Pianist Mulgrew Miller is the 2010 Artist in Residence. The selection of Miller marks the fourth year of DJF’s Artist in Residence program and is in keeping with the distinguished list of artists who have held the post: John Clayton (2009), Christian McBride (2008) and Regina Carter (2007).
Miller will be featured on several stages throughout Labor Day Weekend. On opening night, his trio will be joined by the Grammy-winning gospel/jazz groupTake 6. Other appearances include a duo piano session with Kenny Barron, a performance with his own band, Wingspan, and a project with Detroit-based artists Karriem Riggins and Bob Hurst.
Born and raised in the Mississippi Delta, Miller has developed a sound that is tinged with the blues and gospel flavors of that region. As the celebrated pianist explained in a recent JazzTimes article, “I started playing in church by ear at age eight. My family belonged to the Methodist Church. I knew many of the hymns by ear before taking piano lessons. While growing up, I heard the many styles of religious music, as I was required to play in a variety of denominational settings. I heard piano styles that sounded like stride, boogie, even accomplished classically trained keyboardists. One thread that seemed to run through these styles was the inflection of the blues. In fact, the blues were a big part of the total musical fabric in the Mississippi Delta.” One of the most in-demand jazz pianists of his generation, Miller has performed with many of the legendary jazz innovators and has appeared on over 400 recordings. He was with the Duke Ellington Orchestra (conducted by Mercer Ellington) in the late '70s and had important stints with Betty Carter (1980), Woody Shaw (1981–1983), Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers (1983–1986) and the Tony Williams Quintet (1986–1994).
Other notable affiliations include Johnny Griffin, Terence Blanchard, Branford Marsalis, Donald Harrison, Bobby Watson, Bobby Hutcherson, Wallace Roney and Benny Golson.
In 1985 Miller made his debut recording as a leader, Keys To The City, for producer Orrin Keepnews' Landmark label. He went on to record several critically acclaimed albums, including 1987’s Wingspan (also the name of his primary band), Countdown (1989) and the two-volume set Live at the Kennedy Center (2006 and 2007).
In 1997 he was invited to tour Japan with an assembly of some of the most prestigious names in jazz piano—a group of ten pianists called 100 Gold Fingers that included Tommy Flanagan, Ray Bryant and Kenny Barron. Miller was also a member of the Contemporary Piano Ensemble, a unique group consisting of four pianists performing simultaneously on four grand pianos, with a rhythm section. Other innovative projects include his duos with Danish jazz bassist Neils Henning Orsted Pederson, his commission to compose a special work for the Dayton Dance Company, and his student workshops.
In 2006 Miller was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Performing Arts at Lafayette College, where he served as artist in residence from 2008–2009. He was also named director of Jazz Studies at William Paterson University, following in the distinguished footsteps of his “friend and brother,” pianist James Williams.
