Steve Miller (keyboardist)

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Steve Miller (born December 19, 1943 , † December 9, 1998 in London ) was a British pianist of fusion and new improvisation music .

Live and act

Miller, the older brother of guitarist Phil Miller , began his musical career in the early 1960s when he played in various blues groups and also accompanied American musicians. In 1966 he founded the Canterbury Band Delivery with his brother, bassist Jack Monk and drummer Pip Pyle , in which he played and sang keyboards . The group expanded to a quintet in 1968 with saxophonist Lol Coxhill ; Monk has been replaced by Roy Babbington . In 1970 the band accompanied the singer Carol Grimes . During that time, Miller also made guest appearances on albums by Alexis Korner , John Dummer , Daddy Longlegs and Free .

In 1971 he formed the DC & the MBs ("Dyble-Coxhill & the Miller Brothers") project for a few months with his brother, folk rock singer Judy Dyble (who previously sang at the Fairport Convention ) and Coxhill , but then joined Caravan one where he was involved in the 1972 album Waterloo Lily . Together with Richard Sinclair , Coxhill, Pile and his brother Phil, he appeared again at short notice as a delivery in mid-1972 , in order to then found the band Hatfield and the North . He also performed with Delivery , but also presented two duo albums with Coxhill. He temporarily formed a trio with Laurie Allan and Jack Monk, but then worked for a long time as a craftsman. In 1980 he was involved in the legendary album Miniatures , which Morgan Fisher put together, with a piano improvisation. In 1985 he worked in a duo with bassist Mark Hewins to then form an improvisation trio with bassist Tony Moore and drummer Eddie Prévost , which released albums in a quartet with Coxhill and later with Elton Dean. Then he performed in a trio with his brother and Mark Hewins.

After Miller fell ill with cancer, a benefit concert was organized in June 1998, in which he performed with both Delivery and a jazz-oriented quartet (which included Hewins and Elton Dean, Fred T. Baker ). His brother not only dedicated his next album, Out of the Blue , to him, but also posthumously released two more albums with Miller's recordings.

Discographic notes

  • Coxhill / Miller The Story so Far ... / Oh Really? (Caroline 1974, expanded as a double CD with Cuneiform Records 2007)
  • Steve Miller Trio & Lol Coxhill, Miller's Tale (Matchless Records 1986, with Tony Moore, Eddie Prévost)
  • It's Out There (Crescent Records 2003; rec. 1998, with Hag, Nick Biggins and Steve Ash, Paul Dufour, Philippe Janoyer)
  • See Hear - Piano Solos (Crescent Records 2003; rec. 1996–1997)
  • Steve Miller Trio Meets Elton Dean (Reel Music 2008, with Tony Moore, Eddie Prévost, rec. 1976–1985)

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Miller, Steve
BRIEF DESCRIPTION British pianist of fusion and new improvisation music
DATE OF BIRTH December 19, 1943
DATE OF DEATH December 9, 1998
Place of death London