Dominic Miller: November (2010)

For the majority of his career, Argentinean-born guitar player Dominic Miller has used his immense talents to support of other artists. Probably best known as “Sting’s Guitarist,” a title he bears proudly, Miller’s unique acoustic sound can also be found intertwined among the work of artists such as Phil Collins, Level 42, The Pretenders, Chris Botti, The Chieftains and even the Backstreet Boys, to name a few. Even with constant demands on his time and talent, Miller manages to find a few moments for his own solo efforts. His latest album, November (Q-Rious Music), reveals a decidedly different side of Miller.

Miller ventured into new territory with November, renewing his relationship with the electric guitar, eliminating vocals entirely, and unplugging all of his fancy studio gear. The numbers on November were recorded in a matter of days and document Miller’s current position in his musical journey. When I asked him about his decision to produce an all-instrumental album in my interview with him last week, Miller replied “I like the contrast of working what is arguably one of the best day jobs in the world, and then doing something that is the exact opposite of that, which is just instrumental music.” Whatever his reasons, the result speaks for itself.

November includes 11 tracks of guitar-driven instrumentals; the players backing Miller include drummer Ian Thomas, bassist Mark King, keyboardist Mike Lindup, pianist Yaron Herman, flautist Dave Heath, sax player Stan Sulzmann and keyboardist Jason Rebello. Many tracks represent “first take” recordings, and Miller told me he preferred to keep all the imperfections intact. “There are actually some mistakes if you wanted to really analyze it, some tuning issues and there’s some tempo issues,” he offered. “The ProTools generation has just ruined everything, ‘cause everything is like perfect now. Imperfection is what makes something beautiful. It’s the contrast of perfection and imperfection that makes something work.”

Stylistically, November is much as Miller fans would expect, starting off with the nylon string acoustic guitar-dominated “Solent,” which, less than a minute in, hits you with a bit of tasty electric guitar work. Just when you think you’ve got it figured out, “W3” kicks off with a hardcore, Earth, Wind and Fire-reminiscent funk groove. Even then, Miller keeps changing things up by adding a jazz fusion flavors to the mix. This trend continues throughout November, giving it an eclectic personality. My vote for the standout is cast for “Marignane,” its dark tone and attitude marked by a sweet sax solo.

Miller sums up Novemeber best: “One of the rewards of working with so many great artists, like Sting, is that I have the ability to do records like the one I just did, without worrying about sales. I have the luxury of not having to answer to any marketing or anyone else’s expectations. So, really I just do what I like…”

Tracklist

1.Solent

2.W3
3.Still
4.Gut Feeling
5.Ripped Nylon
6.Racine
7.Sharp Object
8.Chanson I
9.Marignane
10.Chanson II
11.November
November
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Dominic Miller: Third World (2004)

Dominic Miller is one of the most sought-after session guitarists of our time. He has been employed by Sting, Level 42, Mark Hollis (Talk Talk), Julia Fordham, Paul Young, The Pretenders, Manu Katche, World Party, Chuck Loeb, Manu Dibango, The Chieftains, Tina Turner, Backstreet Boys, Khadja Nin, Youssou N'Dour, Marc Lavoine, Ronan Keating, Steve Winwood, Sheryl Crow, Peter Gabriel, Rick Wright, Rod Stewart, Luciano Pavarotti and many, more!

1995 saw his personal debut 'First Touch.' 'Second Nature' followed in 1999, and then came 'Shapes,' an album with new interpretations of renowned classical works from composers like Bach, Beethoven, Elgar and Albinoni.

With 'Third World,' Dominic Miller presents his third album in the line of releases featuring his own music--a production of soft tones, in pleasant contrast to the ubiquitous racket of our time and age. Terms like "grace," "amenity" and "sensuousness" come to mind while listening to the gentle play of this guitar virtuoso.

Besides his job in Sting's band, Dominic Miller was the opening act on the 2004 U.S. Sting & Annie Lennox Tour.

Tracklist

1. Always (2:08)

2. Baden (3:34)
3. Forgotten Dream (4:14)
4. Partido Alto (2:59)
5. Baby Steps (3:52)
6. Denver Sun (3:41)
7. Salvador (2:04)
8. Seven Sisters (1:37)
9. Letter Unsent (2:39)
10. March Day (2:34)
11. Devil's Punch Bowl (3:40)
12. Altea (5:58)
Third World
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Dominic Miller: Second Nature (1999)

Dominic Miller has a variety of experience playing everything from heavy rock to pop to jazz and has played with Phil Collins on his CD "But Seriously", Sting on the CD "Ten Summoner's Tales" and toured for over two years with Karl Wallinger (formerly of Waterboys fame) and his new band World Party.

Second Nature is Miller's second CD following his debut "First Touch". Like "First Touch", this CD is best catergorized as smooth jazz although it does blend some latin and classical styles into the jazz compositions.

While Miller is an accomplished guitarist, having played for 25 years, the disc is not heavily oriented toward his playing. The best track on the disc is the latin flavored "Truco" which was co-written by bassist Pino Palladino. It's hard to find fault with this disc, its a can't miss for smooth jazz fans.

Tracklist
1. Introduction (0:56)
2. Truco (2:52)
3. When I Close My Eyes (4:11)
4. Foi Boa (6:17)
5. If (1:57)
6. Unify (4:27)
7. Rest In Peace (3:28)
8. Lullaby To An Anxious Child (1:33)
9. A Cause (3:20)
10. Quiero Decirte (4:01)
11. In A Whisper (4:30)
12. The Last Song (3:29)
Second Nature
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Wolfgang Haffner: Round Silence (2009)

Serenely played music, free from needlessly hectic activity and tension' is, according to the sleevenotes of this, his third album as leader, what drummer/composer Wolfgang Haffner is aiming to produce with his regular trio (completed by pianist Hubert Nuss and bassist Lars Danielsson), augmented now and again by guitarists Dominic Miller and Chuck Loeb, singer Kim Sanders, trumpeter/keyboardist Sebastian Studnitzky, electric bassist Christian Diener, percussionist Ernst Ströer and trombonist Nils Landgren, plus a trombone/flute/clarinet section.

The resulting recording touches a number of stylistic bases, from the mellifluous lyricism of the title-track (which could easily be mistaken for an escape from any one of a number of ECM albums) to more robust, chattering pieces, all with their musical agendas set by Haffner himself, whose playing ranges easily and naturally between relatively straightforward jazz drumming to contemporary-sounding beats and the sort of subtle but driving percussion often associated with so-called 'world' music.

The overall effect of the album as a whole is a mite diffused as a consequence of the constant chages both of personnel and mood, but taken track by track is rich, polished, affecting and invigorating by turns, and the writing, for a variety of musical resources, is of a consistently high quality.

Round Silence

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