Marcus

Marcus had to have known that 'Silver Rain' was a subpar record, 'cause he's come back strong with this self-titled disc. He seems to be using the same concept he used for M2. Let me be the first to say, this formula is working quite well thank you. Marcus has always had one of the more identifiable and unique voices among slap-style bassists, hence his popularity among bass players and artists like Luther Vandross and Miles Davis.While Marcus has always been great bassist, to me this record sheds more light on his somewhat underrated abilities as a multi-instrumentalist and producer. With this record he goes deeper into a melodic neo-soul idiom while managing to keep his bass playing in the leading-but-disciplined role. Quite a feat to accomplish in this era of bland, play-it-safe smooth jazzers and over-the-top progressive power-noodlers. Marcus' bullwhip slapping propels this record without overpowering it.I do like the fresh treatment he gives to cover tunes like Free, When I Fall in Love, What is Hip?, and especially the oft-covered Stevie Wonder classic Higher Ground(this tune has that old-school R&B shuffle that you can't help but bop your head to). I had to deduct a star though, because Marcus included a cover of 'Lost Without You'. My significant other loves Robin Thicke and I don't. Hater in the house...lol! And is it me, or does it seem that Marcus is poking a little fun at that slap-and-pluck speed demon Victor Wooten on 'Jean Pierre'?Marcus' session musicians perform wonderfully also, especially newcomer harmonica player Gregoire Maret. Marcus obviously learned his lessons from Miles Davis on choosing sidemen well. And why it took Marcus so long to reunite with his old boss David Sanborn is beyond me, but I'm glad they finally did. Let's hope its not the last time. With this disc Marcus should at least merit a nomination from the Grammies, this record is that good.

We saw Marcus at the 2014 Montreal Jazz Festival and his group was absolutely fantastic! This is a great album, his latest work "Renaissance" is one of the "favorites" in my music collection. He is currently touring with a fantastic band, with Ronald Bruner, Jr., my favorite jazz drummer. If you have a chance to catch his show, you'll really enjoy it!

First time I heard Marcus Miller was on the Smooth Jazz Cruise. He is amazing! I actually scratch this particular CD so I had to have another!

This is another Marcus Miller masterpiece! I have most of MM's cd's and this is one of the best. There is great bass playing and a few soulful tunes, especially "Free". MM always throws in a cover or two, in this cd he does a masterful job of interpreting S.Wonder's "Higher Ground". My favorite bass oriented tune is "Pluck", simple but very satisfying!

Marcus MILLER DOESN'T DISAPPOINT !!

This is a great jazz crossover CD. Marcus is hitting on all cylinders here. Milky Way is a great sing along song. I know fans love it, some of the cuts are pure dancing delights.

I bought this cd because I kept hearing Corinne Bailey Rae sing Free on my local jazz station and loved it! I discovered her and Marcus Miller while trying to find this song. I like them both alot, now! This cd is really great! Very upbeat and gets me going, and would be great at a party!julrobs

Does this guy ever stop creating? I hope not. Marcus builds magnificent musical stories from his life and own musical experiences that just transcend what we think is possible to hear; let alone from an electric bass. This album is no exception.