Chinle Miller

Two years in the making, Conspiracy Theories is undoubtedly guitarist Phil Miller's most ambitious record to date. After establishing himself as a member of such legendary Canterbury groups as Hatfield and the North, National Health, Matching Mole, and Delivery, Miller has devoted the majority of his energy over the past quarter-century to his more overtly jazz-centric In Cahoots group.Featuring seven new and characteristically dynamic compositions from Miller (and one each from Baker and Lemer), his writing has never been more complex yet approachable, and the indefinable British nature of his writing - dating back to Matching Mole - remains a defining quality. While fans of the Canterbury scene will undoubtedly rejoice, the disc's finely-honed compositions, fine arrangements and compelling solos make it equally deserving of attention from the broader jazz-listening public.

The works of true artistic masters are things to cherish. When two such masters come together to create, it is truly a moment to behold. Pianists Kenny Barron and Mulgrew Miller have cemented themselves as two of the foremost pianists and song interpreters of the 21st century. In an inspired conception, Barron and Miller were paired in duo performances, one in 2005 and two in 2011, that are presented here as The Art of Piano Duo – Live.

Most definitely a part of the late-'60s West Coast psychedelic blues revolution that was becoming hipper than hip, Steve Miller was also always acutely aware of both the British psychedelic movement that was swirling in tandem and of where the future lay, and how that would evolve into something even more remarkable. The result of all those ideas, of course, came together on 1968's magnificent Sailor LP. What was begun on Children of the Future is more fully realized on Sailor, most notably on the opening "Song for Our Ancestors," which begins with a foghorn and only gets stranger from there. Indeed, the song precognizes Pink Floyd's 1971 opus "Echoes" to such an extent that one wonders how much the latter enjoyed Miller's own wild ride…

Jane Ira Bloom on soprano sax. Allison Miller on drums. Recorded remotely from each player’s home studios, because that’s 2021 for musicians. Five Tuesdays in March and April bore the following fruit…