THINKING ABOUT JAZZ - August 16, 2025 - 1pm - Mulgrew Miller

Presented by Warren Wolf

1-3pm ~ Free Admission

Mulgrew Miller was born on August 13, 1955 in Greenwood, MS into a family of 8 children of which he was the only musical talent. His parents were raised on plantations but they had a piano in the house which Mulgrew started to play at age 6. By age 8 he was taking music lesson; he played in church from an early age and by teenage years he was playing blues and R&B at dances while continuing to play in church. In these years he was impressed by Ramsey Lewis and Oscar Peterson. In 1973 he entered Memphis State on a band scholarship and was introduced to players like Wynton Kelly, McCoy Tyner and Bud Powell. In 1975 he went to Boston and studied privately with Margaret Chaloff who helped him grasp the music of some of his favorite musicians. That winter he went to LA for a year playing locally and in church. In late 1976 he subbed for the Ellington Orchestra, a gig that lasted 3 years. In 1980 he toured with Betty Carter for a year before joining Woody Shaw’s band for the next 3 years. In 1983 he joined Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, which built his confidence and cemented his reputation in jazz. He left Blakey in 1986 and began recording under his own name in groups such as “Wingspan” and “Trio Transition,” which included Reggie Workman. In this time he recorded on Wallace Roney’s first 3 records as well as with many other influential players. He had worked with drummer Tony Williams a lot and learned much from him about arranging. By age 40 he pulled back from touring to concentrate on his own music; he moved to Lehigh Valley, PA with his family where he could stretch out. He became committed to jazz education and taught at William Patterson University and Lafayette College. He died much too young of a stroke in 2013. Miller was a quiet, gentle and modest person. He said of himself in a 2005 interview: “I worked hard to maintain a certain mental and emotional equilibrium. It's mostly due to my faith in the Creator. I don't put all my eggs in that basket of being a rich and famous jazz guy. That allows me a certain amount of freedom, because I don't have to play music for money. I play music because I love it.” A musician he mentored, Warren Wolf, will bring what promises to be a notable presentation.