Free [Import]

Marcus Miller | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 2, 2007)
• Original Release Date: 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Sony Bmg Europe
• ASIN: B000QXD3CS
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #294,640 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Blast

2. Funk Joint

3. Free

4. Strum

5. Milky Way

6. Pluck (Interlude)

7. When I Fall in Love

8. Jean Pierre

9. Higher Ground

10. What Is Hip?

Editorial Reviews

2007 release by the critically lauded jazz bassist who has played with many of the legendary greats in his storied career like Miles Davis and David Sanborn. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars BASSically Fantastic!, November 18, 2007

By 

Dr. Feel (GA United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Free (Audio CD)

The multi-talented bassist, composer and producer Marcus Miller is back with another slammin' album. I mean it really doesn't get any funkier than this when it comes to playin' the bass. Marcus comes through like a bad "Plucker-Mother" on this project, which features orginal new material and covers of some old music favorites.

The album starts off with "Blast", a super-charged funk jam with lots of bass, backed by a blaring horn section which instantly makes you think of an HBCU marching band. Then the funk doesn't stop with "Funk Joint", featuring Patches Stewart playing a muted trumpet to jazz up the funk a little. On the next track, Marcus slows the pace down a little with "Free", a remake of the popular Denise Williams song from back in the day featuring Corinne Bailey Rae on vocals. Not a great remake as Corinne doesn't really add anything new or special to the song, she just sings it CBR style - not bad, and not great either, just plain.

Then we jump right back to the funk on "Strum" followed by "Milky Way" and "Pluck", which is a straight up jam session with more funky bass. The tempo slows down once again on "When I Fall In Love", a nice easy listening tune featuring Marcus on the bass clarinet (I love this instrument). Next comes "Jean Pierre", a cool Miles Davis composition with bass and harmonica trading lead solos. A very nice tune indeed.

The last tracks are two more remakes of classic music from the '70's - Stevie Wonder's "Higher Ground", which is probably the best cover of this song that I've ever heard. Once again, Marcus really funks it up hard on this jam, and I'm sure that even Stevie would be envious. The album closes with "What Is Hip?", a cover of a tune made popular by the horn group "Tower Of Power", featuring the great David Sanborn on alto sax. What can I say? - just plain outstanding.

The only thing I don't really care for on this album is that it goes into over-kill with the harmonica solos on almost every song. I'm not too crazy about the harmonica on a funk-jazz album. Anyway, if you like funky bass, and if you're a die-hard Marcus Miller fan, you should definitely get this CD. You won't be disappointed.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding!, August 8, 2007

By 

Mark R. Hendricks "Bigpops2" (Southwest Virginia) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Free (Audio CD)

This as all of marcus's cd has a lot to offer. The first cut will appeal to all of the Super Funksters out there with a middle east twang. A hard hitter.The tittle track features Corine Bailey-Rae doing a cover from the 70's. All tracks show marcus's ability to produce hard pounding thumping music that pleases the soul. My favorite cut, besides the 1st. is a cover of "What is hip" which is an old tower of power tune. This has people talking all over the internet. It also features David Sanborn on sax which is a grand re-uniteing of friends and musicians from his past. I couldn't wait for the u.s. release so i ordered mine from overseas. I reccommend this to all millerheads and to those just getting into the marcus miller scene. Definatly worth the investment.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars for me, the best bass album, January 3, 2008

By 

R. Ludwig (Scarborough, ME United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Free (Audio CD)

I had the privilege of doing some engineering on this recording with Marcus and his crew. I've done a lot of bass albums in my career, this one is really the best. It is one I come back to again and again and I enjoy it even more with each hearing. It is really outstanding work.

The US version should be out soon and it is going to be worth the wait!