Bass, bass players, Miller – the man alone is a hurricane on his instrument. When a competent band rolls out the sound carpet for him, no foot can stand still. No wonder that many jazz greats have already noticed him.
The list of those he has worked with is long. As examples, the following big names are mentioned: Aretha Franklin, Miles Davis, David Sanborn and McCoy Tyner.
Any questions? If so, Marcus Miller answered them impressively on Monday evening in the Altes Schloss. With a bass solo intro, he immediately shows where the (bass) bartel gets the most. Slap techniques indicate the journey the audience can expect.
It’s funky and the brass riffs that follow leave further scent marks and give an idea that this appetizer will lead to a delicious funk menu of the highest quality. “I’m so happy being back here in Stuttgart,” beams Marcus Miller after the opener.
The show then continues with dense rhythms for quite some time, until a homage to Jaco Pastorius, the legendary bassist of Weather Report, finally makes room for a ballad. This number shows off the class of the individual musicians even more, as everyone gets to solo at length.
Excellent soloists – Rhythmically, however, there are also fast swing elements, where pianist Xavier Gordon can demonstrate his class, above all. The following trumpet solo a capella by Russel Gunn Jr. leaves the audience holding their breath before it goes all out again.
In the introduction, Miller conjures up the “strong spirit” of the enslaved African ancestors, who wanted nothing more than peace, in one of his strongest numbers, “Gorée”, which he brought back from a trip to Senegal.
With his music he also wants to make a contribution to a more peaceful world and for once he doesn’t play the electric bass but a bass clarinet. Innovatively and skilfully he manages to conjure up an extremely peaceful and tender atmosphere in the old walls of the castle.
The sounds condense into an ecstatic finale, in which Donald Hayes’ alto saxophone solo finally takes the lead. Drummer Anwar Marshall also gets to play a short but crisp solo before the concert draws to a close.
The atmosphere is boiling and despite the late hour, the protagonists cannot avoid adding an encore. The evening could hardly end “on a bass note” – happy faces everywhere.
Marcus Miller (bass)
Xavier Gordon (keys)
Donald Hayes (sax)
Russel Gunn Jr. (trumpet)
Anwar Marshall (drums)
