PHIL MILLER / IN CAHOOTS
Fred Baker ï Elton Dean ï Jim Dorvak ï Mark Fletcher ï Barbara Gaskin • Hugh Hopper • Peter Lemer • Phil Miller • Pip Pyle • Dave Stewart

"Featuring great players from the worlds of both jazz and rock, In Cahoots is one of the best groups producing new jazz fusion in the U.K. today. It was formed in 1982 by composer and guitarist Phil Miller as a vehicle for his own compositions, jazz-inflected tunes notable for their unique melodies, intricacy, passages for passionate soloing, and expert use of rhythm. Showcasing Miller’s sublime compositions and contributions by others, and absolutely stellar playing by all involved, All That is one smoking disc. It is essential listening for followers of Phil Miller’s work as well as all fans of fusion and British jazz. Phil Miller has performed with Delivery, Matching Mole, Hatfield and the North and National Health.

Phil Miller's official website
Phil is also a member of Delivery and National Health


ALL THAT



RUNE 181

All That features the lineup of Miller (guitar), Peter Lemer (keyboards), Jim Dvorak (trumpet), Elton Dean (alto & C melody sax, and saxello), Fred Baker (bass guitar), and Mark Fletcher (drums). Phil's mature writing and the crack ensemble deliver the goods. Whether you call it rocked up jazz or jazzed up rock, it is exciting, excellently played music.

“The British have a long history of putting the conventions of jazz-rock fusion to better use than their American counterparts do, and guitarist/composer Phil Miller is a case in point. Leading a sextet he calls In Cahoots, Miller offers a solid set of muscular, no-nonsense modern jazz that delivers plenty of intellectual interest without ever descending into navel-gazing solo wankery and without ever sacrificing its powerful groove. True, much of this stuff is most definitely music for musicians -- check out the long, complex "Black Cat," for example (taking note of Pete Lemer's sparkling keyboard work and Fred Baker's huge fretless bass tone), or the rhythmically and melodically sideways "Sleight of Hand." But toward the end of the program Miller and company suddenly become much more friendly and accessible, with the absolutely lovely and surprisingly straight-ahead Latin jazz of "Upside" (composed by Baker) and a gorgeous ballad by Miller entitled "Out There." Great stuff. ” – All Music Guide

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DIGGING IN



RUNE 34

Digging In is very studio oriented, featuring lots of superb fretwork by Phil, plus help from Pip Pyle, Peter Lemer, and Fred Baker.

"A single Phil Miller album is, in 1988, a greater event than ten Miles Davis albums. More!" - Puls (Norway)

"...like a 90's version of Brand X."- Pulse

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CUTTING BOTH WAYS



RUNE 11

Back in print after several years of unavailability. Phil Miller made his name as guitarist with the legendary Canterbury bands Delivery, Matching Mole, Hatfield & the North and National Health. After the demise of National Health, he began preparing for a solo career that began with Cutting Both Ways and continues to this day. This was the first album released under his own name, and the first album to feature his band In Cahoots, who are pretty much of a supergroup themselves: Hugh Hopper-bass (Soft Machine), Elton Dean-saxes (Soft Machine), Peter Lemer-keyboards (Gilgamesh, Mike Oldfield, Pierre Moerlen's Gong) & Pip Pyle-drums (Gong, Hatfield, National Health). Additionally, two tracks are multi-overdubbed meetings between Phil and keyboardist Dave Stewart (Egg, Hatfield, National Health) and Barbara Gaskin (Hatfield). Canterbury jazz/rock of the highest order.

"This album comprises two aspects of my compositional output. The first is represented by the four pieces recorded by my band, In Cahoots, and the second by the two pieces recorded in collaboration with Dave Stewart. In Cahoots has toured Europe extensively in the past two years. The music recorded here is largely a result of the live-in-the-studio approach. This contrasts with the two pieces recorded in collaboration with Dave. Here the orientation is towards multi-tracking, utilizing the latests developments in music technology." – Phil Miller

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MEDIA
For press and media: cover art and high resolution images are available below for download (click thumbnail, right-click image and select "Save As.."). Please credit the photographer (when available) and "Courtesy of Cuneiform Records". For more information, click here.

Phil Miller / In Cahoots

Phil Miller

PRESS RELEASES
Phil Miller / In Cahoots - All That press release
Phil Miller - Digging in press release
Phil Miller - Cutting Both Ways press release

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