Duncan McMillan – 2015

Photo from pkorecords.com

Late Night Groove Session with Duncan McMillan

Saturday, August 8, 2015 – 10:30 to Midnight
North Stage

JazzFest 2015 will end in the groove — the musical point when “even the people who can’t dance wanna feel like dancing.”  Taking you there will be a quartet headed by B-3 organist (and pianist) Duncan McMillan, who has proven his chops playing with virtually all of Michigan’s top jazz musicians over the years. He began studying piano at age 5, kept at it all the way through Western Michigan University (B.M. piano/jazz studies), and along the way established his reputation as a versatile musician, working as a sideman with such diverse artists as Jon Hendricks, Aretha Franklin, Rodney Whitaker, Ira Sullivan, Marcus Belgrave and The Four Freshmen. He is currently working with Johnnie Bassett & the Blues Insurgents, vocalist Odessa Harris, and The Paul Keller Orchestra.  He has recorded and released his own CD, and accompanied many notables in the recording studio, creating an impressive discography.

Duncan is also a respected musical director/arranger, working as a consultant for regional theaters, church organizations and local bands, and his arrangements have been performed by The Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Jazz Orchestra, and Planet D Nonet, among others. In addition to an active performance schedule, Mr. McMillan works as an independent music instructor teaching piano, improvisation and composition.

Performing with him will be Jeff Shoup (drums), Ben Jansson (saxophones), and a guitarist yet to be named.

Ducan McMillan Website: http://www.pkorecords.com/members/dmcmillan.htm