Timothy Lee Miller | composer
In November 2015, Timothy Miller was part of the PARMA Recordings venture to Havana, Cuba, to record the music of eight composers with musicians in Havana under the People to People humanitarian program. Most of the music recorded was jazz, and two of Miller's big band pieces, Hot Miami Nights and On An Autumn Day, were recorded and released on the two-disc set ABRAZO: The Havana Sessions (see below) alongside music by the seven other composers. The CD has received worldwide critical acclaim and was in consideration for a Grammy nomination in 2016. The trip allowed the composers to be among the first American composers to travel to Cuba since the US government eased travel restrictions.
In 2016, Miller began writing several small combo pieces that became the basis for his debut solo jazz album SOMETHING MORE, an album of eight original compositions that explore the unique relationships that the composer has with his family (see below). Miller's noir-influenced jazz expands his reflections beyond words and creates a story through moods by expanding upon something as simple as a photograph or a memory. The album features contemporary compositions, as late as 2017, and some that Miller had written back in the 1980s. Each track was inspired by snapshots in Miller's life, a soundtrack to a particular date in time with several of Miller's family members. The bustling, sweeping opener Sebastian's Day Off took its tempo from a day he spent in the park with his son Sebastian. The composition makes quick jumps from energetic bebop to smooth lounge to bouncy jazz, providing listeners with the breakneck direction changes that come with entertaining a small child.
Meanwhile, the more solemn Inky and Marie carries a ghostly feel in its opening chords, alluding to the sorrow Miller felt when his Aunt Marie's dog Inky passed away one night during a visit. Like a photo album set to sound, Miller’s compositions invite listeners into some of his most cherished memories. SOMETHING MORE shares the thought that there is a story behind every memory, and in every story, there is music.
To explore Miller's vast catalog of big band and small combo jazz music, click the links below (Big Band and Small Combo). For questions about his music or to discuss commissioning or collaborating on a new work or performing any of his music, you may contact him directly at tlmillmus@gmail.com. To learn more about Timothy Miller and his music career, visit the About page above.
______________________________________________________________________________________________
Following is an interview with the composer about the SOMETHING MORE project:
THE INSIDE STORY: Timothy Lee Miller and SOMETHING MORE
April 13, 2018
Timothy Lee Miller is an American composer, arranger, and publisher who writes new contemporary concert music for chamber ensembles, orchestra, wind ensemble, chorus and solo voice, and even jazz music. He has written for several small film and television projects, but his primary focus is composing concert music. However, in his newest album, SOMETHING MORE, we see much more of his jazz influence.
Today, Timothy is our next featured artist in “The Inside Story,” a blog series exploring our artists' inner workings and personalities. Read on to hear about the moving waltz that Timothy dedicates to his mother…
Categories
Large Ensemble Music
Chamber Ensemble Music
- Woodwind Music
- Saxophone Music
- Brass Music
- String Music
- Percussion Music
- Guitar Music
- Piano Music
- Harp Music
- Organ Music
- Mixed Ensemble Music
Choral & Vocal Music
Opera
Jazz Music
Film Music
SOMETHING MORE: Jazz Music of Timothy Lee Miller, Ansonica Records (AR0006), released on March 9, 2018.
With the help of PARMA Recordings, my first solo CD project features seven jazz quintets and one octet written between 1989 and 2017. Recorded at Ovation Sound in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and Sean Swinney Studios in New York City.
Includes performances by Annalise Stalls, Brandon Lee, Dave Finucane, Evan Ringle, Chris Boerner, Thomas Linger, Steven Haines, and Daniel Faust in North Carolina; Chris Bittner, Jason Prover, Thomas Linger, Michael O'Brien, and Charles Goold in New York City.
ABRAZO: The Havana Sessions, Ansonica Records (AR0001), released on May 31, 2016.
Hot Miami Nights and On An Autumn Day, recorded by members of Irakere at Abdala Studios, Havana, Cuba, November 2015.
Includes music by Bunny Beck, Roger Bourland, Don Bowyer, Margaret Brandman, John Carollo, Timothy Miller, Mel Mobley, Michael Murray