious Heart Problems, then she ever said!

In Year's to come, I was to find out a lot more Concerning my Father's Heart Problem's, as I was to Inherit Them, and to think this was after Susan (my Wife) had asked my Mother "Could Lee ever get this Heart Disease in the Future" and her Reply was "of Course he Cant"

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As for some Music this week, something a bit Different this Week, Back in the Early 80's I used to Buy a Fair bit of Electro Music, this was Something a little different from Soul & Funk!

Some of my Favorites Artists were "Afrika Bambaataa" Jonzun Crew "Hashim" Planet Patrol" Warp 9 etc 

There were some Great Tracks by Artists such as : Herbie Hancock "Arthur Baker" Freeez "Mantronix" Tyrone Brunson & Kraftwerk

I think by the Late 80's, Electro was just about Finished, but it was Great while it Lasted!

I found a Great Mix on YouTube by MusicalObsessions, have a Listen and if you like it Download it from Here. 

Here's the Full track Listing!

Dynamix II - Give The Dj A Break
Information Society - Running (Nest Remix)
Imperial Brothers - We Come To Scratch
Hashim - Al-Naafyish (The Soul)
Jive Rhythm Trax -122 BPM
Cybotron - Clear
Chris 'The Glove' Taylor & Ice - T - Reckless
Twighlight 22 - Electric Kingdom
Rock Master Scott & The Dynamic Three - The Roof Is On Fire
Hashim - We're Rocking The Planet
D.J Unknown - 808 Beats
Egyptian Lover - Egypt Egypt
Newcleus - Jam On It
Jonzun Crew - Pac Jam

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THE 120th MIX FOR F.S.V.B

I hope Everybody had a Great Christmas as I did and After all the Fuss of last week, I'm now back to Normal, Post Wise. This Week, to calm things Down a bit, I have got a Nice Slow Jazz Mix by the Vertical Group, its called "Revelation" there are some Tracks on here  from some Jazz Greats including  Herbie Hancock, The Yellowjackets, Bobby Hutcherson and Michael Brecker!


Go to The Vertical Group's "let's mix Page" for more Great Mixes!



REVELATION from THE VERTICAL GROUP at Letsmix.com.


I will be back to Posting this coming Sunday, starting with a "Musical Post" Featuring a Great Soul Band from the 70's "REVELATION"

BUNKS AND HERBIE HANCOCK

The first night on the platform, we were given a Cabin just for that Night and told we would be Allocated our Permanent Cabin's the following Day.


So myself and the Steward Peter were shown to a Cabin along with some other Blokes, it turned out there were 6 Bunks/Beds in a very Small Cabin, and they were 3 either side of the cabin.

As the other Worker's were already in there and sorted out, me and Peter had what was left, the top 2 Bunks, you have imagine this, the Top Bunks must have been about 8 or 9 Feet off the ground, they were that High, we even had a Ladder to get to them!


Any way we settled in, as this was November time (1983) it was dark outside by about 15.30 hrs, so we didn't do to much Sight-Seeing that first Day, but around about 16.00 hrs, something happened I had never experienced before! 

The Alarm went off, what a Panic that was, we were still in the Cabin, so we had to get all out Safety Gear on, Overalls , Boots, Life jacket etc etc, so then it was just a matter of getting to the Muster Point Asap, I remember that First Alarm like it was Yesterday!


The whole process took about 30 minutes and as soon as everybody was accounted for, we were all off back to our Cabins.

I found out around this point, from other Experienced Workers, that Gas Platform Alarms go off on a Regular Basis and at all times, obviously because of the Fumes!


After we got back to the cabin, we got sorted out and then went to get something to eat for Tea.

I played Pool that night and met some of the other Worker's, all of them seemed alright, we went back to the Cabin around 22.00 hrs  and got ready for bed!


It felt like Climbing Everest getting into that Bunk, as I said it was at least 8/9 feet off the Ground, but eventually I made to the Top!


I then had talk with Peter, about the Job and then a nice relaxing Read of a Book (for about 60 minutes)  before I decided to go to Sleep, it must have been around 23.30 hrs.


Little did I know what was instore for myself in about a Couple of Hours Time, around 2 am the following Morning !
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As for Music around this period, what about Herbie Hancock, he generally up until  then  Produced Jazz Music, but his Single Release "Rockit" was a Big Change for Him.


It was released in June of 1983, and was from the forthcoming Album "Future Shock" which was Released in August of '83.


It was the first Record to use Scratching and other turntable Techniques, they were Performed by GrandMixer D.ST 


It was Produced by Bill Laswell and was a WorldWide Hit.


It was a Great Record, I remember buying the 7 in, 12 in and Album (on Tape)

THE 85th MIX FOR F.S.V.B

Here's the 85th Mix for F.S.V.B, Its been Mixed by HeavySoulBrutha, there's some classic  Jazz /Jazz Funk Music Tracks on here, Its called, Groove Merchant!                       

Its features Donald Byrd, Herbie Hancock, George Benson, Grover Washington Jr and Eddie Henderson to name but a Few!

Check Out WebPage For Track Listing and Download.

Groove Merchant! by Heavysoulbrutha on Mixcloud

THE 39th MIX FOR FSVB

Here's the 39th Mix for F.S.V.B,  Its been Mixed by Nanoelectriks,  there's some classic  Electro/ HipHop Tracks on here, Its called The Breakdance Vol 1! 
Its features Artistes including some Trouble Funk, Mann Parrish, Herbie Hancock and Shannon!



The Breakdance from nanoelectriks at Letsmix.com.

THE 24th FUNK MIX FOR FSVB

Here's the 24th Mix for F.S.V.B, Its been Mixed by Hades, Subvert Central, its a "70's Blaxploitation Funk Mix "

In this MIX there are some classic Funk Tracks, including..
James Brown, Herbie Hancock, Esther Williams & Curtis Mayfield.


Either press play to listen or press link to go to page and Download!
and checkout playlist!