Tnek Jazz Quintet

Kent Miller has been involved in the Washington, DC jazz scene since 1995 after relocating from New York. His debut album is titled Contributions from the project of the same name. Joining Miller (acoustic bass) are Benny Russell (tenor sax), Darius Scott (piano) and Greg Holloway (drums and percussion).

In the liner notes it states, "Contributions is a collection of compositions that is intended to convey originality, a high level of musicianship, emotion, feeling, but most importantly, the true heritage of swing." After listening to the album a couple of times that assessment is spot on. This is outstanding swing music with all four members given the time to shine. Besides the solos, of which there are many, these guys can really groove in the pocket, completely in sync with the other.

Whether it's the calypso infused feel good swing and celebratory atmosphere of "West End Carnival", the fantastic piano, bass and sax solos in the catchy "Miss Lillie" or the lovingly sentimental ballad "Per'igee" you cannot go wrong with any of these tracks. The uplifting "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy, Percy" features more outstanding bass and sax.

This is as pure and soulful as contemporary jazz music gets and if you like swinging jazz you are in for a real treat. Released on TNEK Jazz. - seaoftranquility.org

The team of Kent Miller/b, Benny Russell/ts, Darius Scott/p and Greg Holloway/dr make it sound easy; it’s not. Only by being a vet of jazz can jazz swing this smoothly without sounding “smooth.” The rhythm team lays down hip grooves from Russell’s breathy tenor on “West End Carnival” and the team is silky soft for the reedmeister on the suave “Per’igee.” Drums and horns go back and forth like a singles match on the brilliant and bluesy “Miss Lillie” and Holloway’s brush work does a Fred Astaire soft shoe on the nimble “One for Two Blues.” Scott’s nimble fingers dally on the ivories on the lite latin “Reminiscence” and snaps with the best on “G’s Bop.” These guys make feelin’ good feel good. - Jazz Weekly

"Seemingly led by bass player Kent Miller, this group outing is the kind of smoking straight ahead jazz you just don’t come across much anymore. Solidly played with energy and vibes that just don’t quit, the only statement this set is making is that you should have a good time. Fun and party music geared to generating a good time, this is perfect summer evening jazz, preferably enjoyed near water with something wet. A totally solid set that goes the distance."
​
Volume 39/Number 242
July 1, 2016
MIDWEST RECORD
CHRIS SPECTOR, Editor and Publisher
Copyright 2016 Midwest Record - Midwest Record

Kent Miller is known for his laid back double bass playing, consisting of less splash and more dependability than, say, Charles Mingus, the band-leading bass player most folks will conjure up for comparison. Miller's band largely fits in the groove of '60s jazz and seems very comfortable there, inviting natural comparisons to any of the jazz groups that bassists Ron Carter and Paul Chambers were in over the years. One of the standout tunes on Contributions is an ode to Modern Jazz Quartet bassist Percy Heath which winds up with a suitably understated but massively swinging bass solo. Kent Miller and company pull off this classic jazz sound with unpretentious dedication. - Alibi

What you hear immediately from bassist Kent Miller's quartet is their fluency and propulsive, surely satisfying, button poppin,' finger-snappin' swing with both originals and standards that holds up extremely well with repeated listenings.

I could go on and on about solos great and small and how each of these guys give, take, and stamp their signature talents on each turn, but "Minor Step" is all about ensemble playing. So Hank Mobley's rocket fueled "Work Out" and Paul Chambers' serpentine "Visitation" set the stage for the brazen, hard rolling "Minor Step." A Miller original and the disc's namesake tune, this Trane-centric jam finds saxophonist Benny Russell blowing high and free on the soprano, while his mates, bassist Miller, acrobatic pianist Darius Scott and tireless drummer Greg Holloway roll and crest behind him.
A standardized "My Foolish Heart" follows this frenzy but it seems oddly out of place, like the quartet has to prove they can do the hard and the soft, the smooth and the bop. But they needn't be troubled by such misgivings, because every track which follows, the fanciful dance of percussion and bass on Parker's "My Little Suede Shoes," a fierce and fiery urgency powers Coltrane's "Liberia," sheer blowouts of Wes Montgomery's "SOS," another Parker "Dexterity" and Darius Scott's Monki-ish "T'Sup Cuz" just take this disc to extended heights. - All About Jazz

Think of the contrabass and the chances are that the name ‘Kent Miller’ may not be the first one that leaps to mind. But is ought to if one is an aficionado and also if one is thinking about what it takes to be not only a bassist but also a complete musician. By that, it means having flawless technique whether playing pizzicato or con arco – pristine articulation, the ability to paint sound with tonal colours from a very large palette – and the ability to make every note part of an emotional statement, whether playing solo or in an ensemble. Suddenly the population of contrabassists is dramatically reduced. This is when Kent Miller starts look really good and he has proved this once again with Minor Step.
Minor Step is a beautiful recording rooted in the blues, but it is much more that that too. This is a Jazz recording made the old fashioned way, with a quartet comprising piano, saxophone and drums. That, however, does not guarantee automatic success but Mr Miller is a renaissance man of Jazz. You hear this immediately in the elegant craftsmanship of the standard, “My Foolish Heart” with its no-nonsense melodic and harmonic beauty. But then soon that track after Kent Miller does something quite unique. He takes apart Charlie Parker’s “My Little Suede Shoes”, already written in the Latin mode and he completely re-harmonises it with a breathtaking display of bass playing.
Listening to the tune you feel that you know it but somehow it is elusive even in its familiarity. And here’s why: Although Kent Miller attacks the harmony of the song by recognising each chord’s root, after having reduced the chord to close spacing he rearranges each as a stack of thirds. Here he also is not only clever and employs shortcuts to this: in inverted triads, the root is directly above the interval of a fourth, in inverted sevenths, it is directly above the interval of a second. And then he employs different chord types, such as chords with added sixths or chords over pedal points, more than one possible chordal harmony possible. It’s not a one off because in a solo shortly thereafter, on “Dexterity” a similar magic occurs.
But Kent Miller is never alone in making beautiful things happen in the music. Each time he steps out he carries the rest of the quartet with him. Benny Russell brings with him a large dry boom on tenor saxophone (“Liberia”) and an equally desiccated howl on soprano saxophone (“Minor Step”). As he quotes from classic Jazz music he seems to draw from the well-spring of men like Dexter Gordon and Charlie Rouse. The thunderous drumming of Greg Holloway is at once earth-shaking and almost fleet as it makes for much dancing and Darius Scott is marvellous as he chops and muscles his way masterfully through harmony and rhythm. This set is the epitomé of elegance and good taste; a classic date. - Jazzda Gama

Seemingly led by bass player Kent Miller, this group outing is the kind of smoking straight ahead jazz you just don’t come across much anymore. Solidly played with energy and vibes that just don’t quit, the only statement this set is making is that you should have a good time. Fun and party music geared to generating a good time, this is perfect summer evening jazz, preferably enjoyed near water with something wet. A totally solid set that goes the distance.

Volume 39/Number 242
July 1, 2016
MIDWEST RECORD
CHRIS SPECTOR, Editor and Publisher
Copyright 2016 Midwest Record - Midwest Record