Born: October 30, 1980 Primary Instrument: Guitar
In the music industry, you usually can’t have it both ways. You find a musician who gets what life is like in the studio and in front of the stage lights, but who finds the business side of things a mystery. Alternatively, you get the industry insider who knows how to close a deal but not how to hold an instrument. Not so with Cameron Mizell. This Brooklyn based freelance musician and online musician’s advocate knows how to straddle the divide.
Currently, the centerpiece for Mizell’s musical output is his jazz/funk trio. The group serves as his creative playground, a place to continually develop his voice as a musician. Since 2005, Mizell has been accompanied by long time friend and collaborator, pianist/organist Brad Whiteley, and in 2007 filled the drum chair with the talented Kenneth Salters. Together, they recorded Mizell’s third album, Tributary.
Mizell is also a versatile, and busy, sideman in the NYC music scene. He accompanies singer/songwriters, plays lead guitar in a rock band, mandolin in a bluegrass outfit, and picks up a variety of jazz, pop, and rock gigs along the way. One of his more interesting sideman roles is in the indie-rocktronica band Little Grey Girlfriend, which also includes the other two members of his trio backing the bands vibrant frontwoman, Erika Lloyd.
Before becoming a freelance musician, Mizell had a gig of a different sort ” behind a desk at Verve Records. As head of production at Universal Music Group subsidiary Verve Music Group, Mizell got a look at a side of the music industry most musicians never get to see. In his three years at Verve, Mizell learned invaluable information that has helped him as an independent musician.
In 2008, Mizell decided to combine his knowledge of the industry with his understanding of life as a musician and put it to good use. Together with Dave Hahn, Mizell founded the website Musician Wages. Musician Wages offers music industry advice specifically geared towards the working musician. The site has become a thought leader in the musician community due to Hahn and Mizell’s commitment to integrity, practicality, and honest perspective from their own careers.
Mizell’s pace shows no signs of slowing down. In 2011, expect to hear Mizell on several new releases and continue to increase his own output. He has also been working as a music industry consultant for small labels and independent artists. With his business acumen and musical prowess, expect to see much more of Mizell both on and offstage in the future.
Tributary
Self Released / Half Full Records
2010
Tracks: Tributary; The Bottoms; Sawdust Dive; Mississippi Mud Clerk; Ghost Town; Junior's Swamp Sauce; Another Old Fashion; Swell; The Return; Tributary (Epilogue).
Personnel: Cameron Mizell: electric and acoustic guitars, glockenspiel. Brad Whiteley: Hammond B3, synth bass, additional keyboards. Kenneth Salters: drums.
Life Is Loud
Self Released
2007
Tracks: Fearless; Cold Sweat; Soulfunksticat; Chester Bustamante; Let The Music Take Your Mind; Spinning Wheel; Get Out; Three If By Outer Space; Los Bandidos; Pungee; Thursdays; Walking Home; The Whipper.
Personnel: Cameron Mizell: guitar. Brad Whiteley: Hammond B3, synth bass, Fender Rhodes. Mike Fortune: drums.
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