ITG 2004

Kevin Hupe, Reporter

The Ron Miles Quartet, consisting of Ron Miles – trumpet; Eric Gunnison – piano; Kent McLagan – bass; and Rudy Royston – drums, gave an inspired performance at this years ITG Conference. In many ways, this concert seemed to herald a completely new and unique style of expression in the jazz idiom. Miles, a former winner of the ITG Solo Competition, returned to share with the ITG Conference audience his inimitable style developed in the interim period.

The concert began with three pieces as yet untitled due to the newness of their composition. First, the group played a medium tempo tune in a Latin feel. Miles sound is warm and full, and draws the listener into his restrained, introspective style of playing. The melody and harmonies seemed influenced by those of Pat Metheny, building through repetition of the melodic shapes leaving the audience hanging on the edge, dying for resolution.
Second, the quartet performed a free sounding swing tune showing off the extremely high level of communication among the members of the group. Miles’ music, much of the time, sounds free of harmonic constraints allowing the musicians to explore combinations of sound in the truest sense. Free sounding sections alternate with more structured parts in each of the instrument’s solos, winding up and down with complex rhythms. Bassist Kent McLagan treated the audience to an unaccompanied solo that eventually weaved its way back into the melody to conclude the piece.

Next was a piece with a wonderful, simply stated melody over a street beat feel that still managed to maintain the flavor associated with the unique style of the Miles Quartet. Miles played a highly creative solo, frequently changing moods, over a sparse accompaniment in the rhythm section. He used building, evolving rhythmic patterns interspersed with hard swinging sections to electrify the crowd on an almost sub-conscious level. All the solos seemed like crafted, artistic, fanciful creations unto themselves.

Miles mentioned that one of his favorite bands, as a young boy, was the one seen on the television show The Partridge Family. The quartet performed a song titled I Woke Up in Love This Morning from that show. The song was in a relaxed, comfortable groove with the melody presented in the distinctive free environment created by the efforts of the entire group in tandem. Soloists were sensitive and delicate or aggressive when appropriate but most of all, the solos were filled with emotion. After a standing ovation, the quartet returned to the stage to perform their encore titled Cupid.