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Marcus Miller: Afrodeezia

 A l b u m   D e t a i l s


Label: Blue Note Records
Released: 2015.03.17
Time:
 65:02
Category: Jazz, World Fusion
Producer(s): Marcus Miller
Rating:
Media type: CD
Web address: www.marcusmiller.com
Appears with:
Purchase date: 2015
Price in €: 1,00





 S o n g s ,   T r a c k s


[1] Hylife (M.MillerM.CH.Soumano/A.Wade) - 6:59
[2] B’s River (M.Miller) - 6:49
[3] Preacher’s Kid [Song for William H] (M.Miller/A.Wade) - 5:46
[4] We Were There (Djavan/M.Miller) - 6:49
[5] Papa Was A Rolling Stone (B.Strong/N.J.Whitfield) - 6:07
[6] I Still Believe I Hear [Je Crois Entendre Encore] (G.Bizet) - 7:06
[7] Son of Macbeth (M.Miller) - 6:12 *
[8] Prism [Interlude] (M.Miller/B.Williams/L.Hogans/L.Cato/A.Agati/A.Han) - 0:30
[9] Xtraordinary (M.Miller) - 6:14 **
[10] Water Dancer (M.Miller) - 7:28
[11] I Can’t Breathe (M.Miller/Chuck D./A.Dornblum) - 5:09

 * - Tribute to Ralph MacDonald
** - For Tis

 A r t i s t s ,   P e r s o n n e l


Marcus Miller - Bass Guitar on [1,2,4-8,10,11], Fretless Bass Guitar on [6,9], Acoustic Bass on [3], Party Vocal on [1], Gimbri on [2,11], Bass Clarinet on [2,3,9,11], Piano on [3,9], Fender Rhodes & Synths on [11], Kalimba on [9], Vocals on [9], Horn Arrangement on [3], Arrangement on [5,6], Producer
Louis Cato - Drums on [1-7,9,10], Vocal Riffs on [1], Djembe on [6], Manual Drum Machine on [8]
Lee Hogans - Trumpet on [1,4,6,8,9]
Brett Williams - Piano on [1,2,4,6,7], Fender Rhodes on [4,8]
Alex Han - Alto Saxophone on [1,2,4,5,7-10], Soprano Saxophone on [6]
Adam Agati - Guitar on [1,4,6-8,10], Electric Guitar on [2], Urban Blues Guitar on [5]
Lamumba Henry: Percussion on [6], Djembe on [9]
Cliff Barnes - Soul Organ & Jazz Piano on [2], Piano on [10]

Featuring:
Ben Hong - Cello on [6]
Chuck D. - Guest on [11]
Mocean Worker - Guitar on [11], Breakdown Bass Guitar on [11], Drum Programming on [11], Fender Rhodes on [11], Co-Producer on [11]

Guest Musicians:
Adama Bilorou Dembele - Percussion on [1,2,10], Background Vocals on [1]
Cherif Soumano - Background Vocals on [1], Kora on [2,10]
Guimba Kouyaté - Acoustic Guitar on [1,2,10], Background Vocals on [1]
Etienne Charles - Trumpet on [2,7], Percussion on [7]
Cory Henry - Organ Solo on [3]
Robert Glasper - Fender Rhodes Solo on [4]
Lalah Hathaway - Scat Vocals on [4]
Marco Lobo - Percussion on [4]
Keb’ Mo’ - Delta Blues Guitar on [2]
Wah Wah Watson - Detroit Wah Wah Guitar on [2]
Patches Stewart - N'awlins Trumpet on [2]
Munyungo Jackson - African Percussion on [2]
Robert Greenidge - Steel Pans on [4]
Ambrose Akinmusire - Trumpet on [10]
Michael Doucet - Violin on [10]
Roddie Romero - Accordion on [10]
Alune Wade - Musical Suggestions on [10]
Alune Wade - Lead Vocals on [1], Choir Vocals on [3]
Julia Sarr - Choir Vocals on [3]
Alvin Chea - Choir Vocals on [3], Bass Voice on [9]
Lalah Hathaway - Vocals on [3]
Aline Cabral - Background Vocals on [4]
Andrea Dutra - Background Vocals on [4]
Christiane Correa Tristao - Background Vocals on [4]

Harold Goode - Executive Producer, Associate Producer
Harry Martin - Executive Producer
Taka Honda - Engineer/Manager, Recording Engineer, Mixing on [1,7,10]
Justin Tocket - Recording Engineer
Serge Glanzberg - Recording Engineer
André Cavalante - Recording Engineer
Ghian Wright - Recording Engineer
Hollis Greathouse - Recording Engineer
Glenn Brown - Recording Engineer
John Roods - Recording Engineer
Ken Rich - Recording Engineer
JP Hesser - Recording Engineer
Pierce Bossley - Assistant Engineer
Gustavo Essinger - Assistant Engineer
Carlos Loureiro - Assistant Engineer
Kevin de Lorgeril - Assistant Engineer
Paul “Flint: Quantin - Assistant Engineer
Louie Teran - Mastering
Dave Isaac - Mixing on [3-5]
David Rideau - Mixing on [2,6,9]
James Saez - Mixing on [11]
Marcus' Blackberry - Mixing on [8]
Bibi Green - Project Coordination, Artist Management
Nicolas Pflug - Blue Note A&R
Don Was - Blue Note A&R
Rebecca Meek - Art Direction
Cathrin Cammett - Album Photography

 C o m m e n t s ,   N o t e s


Recorded at:
Dockside Studio, Lafayette, Louisiana
Riomar Studios, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
G Point Studio, Paris, France
Festival Gnaoua et Musique du Monde, Essouira, Morocco
Hannibal Studios, Santa Monica, CA
The Village, Los Angeles, CA

Additional Recording Studios:
Queens Studio, Queens NY
Jack of All Studios, Quincy, MA
Audible Images, Pittsburgh, PA
The Dornmitory, South Pasadena, CA
Jankland Recording, Wall Township, NJ
1172 Bounce, North Brunswick, NJ
GBP Studio, Detroit, MI
Rustic Space, Portland, ME
Grand Street Recording Studios, Brooklyn, NY
Castaway7, Ventura, CA

Mixed at:
Hannibal Studios, Santa Monica, CA
Cane River Studio, Sherman Oaks, CA
The Lodge, Long Beach, CA
Apollo 32, South Gate, CA
The Audio Labs, Glendale, CA



This album is dedicated to my wife, Brenda. For all your love, support, inspiration, ideas, encouragement, and more love! You are my secret weapon! I am blessed and this is for you.

This music is a celebration of people’s ability to endure and overcome oppression, finding hope, meaning and joy through music.

I was recently named the spokesperson for UNESCO’s “Slave Route Project”. It’s a project aimed at raising awareness of the story of slavery - reaching out particularly to younger people who may not be aware of what folks have had to endure (and still endure in some parts of the world).

As I speak to people it becomes apparent how important music is in giving a voice to people who have no voice. African slaves in the US took their experiences and put it into the music. They figured out a way to turn their pain and suffering into amazing sounds: spirituals, blues, jazz, R&B.

This is a celebration of those amazing sounds.

For this project, I collaborated with musicians from West Africa, South America, the Caribbean, the southern US and the large northern cities of the US. This is my way of paying tribute to the long journey of my African ancestors who became African-Americans. The melodies and rhythms they carried with them from Africa have EXPLODED into a "dizzying" array of musical styles and genres that have changed the world.

For me, the phrases "I Can't Breathe" and "Got My Hands Up", more than referring to specific incidents, are metaphors to describe the feeling of helplessness in the face of oppression . We need to celebrate police who put their lives on the line every day to do their jobs and we need to shine a light on those who abuse their positions of authority. Bringing these issues to light is the first step towards overcoming them .

PEACE!!

Marcus Miller



Bassist/composer Marcus Miller has signed to Universal Jazz & Classics in France and will make his debut for Blue Note Records next month with the release of his new album Afrodeezia, which will be available March 16 in Europe and March 17 in the U.S. The album’s lead single “Hylife” is available today across all digital retailers and streaming services. Miller has also announced select shows around the album’s March release in Chicago, Washington DC, New York and Los Angeles, with further tour dates to be announced shortly.

Afrodeezia—which was inspired by Miller’s role as a UNESCO Artist For Peace and spokesperson for the organization’s Slave Route Project—was recorded in locations around the world including Morocco, Paris, Rio de Janeiro, New Orleans and Los Angeles, and features a wide range of guests including rapper Chuck D., vocalist Lalah Hathaway, keyboardist Robert Glasper, trumpeters Etienne Charles and Ambrose Akinmusire, guitarists Keb’ Mo’ and Wah Wah Watson, bassist/producer Mocean Worker, organist Cory Henry (Snarky Puppy), and cellist Ben Hong, as well as musicians from Africa, South America and the Caribbean. Miller’s core band includes saxophonist Alex Han, trumpeter Lee Hogans, pianist Brett Williams, guitarist Adam Agati, and drummer Louis Cato.

"It was after visiting the House of Slaves on Gorée Island that I composed “Gorée,” explains Miller, referring to the powerful track featured on his previous album Renaissance. “Onstage I felt the need to say what I had been feeling in Senegal. I wanted people to understand that this tune spoke not only of the slave tragedy but, through the music especially, that these people who suddenly found themselves at the bottom of a ship's hold had discovered a way to survive, and were able in time to transform their distress into joy. Shortly after my trip to Gorée, UNESCO named me an Artist for Peace, and made me the spokesperson for the Slave Route Project. That was when I started thinking about Afrodeezia."

"The power of music has no limits,” states Miller. “Through spirituals, jazz and soul we were able to preserve our history, because all the rest had been erased. What I wanted most was to go back to the source of the rhythms that make our musical heritage so rich, to follow them like footprints from their beginnings in Africa all the way to the United States. That journey took us from Mali to Paris, from New Orleans to Sao Paulo and across the Caribbean.”

“For this project, I collaborated with musicians from West Africa, South America, the Caribbean, the southern U.S. and the large northern cities of the U.S. This is my way of paying tribute to the long journey of my African ancestors who became African-Americans. The melodies and rhythms they carried with them from Africa have EXPLODED into a ‘dizzying’ array of musical styles and genres that have changed the world.”

© 2015 BLUE NOTE RECORDS



Afrodeezia is bassist Marcus Miller's debut for Blue Note Records. Produced by the artist, the 11-track set features his core band -- saxophonist Alex Han, trumpeter Lee Hogans, pianist Brett Williams, guitarist Adam Agati, and drummer Louis Cato -- with an international list of guests. The music was inspired by Miller's work as a UNESCO artist for peace, and as a spokesperson for the Slave Route project. Afrodeezia is a masterful contemporary reflection of transcontinental rhythms and melodies that have migrated through the bodies and spirits of African slaves as they were transported to South America, the Caribbean, and the United States before refracting back across the globe in the contemporary era through jazz, R&B, and hip-hop. "Hylife," the set's first single, reflects the long reach of Ghana's popular style grafted on to contemporary jazz-funk with a host of Senegalese musicians on percussion and backing vocals. Lead vocals are provided courtesy of Alune Wade, the great Senegalese bassist. Despite its intense dancefloor appeal, the players' sophisticated rhythmic and harmonic interplay is ferocious. On "B's River," kora player Cherif Soumano and guest trumpeter Etienne Charles solo with Miller on gimbri, bass, and bass clarinet. "Preacher's Kid (Song for William H)" melds modern jazz and American and African gospel. The bassist performs on upright, clarinet, and piano; Cory Henry guests with a gorgeous organ solo as Lalah Hathaway delivers wordless vocals supported by Wade, Dakar's mezzo-soprano Julia Sarr, and Take 6's Alvin Chea. "We Were There" celebrates the example of George Duke and Joe Sample and how their love for Brazilian sounds transformed modern jazz. Robert Glasper's Fender Rhodes is a nice foil for Miller's dominant bassline. Hathaway's scat vocals are appended by a Brazilian chorus with percussion from Marco Lobo. The cover of "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" features guitarists Wah-Wah Watson (who appeared on the Temptations' hit), and Keb' Mo', whose blues approach arcs the lineage to the Delta. Patches Stewart adds his NOLA trumpet playing to emphasize that city's R&B groove in the heart of Northern Soul. Rightfully, this jam is ruled by Miller's bassline, which pays homage to the original while revealing how it influenced everything in popular music that came afterward. "Son of Macbeth" is another monster groover that re-links calypso to contemporary jazz. Just as Robert Greenridge's steel pan drums made Grover Washington, Jr. and Bill Withers' "(Just) the Two of Us" so infectious, Greenridge appears to do the same here. "I Can't Breathe," with just Miller and Mocean Worker creating a wild meld of instrumental color, back Public Enemy's Chuck D in wedding hard funk, political hip-hop, and dance music, exhorting the listener to remember that the struggle for equality is not over. Miller's wide-angle view of jazz is extended further on the glorious Afrodeezia. It reveals in a sophisticated, exceptionally ambitious manner the labyrinthine interconnectedness of earlier sounds and rhythms -- which emerged from bondage and horrific suffering -- to new ones that bring the world joy.

Thom Jurek - All Music Guide



Incredibly adept as a multi-faceted instrumentalist who also plays bass clarinet, saxophone and keyboards, Miller was raised in a musical family that included jazz pianist Wynton Kelly and his father, WIlliam Miller, who instilled in Marcus a passion to be the best musician he could be.   Being exposed to a wealth of music since the age of 12 also increased Miller’s burning desire to develop his own unique musical attributes.    These potpourri of sounds are reflected in Miller’s instinctive arranging and producing, making him feel right at home with a variety of styles and projects, ranging from the go-go induced "Da Butt" from Spike Lee's School Daze soundtrack, collaborations with contemporary jazzman David Sanborn and work on Luther’s smooth silky hit parade (“Power of Love,” “Dance with My Father,” etc.).  Miller was also instrumental in the latter portion of Davis’s career, including the critically mixed, heavily synthesizer-friendly fusion jazz fueled Tutu, featuring two tracks that were inspired by South Africa's Archbishop Desmond Tutu (the title track) and Nelson Mandala (“Full Nelson.  Yet Miller’s mission statement goes beyond an in-demand studio player/musician and solo artist out for Grammy glory.

Besides his role as an international ambassador for jazz who has travelled extensively all over the world (check the map under Tour on Miller’s website), Miller is fervently passionate about his African ancestors, whose survival as slaves were driven by the power of music.  More recently, Miller was named the Artist for Peace by UNESCO and a spokesman in the Slave Road Project after visiting the House of Slaves on Goree Island in Senegal.  This powerful visit sprang forth “Goree,” from his last CD, Renaissance,  and is the basis for Miller’s latest work, Afrodeezia.

In honoring Miller’s black African ancestors, Afrodeezia incorporates his own working band and his extended musical family from the Caribbean, South America and West Africa.  Miller’s musical paintings illustrate how several generations of those ancestors have influenced the urban music culture in so many ways.  The first single, “Hylife,” bridges the sweet highlife rhythms of Ghana with funk-spiced-jazz, revolving around sweet breakdowns and solid instrumental adlibs. “I Can’t Breathe” (featuring Chuck D and Mocean Worker) is perhaps a candidate for the next single, anchored by its catchy hand clapping electro rhythms and pulsing marimba, flanked by a ‘rock the microphone’ appearance by Chuck D: “Never a good thing when you are breathing in fear.”    The energetic festivities continue with “Son of Macbeth,” packed with rock riffs and an engaging hook with brass, marimba and electric guitar, and “Water Dancer,” which dabbles in avant-jazz, anchored by aggressive African percussion, marvelously matched by trumpet, saxophone and electric guitar solos.

There are virtually no bumps on Afrodeezia, except perhaps the curious selection of “Papa Was A Rolling Stone,” a performance offers little compared to The Temptations’ definitive psychedelic soul rendition from 1972, other than Miller’s always welcome double bass punch (guitar and clarinet).

Miller’s more profound work on Afrodeezia speaks loudly.  An African choir and Miller on bass clarinet enhance some unusual textures for the almost unplugged “Preacher’s Kid Song (Song for William H),” touched up with gospel and blues overtones.  Though known for his ear-defying bass tapping and popping, Miller’s sensitive bass approach is another of his strongest suits, as demonstrated on the opening of “B’s River,” highlighted by a plucked acoustic bass hook. “We Were There” further spotlights Miller’s bass skill set, switching between bass popping, warm tones and complex layering.  Unfortunately, “Xtraordinary” is fairly ordinary with the patent smooth jazz runs, despite shining moments from the brass section and nice contributions from Miller’s bass, sax, vocals and marimba toward the end.

True to Marcus Miller’s mission statement to honor his African ancestors, Afrodeezia is an enjoyable canvas of his vision that covers folk, gospel, rap, and more, while tying it all together with his insightful brand of jazz.  And if there is a final argument to recommend Afrodeezia it is the undeniable pleasure of hearing a first-rate international musician like Marcus Miller simply doing his thing.    Solidly Recommended.

Peggy Oliver
© 2003-2015 SoulTracks.com



Plenty of air miles have gone into Afrodeezia, recorded at slave-trade locations in Africa, the Americas and France by former Miles Davis bass guitarist and composer Marcus Miller, spurred by his role as a spokesperson for Unesco’s Slave Route Project.

Vocalist Lalah Hathaway, rapper Chuck D and jazz musicians Robert Glasper and Ambrose Akinmusire are among the guests on a typically inviting and pop-friendly Miller venture, taking in sauntering hi-life themes, elegantly orchestrated gospel songs, dark and guttural R&B, and a chanson-like episode mingling classical cello and electric bass.

The smoothly frolicking groover Hylife, with its warm brass parts, soul-sax wail from the David Sanborn-like Alex Han, snappy bass-guitar accents and soft vocal chants, sounds like a single, which it is. The twanging turns, chiming sounds and thumping low accents of Miller’s bass-playing still dazzle on tracks such as the Africanised pop ballad B’s River or the breezily shuffling (but rather cheesily sung) We Were There. Preacher’s Kid is intimately gospelly, and Xtraordinary has echoes of Weather Report in its yearning unison theme for sax and bass guitar.

Despite the seriousness of his subject, the versatile Miller’s work never altogether shakes off an air of expert slickness, but some strong themes and plenty of urgent improvising more or less neutralise that.

John Fordham - 19 March 2015
© 2015 Guardian News



Auf seinem neuen Album »Afrodeezia« befasst sich Topbassist Marcus Miller mit seinen afrikanischen Wurzeln. Er zeichnet nach, wie die Menschen, die einst versklavt wurden, die Musik der Länder entlang der »Route der Sklaven« prägten und bis heute beeinflussen. Es ist eine beschwingt groovende Reise in die Geschichte.

Die Idee zu »Afrodeezia« kam Marcus Miller auf seinen Reisen als Artist For Peace und Sprecher des Slave Route Project der UNESCO. In den musikalischen Spuren aus der Zeit der Sklaverei erkannte er die große Freude an Musik. Der musikalische Lebenswille trotzte der unmenschlichen Behandlung und hat sich in vielen Musikstilen erhalten. Von Afrika verbreitete sich der fröhliche Geist der Musik in die Karibik, nach Südamerika und die Südstaaten der USA und wurde anschließend in die Welt getragen.

Marcus Miller nahm »Afrodeezia« mit seiner Kernband und zahlreichen Gastmusikern an verschiedenen Orten rund um die Welt auf: Marokko, Paris, Rio de Janeiro, New Orleans und Los Angeles. Zum festen Kern gehören Saxophonist Alex Han, Trompeter Lee Hogans, Pianist Brett Williams, Gitarrist Adam Agati und Schlagzeuger Louis Cato. Ein breites Spektrum an Gästen bereichert den vielseitigen Klang von »Afrodeezia«: Rapper Chuck D., Vokalist Lalah Hathaway, Keyboarder Robert Glasper, Trompeter Etienne Charles und Ambrose Akinmusire, Gitarristen Keb’ Mo’ und Wah Wah Watson, Bassist und Produzent Mocean Worker, Cellist Ben Hong und viele weitere Musiker aus Afrika, Südamerika und der Karibik.

Die Musik auf »Afrodeezia« ist instrumental. Für Marcus Miller bedeutet dieses Projekt so viel, dass er keine Sprachbarrieren aufbauen möchte. Es gefällt ihm, dass er mit der rein instrumentalen Sprache der Musik und deren emotionaler Aussage Hörer in Japan oder Rumänien gleichermaßen erreichen kann. Jeder darf und soll seine Emotionen in »Afrodeezia« hineinhören und die Musik spüren. Damit schließt sich auch der Kreis zu Millers Mission als Artist for Peace der UNESCO.

»Afrodeezia« formuliert die frohe Botschaft von Marcus Miller: Wenn Musik vermochte, den versklavten Menschen in ihrer tiefen Verzweiflung Hoffnung zu geben und ihren Überlebenswillen zu stärken, dann kennt die Kraft der Musik wahrhaftig keine Grenzen.

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