MULGREW MILLER
Live At the Kennedy Center, Vol. One

MaxJazz

Read the Jazzitude review of Mulgrew Miller/Live at Yoshi's V. 1 &2

With Mulgrew Miller, the keyword is swinging. Miller is a consummate pianist who is firmly rooted in the blues, and who projects a powerful presence at the keyboard, yet who is never overpowering, listening to and interacting powerfully with his co-pilots. This recording follows the two volumes of Live at Yoshi’s which showed Miller fully matured into a pianist with his own voice. Live at The Kennedy Center was recorded in 2002, at the opening of the Center’s KC Jazz Club. His trio, featuring bassist Derrick Hodge and drummer Rodney Green, is completely sympathetic to his outlook and this is very much a piano trio recording rather than a pianist with backing.

With five tracks lasting just under an hour, this recording doesn’t provide quite as much value as the two Yoshi’s volumes, but what is here is, as Spencer Tracy would say, ‘cherce.’ Opening with a sweep of romance on the standard “If I Should Lose You,” the piece quickly falls into a quick 4/4 clip, and Hodge and Green prove adept not only at driving the beat, but, in the case of Green, on commenting frequently and with spice to Miller’s pianistic flights of fancy. This is a masterful performance that any young pianist would do well to study closely. The group then goes through two Miller originals. First is the bluesy “When I Get There,” which allows Miller to thoroughly explore the blues idiom as well as to get in his Monk licks. At times Miller recalls Monk (on this piece in particular), but more usually he recalls Oscar Peterson’s ability to make swinging at a fast tempo look easy, or the strength of McCoy Tyner, or hints of the impressionistic approach of Bill Evans. The Evans influence can be heard on the waltz-time “From Day to Day,” a beautiful composition that the trio interprets impeccably.

Miller then uncorks his lone ballad, the Hoagy Carmichael chestnut “Skylark,” which is rendered lovingly by the trio. Miller gets off a typically warm and inventive solo before Hodge turns in one of the best bass solos of the disc. With all of these selections averaging ten minutes or slightly longer, Miller and company get plenty of opportunities to spread out and really explore these compositions. They conclude with a breakneck romp through Charlie Parker’s “Relaxin’ At Camarillo,” a bebop standard on which Miller demonstrates that he can hang with the boppers.

There are lots of decent and good pianists out there, but Miller is truly excellent at what he does, which is deliver near-perfect straight ahead piano trio performances. Some may look for more innovation, but the fact is that this is where the jazz piano trio came from, and musicians like Miller are essential to keeping the art alive. Can’t wait for Volume 2!