Jazz breaking news: Revered pianist Mulgrew Miller dies aged 57
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Revered Mississippi-born pianist Mulgrew Miller, best known for his work with Art Blakey, Betty Carter and Tony Williams, as well as recording on over 500 albums, has died following a stroke on Wednesday, he was 57.
His death was confirmed by his colleague David Demsey – the saxophonist and coordinator of jazz studies at William Paterson University in Wayne, New Jersey, where Miller also served as director of jazz studies.
While Miller was a highly distinguished and much sought after sideman, it was also as a leader that he built such a high degree of respect from both fans and peers, his McCoy Tyner-ish style the perfect amalgam of hard swinging post bop and pristine technique, through which he added a sharp contemporary harmonic edge to create his own modal style. His 17 solo albums featured both his group Wingspan, and his young trio, which showcased rising stars Derek Hodge (who later found wider recognition as a member of Robert Glasper’s bands) or Ivan Taylor on bass and drummer Rodney Green. He was also a regular member of bass icon Ron Carter’s Golden Striker Trio, alongside guitarist Russell Malone.
Taking up piano at age six, after his father bought him a piano, he first become besotted with jazz aged 14 after seeing Oscar Peterson perform on TV. It was a pivotal moment in his musical development and he went on to spend the next two decades as a fulltime touring professional working with the Duke Ellington Orchestra, (under the direction of Duke’s son Mercer) and trumpeter Woody Shaw as well as the aforementioned Carter, Blakey and Williams and many others. Highly respected by both traditionalists and modernists alike Miller succeeded in uniting both elements in his music, forging a timeless sound that swung hard and oozed sophistication – all the more reason he will be so sorely missed. He is survived by his wife Tanya, son Darnell and daughter Leilani, as well as a grandson, three brothers and three sisters.
(Photo by Tim Dickeson)