Scottie Miller – Carnival Cocoon
Scottie Miller Music LLC
23 tracks/65:12 and an 84 page book
This book of poems and a CD of the poems recited to and with music arrived in the post office box this summer. Scottie Miller writes about life in the Twin Cities and beyond. He plays the blues and has toured with Ruthie Foster who appears here on one track. Miller sings/recites and plays piano. Also appearing are JT Bates on drums and percussion, Jeff Bailey on electric and double bass, Ciera Alise Hill and Bex Gaunt on violin, Jesse Kellerman on viola, and Greg Byers in cello and double bass. Hill also adds more violins and cello.
Miller’s love for poetry was fostered one year while attending Berklee School of music. The beat-poet hearkens back to a 1060’s sort of vibe as the cuts are mostly spoken word with some jazz piano and perhaps a trio or small ensemble playing behind the poems. The album is not really a blues album, but it’s cool and interesting to listen to, and you can read the poetry with the accompanying booklet.
“Stay” with Ruthie Foster is a cool R&B/rap tune. It’s about not giving up and staying with what you are doing. “Adrenaline” has a bigger musical production, too. “Bleeker Street” is sung and accompanied by some interesting orchestral strings as is “Beggar, Banquet, Fisherman’s Pay.” “The Gritty Border” is a hard core blues number with piano and drums. The rest of the songs are spoken or sung lightly with piano or small jazzy accompaniment.
Overall it is an interesting and somewhat unique voyage of Miller’s journeys as captured in prose.
