World-class musicians break down musical concepts at various levels of difficulty, from beginner to advanced.

For this edition of The Breakdown, bass legend, composer, and producer Marcus Miller takes a group of three bassists at varying levels of experience through the process of learning his approach to the “slap” technique heard in much soul, funk, and contemporary jazz, and is a major part of his signature style. Using examples of famous songs that influenced him or he played on, Miller stresses the importance of technique, timekeeping, building a personal sound, and always telling a story.

Miller performed at SFJAZZ on March 15, 2024, with his band including trumpeter Russell Gunn, saxophonists Alex Han and Eric Marienthal, keyboardist Xavier Gordon, drummer Anwar Marshall, and iconic percussionist Darryl “Munyungo” Jackson. View a full-length video of their performance on-demand here: https://www.sfjazz.org/athome/on-demand/marcus-miller/

Among the greatest electric bassists in the history of the instrument, Marcus Miller is a jazz Renaissance man. A two-time GRAMMY-winning producer, arranger, keyboardist, bass clarinetist, and film composer, he was instrumental to Miles Davis’ resurgence in the 1980s and a collaborator with everyone from Dizzy Gillespie, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, and McCoy Tyner to Paul Simon, Aretha Franklin, and Luther Vandross.

A wildly prolific studio musician, Miller and his distinctive bass virtuosity have been heard on well over 500 sessions for a dizzying array of major artists, and as a bandleader, the Brooklyn native has found time to release 18 multifaceted albums, starting with his sparkling 1983 debut Suddenly. His soundtrack work spans decades, from 90s comedies including House Party, Eddie Murphy’s Boomerang, and Keenan Ivory Wayans’ A Low Down Dirty Shame to the Chris Rock television series Everybody Hates Chris and 2014’s About Last Night.

In 2012, Miller was named a UNESCO Artist for Peace, working to promote their Slave Route Project that contributes to a better understanding of the causes and consequences of the global slave trade.