M2 [Import]

Marcus Miller | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 22, 2001)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Telarc
• ASIN: B00005JH7D
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,216 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #12 in Music > R&B > Funk > Jazz Funk
  • #19 in Music > Imports > Jazz
  • #86 in Music > Jazz > Modern Postbebop

Track Listings

1. Power

2. Lonnie's Lament

3. Boomerang (featuring Raphael Saddiq)

4. Nikki's Groove

5. Goodbye Pork Pie Hat

6. Ozell (interlude 1)

7. Burning Down The House

8. It's Me Again

9. Cousin John

10. Pzell (interlude 2)

11. 3 Deuces

12. Red Baron

13. Ozell (interlude 3)

14. Your Amazing Grace

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

If you have any pop, soul, or jazz CDs, the ubiquitous bassist and multi-instrumentalist Marcus Miller is probably on some of them. From Luther Vandross and David Sanborn to Miles Davis, Miller has been making cutting-edge music with the greatest stars of the past three decades. On M2, which includes a stellar array of musicians from Wayne Shorter to Maceo Parker, Miller unveils the full range of his eclectic musicality. On the funky, uptempo "Power," the Talking Heads's "Burning Down the House" (featuring alto saxophonist Kenny Garrett), and "Nikki's Groove," Miller displays his powerful thumb-plucking Larry Graham-derived licks. On Charles Mingus's moody tribute to Lester Young, "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat," Herbie Hancock tickles the ivories in his trademarked impressionistic style, which complements Miller's Jaco Pastorius-like bass lines. Miller's arranging genius transforms John Coltrane's ballad "Lonnie's Lament" into a head-bopping hip-hop groove Dr. Dre would like, thanks to his soul-searing bass clarinet, and Branford Marsalis's and Hubert Laws's soprano sax and flute lines. Raphael Saadiq, the Brazilian superstar Djavan, and the legendary Chaka Khan lend their distinct vocals to the quiet-storm vehicles "Boomerang," "It's Me Again," and the spiritual "Your Amazing Grace." With a firm grasp of the jazz tradition and a broad knowledge of popular musical idioms, Marcus Miller is in the center of everything, laying down the groove. --Eugene Holley Jr.

Product Description

2001 album for the R&B producer/multi-instrumentalist who's played with everybody. Most notably Miles Davis, Aztec Camera, Bee Gees, Aretha Franklin, David Sanborn, Grover Washington Jr., Luther Vandross and Joe Sample. Tracks include covers of 'Burning Down The House' (Talking Heads), 'Lonnie's Lament' (Coltrane), 'Goodbye Pork Pie Hat' (Mingus) & a hidden track. Packaged in a limited edition four fold digipak with a 20 page booklet. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars E = M2 C....., May 27, 2001

By 

yygsgsdrassil "yygsgsdrassil" (Crossroads America) - See all my reviews

This review is from: M2 (Audio CD)

....subtitled "It's Miller Time, Baby"...

You cannot get no greater jazz CD than this. Well, to me it's labeled jazz, but in the spirit of jazz, Marcus has metamorphosed the genre into something else, something more. Something I find my feeble words are not doing justice for. I have always dug the cat from way back when...I noticed him originally on Roberta Flack's "Live and More" album. It was kinda an inaugural production for where Miller and Vandross would take the pop-Soul sound to in those many early Lu Vandross tunes.

Don't forget that lil Marcus Miller tidbit, but see, that was then, this is now. Marcus is and always will be a great bass player, but to me he is a true genius. You gotta hear this guy on this CD to really know what I mean. He plays a myriad of instruments, synthetisers, and bass clarinets(?!)...vocorders... A four string fretted 1977 Fender Bass....

Most of the tracks are mixed by the great Ray Bardani. Marcus' many collaborators here include Branford Marsalis, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Fred Wesley, Maceo Parker, Poogie Bell, Herbert Laws, Raphael Saddiq (on the great track "Boomerang"), Hiram Bullock, Djavan, Chaka Khan, and the lovely Nikki Miller. It reminds me of what Stanley Crouch says of the true democracy of jazz...evvybody's got to do their job, evvy body's got to KNOW HOW TO PLAY (not to mention how to outright groove) and leave your egos at the door, you WILL get a solo in a set or two or three.... Back to the CD. You will simply love each cut....the classic remakes of tunes of Coltrane, Mingus ("Goodby Pork Pie Hat"), and Cobham...the art house funk of The Talking Heads' "Burning Down the House" (one of my all time favorite THs tunes)....Marcus' original compositions, "Power" and "Three Dueces"....

I don't think I write anything that can really do justice for the stupendous production. And when that happens, I say to myself, "This is what it means to be transcendent..."

Get this CD and see exactly what greatness you have been missing.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Bass, but..., November 21, 2002

By 

MusicFreak "Ivan" (FL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: M2 (Audio CD)

Marcus Miller is one of the best bassists around, one of the best ever. He ranks with Vic Wooten, Alain Caron, Jeff Berlin and John Pattituci as being one of the best bass players today. But, as opposed to those mentioned, Marcus' musical frame is more mainstream-oriented. This CD is a brilliant display of his virtuosity and creativity on the instrument. What made me give this album 4 stars and not 5 is the overproduction. It is basically a smooth/funky Jazz cd. If it was a sax instead of a bass, I would not listen to it. But, because I am a bass player, and Marcus, like I said, is one of the greatest, I do listen to it because it is required listening for a bassist. But I would recommend to him to adopt a more organic approach instead of relying so much on synths and drum machines. Get a group of great musicians and let them wail along with you and record it live in the studio. I think I would then give such a cd ten stars if I could. He has got the talent, the creativity, the knowledge to make absolutely amazing music, but his technological inclinations render his music a bit dull, repetitive, and cold. But in the right mood, and in small doses, this album does satisfy.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pure Marcus Funk !, May 24, 2001

By 

R. A. Meyer (Carmel, In United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: M2 (Audio CD)

Marcus wher have you been ! This is a very funky CD from the first cut, Power, which takes you on a groove to the final cut with Chaka Khan. Only one vocal on the CD and it's good to see marcus get back to his funky roots. If you like mood music buy Kenny G but if you like funky tunes with a host of people, including herbie Hancock then buy this and buy it NOW ! It will stay in your CD player for quite a while.