Jim Miller

I've been involved in the professional music business since 1970, but incredibly, still enjoy playing the drums anyway. I consider it very fortunate that my Indianapolis grade school had a full band program and indoor plumbing as well. At age 12 the “music nun” yanked me from piano lessons to play drums in the orchestra because no one else had exhibited any natural proclivity toward becoming the scapegoat in the school's traditional losses at district band contests

In order to protect the windowsills and tabletops, a drumset was soon provided and in no time, I was auditioning for my first band (”Do you know the beat to 'Wipe Out'?” “Yeah.” “OK, you're in.”). Starting with youth centers and community pools, moving up to after-game dances and drunken frat-house affairs, I paid my dues to reach the top in Naptown: VFW halls, Moose Lodges, mall openings, sets between films at drive-ins, and occasional Union jobs at the Women's Prison. I once found myself playing along with the jukebox at a country joint too cheap to hire a whole group; realizing something was missing, I decided to devote myself to bands inexplicably working on unique, original material no one wanted to hear.

By this point I was gaining notoriety as a drummer who would show up for the gig, but I needed more...so, after finally perceiving that further artistic growth could not occur in an area with such a dearth of seedy dives, I moved to Philadelphia.

Since relocating to the East Coast and slowly crystallizing the concepts for a book, I've greatly decreased my chances for fame and financial success by evolving into a Jazz Snob. In recent years my drums have taken me to many distant and foreign lands including Cancun (Mexico), Lisbon (Portugal), and Des Moines, Iowa. But seriously, I took snare drum lessons with Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra percussionist Jack Wagley, and studied informally at drum clinics with John Von Ohlen, J.C. Heard, Ed Shaughnessy, and Alan Dawson. I was leader/co-founder/chief mediator/drummer for the “electro-jazz” group REVERIE, which persevered in the face of adversity, apathy, and overwhelming indifference to release four collections of original material in the dozen or so years of its existence; as a sideman, I've backed Ira Sullivan / Johnny Coles / Larry Coryell / John Blake / Al Grey / Don Alias / Cecil Bridgewater / Steve Giordano / Victor Bailey / Anita O'Day / Frank Tiberi / Jef Lee Johnson / Steve Rudolph / Alex Foster / Bootsie Barnes / Sid Simmons / Onaje Alan Gumbs / “Doc” Gibbs / Reggie Workman / Uri Caine / Rebecca Parris / Mark Murphy / Ben Schachter / Tony Williams / Jeff Jarvis / Evelyn Simms / Eddie Green / Ron Thomas / Larry McKenna / Lynn Seaton / Bob Kindred / Gordon Brisker / Richie Cole / Charles Fambrough / Randy Brecker / Vanessa Rubin / Houston Person / Bob Mintzer / Buddy DeFranco / Clark Terry / James Moody / John Simon / Ted Rosenthal / Ray Mantilla / Joe Ford / Jean Carn / Dave Stryker / Dave Leonhardt / Eddie Gomez / Mark Kramer / Dave Liebman / Slide Hampton / Randy Johnston / Bobby Zankel / Michael Pedecin, Jr. / Clifford Adams / Steve Marcus (and many others).

I founded ENCOUNTER RECORDS in 1986 and DREAMBOX MEDIA in 1995, resulting in Philadelphia Magazine’s choice award for 1999 Best of Philly® Jazz Record Label; Produced Evelyn Simms' “On My Own,” awarded BEST JAZZ RECORDING OF 1989 by the Philadelphia Music Foundation; currently working and recording with Tyrone Brown (former bassist for Max Roach), the Jim Ridl Trio, the Tom Lawton Quintet, “MONKadelphia” and the Denis DiBlasio Quartet / Quintet; two trips to Europe w/ pianist BRIAN TRAINOR; Adjunct Professor for Advanced Study of DrumSet on Jazz Faculty at Rowan University, Glassboro, N.J.; Active Member American Federation of Teachers, Local 2373; member JazzBridge.org advisory board; Awarded “Philadelphia Jazz Hero” for 2013 by the Jazz Journalists Association.
DREAMBOX MEDIA is an independent musicians' co-op dedicated to promoting the rich tradition of distinctively original and creative Philadelphia jazz artists performing a wide range of jazz styles.
Since Philadelphia Jazz has a rich tradition of breeding distinctively original and creative artists, Dreambox Media aims to supplement and provide an alternative to the mass market-driven policy decisions made by other record labels.
Releasing works by under-recorded veterans and deserving newcomers, Dreambox Media enables these recordings to reach a wider audience through its own website, NorthCountry Distributors, amazon.com, and other outlets. Dreambox artists have played major jazz festivals and clubs all over the world, and have conducted local community workshops for students of all ages in the spirit of spreading the message of America's uniquely indigenous artform, a truly democratic music.

Awards

Most recently, named 2013's "Jazz Hero" for Philadelphia by the Jazz Journalists Association (please see Bio above.)

Gear

I build my own drumsets, and use DREAM cymbals, Pro-Mark sticks, various mallets and brushes.

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”...the element of surprise” in a set that is “musically inspiring, uncompromising, observant and technically impressive...” (jazzreview.com)
”With his characteristic flexibility, one that makes it sometime seem as if he's physically steering the band around the turns of whatever tune is rolling past” (-Cadence)
...”the orchestrational drummer of choice” (-Jazz Player magazine)
”...unbelievably difficult to listen to...” (-AllAbout Jazz.com)

Primary Instrument

Drums

Location

Philadelphia, PA

Willing to teach

Intermediate to advanced students

Credentials/Background

Adjunct Professor of Advanced Studies for Drumset at Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ. There, I also coach small Jazz ensembles, teach a Business of Music course, and accept private students. Call 267-250-8506 for more info.