Luxury Experience - Marcus Miller - A Night in Monte-Carlo

Marcus Miller - A Night in Monte-Carlos featuring Marcus Miller, Roy Hargrove, Raul Midón, and the L'Orchestre Philharmonique De Monte-Carlo was a evening of surprises, musical magic, jazz, blues, pop, rock, and more; as you know with Marcus Miller, there is no status quo.

Marcus Miller - A Night in Monte-Carlo: Blast!; So What; State of Mind; I Loves You Porgy; Amandla; I'm Glad There Is You; O Mio Babbino Caro / Mas Que Nada; Your Amazing Grace; Strange Fruit

Personnel: Marcus Miller: Bass Guitar, Bass Clarinet; Roy Hargrove: Trumpet; Raul Midón: Vocals, Guitar; Alex Han: Alto Saxophone; DJ Logic: Turntables; Federico Gonzalez Peña: Piano, Keyboards, Percussion; Poogie Bell: Drums; Herbie Hancock: Piano (Strange Fruit); L'Orchestre Philharmonique De Monte-Carlo

Marcus Miller - A Night in Monte-Carlo was produced by Marcus Miller and released on the Concord Music Group label. Marcus, a two-time GRAMMY® winner, has produced nine albums while participating on a Who's Who list of releases across genres from rock, jazz, Rhythm & Blues, hip hop, blues, new wave, and smooth jazz for than 40 years. Marcus was commissioned to perform a live concert in Monte-Carlo in November 2009, and from this unforgettable evening came the release A Night in Monte-Carlo. Marcus, along with his quartet, was accompanied by special guests Roy Hargrove on trumpet, singer / songwriter / guitarist Raul Midón, and the L'Orchestre Philharmonique De Monte-Carlo, all 50 strong.

The release opened with the track Blast!, a GRAMMY® -nominated instrumental song with Middle Eastern overtones set against a progressive funk sound and coupled with the backing of the L'Orchestre Philharmonique De Monte-Carlo, the tune jumped off the stage and captured the audience's attention that this was a night to remember.

The release followed up with the track So What (Miles Davis - 1959) and Marcus changed the solo piano introduction into a full orchestra that complements a sexy jazz beat with the drums and bass guitar creating the bass line for Alex Han's tempting alto saxophone, Federico Gonzalez Peña's mesmerizing piano work, and DJ Logic scratching away on turntables.

The band and orchestra take a break as Raul Midón takes center stage to play and sing the song State of Mind that he recorded in 2005 on a release of the same name. Simulating the drums through tapping on his guitar and a trumpet with his lips, Raul is accompanied by Marcus on electric bass and Federico Gonzalez Peña on udu (African percussion instrument). The orchestra joins in on the classic track I Love You Porgy from the Porgy & Bess Gershwin opera. Marcus love contrasts and he creates one with the strings section with his musicianship on the fretless bass.

The track Amandla, which Marcus composed for the legendary Miles Davis, is placed in the hands and lips of the trumpet maestro Roy Hargrove who reaches new heights with this poignant song. I'm Glad There is You has Roy trading in the trumpet for the flugelhorn that complements the strings to create a wistful sound.

The medley of O Mio Babbino Caro / Mas Que Nada shows a warmer side to Marcus as he covers the lyrical soprano voice of O Mio Babbino Caro with his fretless bass and creates a mystical tone throughout the Opera House. Marcus awakens the audience with the rollicking Brazilian classic Mas Que Nada and everyone joins in from Raul playing voice trumpet to Roy's trumpet.

The evening in Monte-Carlo closes with Marcus' arrangement of Amazing Grace that he dubs Your Amazing Grace that features Marcus on bass clarinet; an emotional sound that closes out a magnificent evening in Monte-Carlo. The last track on the release, Strange Fruit, was added after A Night In Monte-Carlo was concluded; it is a reflective track on racial hatred that was first performed by Billie Holiday in 1939, and through Marcus' bass clarinet he captures the tears and pain.

A Night in Monte-Carlo captures the many different faces of Marcus Miller, from his ability to fluidly cross genres to his unique ability to arrange a classic into a new format, and coupled with the backing of a full orchestra he was unstoppable.