Marcus Miller is foremost known as a Grammy-winning bass player, but as he proves on Silver Rain, Miller is equally formidable as an arranger. Taking songs from a disparate mix of artists that includes Stevie Wonder, Duke Ellington, Jimi Hendrix, Edgar Winter, Beethoven and Prince, Miller's skills are in almost embarrassing abundance here. On Edgar Winter's 70s rock jam "Frankenstein", his band (including the likes of Kirk Whalum on tenor and Kenny Garret on alto) flat out wails, but Miller's slapping bass keeps the groove completely locked down. In contrast, his take on Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata" sets the stage for Miller's mellow-groove skills while the cover of Stevie Wonder's "Boogie On Reggae a Woman" is Miller at his intricate, funky best. On Prince's "Girls & Boys", Macy Gray adds her swooping, sensual vocals while Eric Clapton sits in on the title track. Clocking in at around 75 minutes, this CD is full to bursting, but what's striking here is not the quantity, but the quality. Miller is able to effortlessly make this material his own; moreover he is able to take an impossibly diverse set of songs and construct an album with real cohesion and flow. There is a lot happening on this album, as multi-instrumentalist Miller swaps instruments, moods and musicians from tune to tune, to his credit, however, he never loses the trail. The result is an extremely enjoyable album and an apt platform for Miller's many, many talents. --Steve Duda
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
Modern Jazz with other contemporary influences:
It's a bass player's album, but not purely bass driven. As an old time rocker and recent Jazz fan I really liked this album. The small amount of hip hop influence is not objectionable and having Eric Clapton play on the title cut is awesome.
Great album:
Great album with some very likeable tunes. As a bass player I love listening to it, great grooves and playing from a true master. Though, my girlfriend even enjoys the music on this album. If you play bass, get it! If not, get it anyway.
The marcus groove still grooves:
From the man who gave us Boomerang and Tutu "Silver Rain" is a must have!! A good investement on my part. Cuts Silver Rain And Boys and Girls are way back yonder funk!!!
Marcus - World's Greatest Bassist!:
It's easy to critisize, much harder to actually create..Marcus is a true creator and has been for so many years now. If you know his history, you know how powerful a producer he is, with the likes of Miles and Sanborn. This album is really fun. It's open to both older folks like me and the up and coming younger musicians. Marcus took something Miles said to heart. "Incorporate the popular music of the day." to paraphrase. Miles always gave room to what was happening in the world, instead of ignoring... more info
Tracks:
Intro Duction
Bruce Lee
La Villette
Behind the Smile
Frankenstein - Marcus Miller, Winter, Edgar
Moonlight Sonata - Marcus Miller, vanBeethoven, Ludwi
Boogie on Reggae Woman - Marcus Miller, Wonder, Stevie
Paris (Interlude)
Silver Rain
Make up My Mind
Girls et Boys - Marcus Miller, Prince
Sophisticated Lady - Marcus Miller, Ellington, Duke
Power of Soul - Marcus Miller, Hendrix, Jimi
Outro Duction
If Only for One Night - Marcus Miller, Russell, Brenda
