Harry Miller (jazz bassist)

Harold Simon "Harry" Miller ( * April 21, 1941 in Cape Town, South Africa, † December 16, 1983 in the Netherlands) was a South African jazz musicians ( bassist, cellist, bandleader and composer ).

Career

Miller began to play while studying engineering bass. Together with his school friend Manfred Mann he played in the first South African rock-' n'- roll band The Vikings, who arrived with her two LPs in the charts. With man, he went in 1961 to the UK. Miller continued his studies, approached - unlike man - the jazz scene and took part in occasional mainstream sessions. After two years as a ship's musician, where he met the New York free jazz scene, he returned to London and soon became part of the interested of free music music scene by John Stevens. At this time he was engaged as a bassist Mike Westbrook and was also a member of the groups of John Surman. In 1969 he was a member of the winning at the Montreux Jazz Festival Alan Skidmore Quintet: Shortly thereafter, he was part of the project band Centipede and played with Louis Moholo in the trio of Mike Osborne (up to 1974). A little later he came to the categories of Chris McGregor, particularly his Brotherhood of Breath, but also worked with King Crimson ( Iceland, 1971).

After Barre Phillips Miller was the second jazz bassist who has recorded a solo album ( Children at Play ). He had his own band Isipingo and played with their members such as Keith Tippett and Louis Moholo, but also with Stan Tracey and Elton Dean's All- Star Band Nine Sense.

Together with his wife Hazel Miller, he founded the record label Ogun and helped the Lambeth New Music Society to put on the legs, the operation, among other diene day the Grassroots Club. Due to the then poor economic opportunities, he worked regularly in the early 1980s, the Netherlands ( among others with Willem Breuker and with the former pianist Leo Cuypers Breuker ), but also played in a very energetic trio with Peter Brötzmann and Moholo and in duo Radu Malfatti with. Miller was killed during a strong storm with the car in the Netherlands.

Discography

  • Harry Miller's Isipingo: Which Way Now (1975 )
  • Harry Miller's Isipingo: Family Affair (1977 )
  • Harry Miller 1941-1983: The collection (3 CDs, 1972-1983 )

Lexigraphic entries

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