The Legend Marcus Miller Is Back On This Month’s Groove – The No Treble Podcast

“Wait… did I miss something? Why is there an article about a bass podcast on Six Pixels of Separation?”

Here’s why:

In the late nineties my first job was as a music journalist (actually, my first interview was with Tommy Lee from Motley Crue right before the band released Dr. Feelgood).
I spent many years interviewing musicians and artists for local weekly alternative newspapers, national and international magazines (and even published three music magazines – before we had the Internet).
I also studied and played the electric bass (in high school and post-secondary) and always felt like bass players never really had a chance to tell their stories.
So, about ten years ago, Seth Godin introduced me to Corey Brown (founder of No Treble – one of the world’s biggest bass platforms – and he also worked on Squidoo with Seth).
From there, Corey and I decided to try this monthly podcast where I would interview bass players and talk about their music, art, creativity and more.
I’m hopeful that these conversations will inspire your work, creativity and innovation as much as they do for me…

Marcus Miller is this month’s conversation on Groove – The No Treble Podcast.

You can listen the new episode right here: Groove – The No Treble Podcast – Episode #139 – Marcus Miller.

The legend is back! Marcus Miller occupies a rare place in modern music… equally celebrated as a player, composer, producer, arranger, bandleader, film scorer, and one of the defining bass voices of the past half-century. Whether writing and producing for artists like Miles Davis, David Sanborn, Luther Vandross, and Aretha Franklin, composing award-winning film scores, or building a remarkable solo career that has earned multiple Grammy Awards, Marcus has always resisted being defined by a single role. This conversation, our second together, was recorded in person at this year’s Montreal International Jazz Festival at a particularly meaningful moment in his career… just hours before the world premiere of We Want Miles! (his ambitious new project celebrating what would have been Miles Davis’ 100th birthday). Rather than simply revisiting his own remarkable years alongside Miles, Marcus reunited members of the legendary early-1980s comeback band to create something that honors the spirit of Miles while remaining true to the one lesson Miles taught everyone around him… never stand still. Throughout our conversation, Marcus shares vivid stories of joining Miles Davis at just twenty-one years old, the making of The Man With The Horn, We Want Miles, and Tutu, and why understanding Miles the person was every bit as important as understanding Miles the musician. He reflects on revisiting music he hadn’t played in more than four decades, the strange experience of listening to his twenty-one-year-old self again, and why evolution has always mattered more than nostalgia. We also explore Marcus’ philosophy as both a bassist and composer, how listening remains more important than technique, and why great musicians develop their ears before they develop their fingers. Beyond Miles, we dive into the remarkable success of his partnership with Sire, creating professional-quality instruments that have introduced a new generation of players to great basses without extraordinary price tags, along with his continued work composing film scores, hosting his SiriusXM radio program, recording new music, and balancing an astonishing range of creative projects. Equal parts history lesson, masterclass, and thoughtful reflection on creativity, legacy, and the future of music, this conversation captures Marcus at a fascinating crossroads… honoring one of the greatest artists who ever lived while continuing to prove that his own story is still very much being written. Enjoy the conversation…

What is Groove – The No Treble Podcast?

This is an ambitious effort. This will be a fascinating conversation. Our goal at Groove is to build the largest oral history of bass players. Why Groove? Most of the content about the bass revolves around gear, playing techniques, and more technical chatter. For us, bassists are creative artists with stories to tell. They are a force to be reckon with. These are the stories and conversation that we will capture. To create this oral history of why these artists chose the bass, what their creative lives are like, and where inspiration can be found.

Listen in: Groove – The No Treble Podcast – Episode #139 – Marcus Miller.

Are you interested in what’s next? How to decode the future? I publish between 2-3 times per week and then the Six Pixels of Separation Podcast comes out every Sunday. Feel free to subscribe (and tell your friends).