The Breakdown: Slap Bass w/ Marcus Miller

Watch Marcus Miller perform live at SFJAZZ: 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: Among the greatest electric bassists in the history