David Miller

Bassist : Educator

Short Bio:

After ten years as part of New York City's thriving jazz scene, bassist David Miller now makes his home in Southern California where he has become one of the most respected and in-demand players on the scene. He has performed and/or recorded with artists such as Ornette Coleman, Charlie Haden, Junior Mance, Royal Crown Revue, Jane Lynch, Gene Simmons, The Tony Guerrero Quintet and many more. David also continues the tradition of sharing his passion and experience by educating the next generation of musicians.

Long Bio:

David was raised in a very musical household. His mother was a musician and a painter and there was always music playing in the house. He started playing the saxophone at the age of twelve and switched to the electric bass at the age of fourteen. There was something about the sound of the bass that really attracted him and he fell in love with it immediately. David played in rock bands and discovered punk rock which was a revelation to him. That music was so cathartic to participate in - it was thrilling and liberating. David’s mother always had jazz music playing in the house and he was really drawn to the sound of the stand up bass. That steady boom boom-boom-boom really made the music groove and it moved him a lot as a listener. With that in mind, David started studying the acoustic bass at sixteen under the guidance of Robert Ciccarrelli, a Julliard graduate and Professor of Double Bass at the University of Redlands. David began his professional career at the age of nineteen playing in various city orchestras as well as performing in jazz clubs in the Southern California. He moved to New York City in 1991 and immersed himself in the music scene - performing, recording, and touring nationally and internationally with a diverse group of artists ranging from Ornette Colemen to the Glenn Miller Orchestra. David also began playing with original bands including the eclectic New Orleans jazz band the Flying Neutrinos and the L.A. based punk jazz group Devil Doll that was signed to Geffen Records in 1998. Since returning to the L.A area in 2001 he has been busy as an in demand performer, composer and educator. From 2003 until 2012 he played with the band Royal Crown Revue, a demanding gig that required the ability to play burning up-tempo bebop as well as old school R&B and everything in between. RCR had a loyal and worldwide following which required the band to tour extensively nationally and internationally. In 2008 David joined the Tony Guerrero Quintet and musical collaboration that continues to the present. In addition to the bands busy schedule as a working quintet , the TGQ also backs up the award winning actress/comedienne/vocalist Jane Lynch and has performed extensively with her in the show “See Jane Sing." In addition to his performing , David is also a music educator and is the Instrumental Music Director of St. Mary’s School, an International Baccalaureate World School. David holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Jazz and Contemporary Music from the New School in N.Y.C. as well as a Master in Fine Arts Degree in Jazz Bass Performance from the California Institute of the Arts in Los Angeles where he studied under Bass legend artist Charlie Haden.

"...one of the finest bass performances that I have ever seen."
- Beat Magazine

Endorsements:

Gallian-Kruger
Reunion Blues

Selected Discography:

Cal Arts Jazz | Capital Records 1989
Devil Doll - "Queen of Pain" | Geffen Records 1998
Matias Landeaus "Blabette" | Amigo Records 1998
Matias Landeaus "Darling" | Amigo Records 1999
Jimmy Nations "Tarheel Boogie" | Rubric Records 2000
Royal Crown Revue "Greetings from Hollywood" | Royal Crown Records 2004
* Evan Stone "Sticks and Stone, Vol. 1" | Red Jazz Records 2006

Royal Crown Revue "El Toro" | Kufala Recordings 2007
Royal Crown Revue "Don’t Be a Grinch This Year" | Royal Crown Records 2011
Tony Guerrero & Frank Giebels "Reunion" | Third Bedroom 2012
The Tony Guerrero Quintet "The Thing Is..." | Third Bedroom 2015
* Winner, O.C. Music Awards Jazz album of the year
...and more