My Take
Marcus Miller is one of those rare musicians where you realize within about ten seconds that you're in the presence of someone operating on a completely different level. Born in New York City in 1959 and trained at LaGuardia High School — that legendary arts factory — he went on to become Miles Davis's go-to songwriter and producer for landmark albums like Tutu and Amandla, which is basically the jazz equivalent of being handed the keys to the kingdom. His slap bass technique is ferocious and precise, but what really gets me is how musical it always sounds — never showy for the sake of it. Throw in the fact that he plays clarinet and saxophone with equal fluency, collaborated with Herbie Hancock, Luther Vandross, and Wayne Shorter, and earned an Icon Award in 2013, and the case basically makes itself: this guy is the complete package.
Overview
William Henry Marcus Miller Jr. (born June 14, 1959) is an American musician, songwriter and record producer. He has worked with trumpeter Miles Davis, pianist Herbie Hancock, singer Luther Vandross, and saxophonists Wayne Shorter and David Sanborn, among others. He was the main songwriter and producer on three of Davis's albums: Tutu (1986), Music from Siesta (1987), and Amandla (1989).
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Marcus Miller
- Name (Japanese)
- マーカス・ミラー
- Reading
- まーかす・みらー
- Born
- June 14, 1959 (age 66)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Gemini / Boar
- Origin
- New York City, New York, United States
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- bassist / composer / clarinetist / jazz musician / saxophonist
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School
- University
- Private
Awards & achievements
- 2013 Icon Award
- 2018 Officer of the Order of Cultural Merit
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.