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Editorial Review:
Secound Solo Album Recorded by Marcus for Francis Dreyfus Music. Excellent as Usual.this Title is for Export Only.Marcus Miller has served as bassist, arranger, and producer for everyone from Luther Vandross to Miles Davis, and on his fourth solo album, Tales , Miller tries to reconnect the fractured fragments of African American music. He uses samples of recorded interviews with his older musical heroes to set up his own instrumental interpretations of that musical history. For example, spoken-word samples from Davis, Charlie Parker, and Billie Holiday lead into "The Blues," a midtempo blues groove that features both live drums and programmed drums, both jazzy horn lines from saxophonist Kenny Garrett and Larry Graham-like funk lines from Miller himself. The result is not jazz but R&B instrumentals with the sort of smarts and drama this genre rarely delivers anymore. Unlike so many fusion albums that settle for show off virtuosity over predictable grooves, Miller's Tales boasts thought-out compositions that bring together disparate elements in unexpected and rewarding ways. The title track, for example, which opens with a brief monologue by rapper Q-Tip, builds its catchy theme from a sample of the Pointer Sisters' "Yes, We Can Can," features Miller's inventive electric bass lines as the lead melody and then turns the song over to Michael Stewart's expert imitation of Davis' muted trumpet phrases. --Geoffrey Himes
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
The sound of Miles Davis:
This is a great album for Marcus Miller. Obviously all the funky grooves he uses on this CD sound like a continuation of his music with Miles Davis; Michael Stewart contributes muted trumpet in Davis's Style; Marcus Miller's Electric bass is a MAJOR force throughout the entire album; Sounding times like a real bass and times like a great funky soulful guitar.
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a modern bass master:
The problem with most instrumental solo projects is that they are not usually all that interesting to non-musicians. Marcus has overcome that barrier with this, his finest, solo effort. Smooth, funky, sexy, entertaining, not to mention technically impressive, he plays many instuments besides bass. It is a theme album with short oral anectdotes about the history of black music woven between perfectly placed groove oriented musical statements. "Rush Over" is THE perfect make out song. A truely masterful... more info another phat cd:
This guy is amazing, the quality of jazz he is putting out there is so deep, he has lots of great help, but he wrote the songs. "rush over" is a favorite. The sounds he makes on the bass, everything, the thumps, the plucks, slaps, this cd is well thought out jazz at it's best. Marcus Miller has a new fan. You can't help but turn the volume up. "infatuation" is so bad, as well as "tales". Right off the start from the first track, "the blues", JAMS. What a fantastic jazz cd that has it all, even when he slows... more info Marcus gets serious about love and life:
Marcus gets a little deeper and darker on 'Tales'. I love the interludes by all the cats; it adds depth to the musical experience. Since this album is more concept-based, its kind of unfair to pick out favorite tunes. However, 'Forevermore' may be the greatest Bass Guitar Ballad since Jaco did 'A Remark you Made' on Weather Reports' Heavy Weather LP. I mean, it just stays with you, its so hauntingly beautiful. 'Ethiopia' and 'Eric' also stand out, probably because he's using a different sounding bass. While... more info Tracks:
The Blues Tales Eric True Geminis Rush Over Running Through My Dreams (Interlude) Ethiopia Strange Fruit (Intro) - Marcus Miller, Allan, Lewis Strange Fruit - Marcus Miller, Allan, Lewis Visions - Marcus Miller, Wonder, Stevie Tales (Reprise) Forevermore (Intro) Forevermore Infatuation - Marcus Miller, Hathaway, Lalah Come Together - Marcus Miller, Lennon, John
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