James Miley - ProfilesArchive

About Me

IT'S ALIVE!!! The long-awaited CD release by BUG, titled "Murmur" is now available for purchase, directly from www.bugtet.com or CD Baby . Features all original compositions by James & Jeff Miley, recorded live in the studio at Cuesta College during the band's Fall 2006 World Domination Tour.
Thanks for all your support.
James Miley, recipient of the IAJE/Gil Evans Fellowship in Jazz Composition, is currently Director of Jazz Studies at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, VA, where he directs the VT Jazz Orchestra, teaches music theory and composition and coordinates the small jazz ensemble program. His music has been featured in performances at Carnegie Hall, the Monterey Jazz Festival, the International Jazz Composers Symposium, the Reno Jazz Festival, the International Association for Jazz Education's Annual Conference, and by many of the nation's finest college and high school jazz ensembles. Recent commissions include works for the James Logan Wind Symphony, the Monterey Jazz Festival, the Kandinsky Trio and the California All State Honor Jazz Band. Miley earned his doctorate in composition and jazz studies from the University of Oregon, with stops at Occidental College, the University of Arizona and CalArts along the way.
In addition to his duties in the music department at Virginia Tech, James' current musical endeavors include bug (featuring Peter Epstein, saxophones; Brian Hamada, drums; Jeff Miley, guitars; and Roger Shew, bass) whose debut CD, Murmur is now available for sale through the band website or CD Baby . He has a pronounced weakness for chocolate sauce and smoked salmon (though not together... yet), can never have too much cowbell, knows the first and last names of all the main characters on Saved By The Bell, and following lengthy counseling, now freely admits to purchasing a Wang Chung record by choice in 1986.
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My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 10/6/2006
Band Website: music.vt.edu/people/faculty/miley
Band Members: Don't Be Difficult
bug
Peter Epstein, saxophone
Jeff Miley, guitar
James Miley, piano
Roger Shew, bass
Brian Hamada, drums

Art of Darkness
Cuesta Jazz Ensemble
James Miley, Director
John Heer, tenor
Blaine McGurty, piano
Isaac Laing, drums

In Your Voice
Cuesta Jazz Ensemble
James Miley, Director
Wes Smith, alto

Late As Usual
University of Nevada, Reno
Jazz Ensemble I
Larry Engstrom, Director

Influences: John Hollenbeck
Gary Versace
Theo Bleckmann
Ron Miles
John Serry
Tony Malaby
David Binney
Ben Monder
Mark Turner
Kenny Wheeler
Miles Okazaki
Michael Brecker
Django Bates
Pat Metheny
Lyle Mays
Jaco Pastorius
Steve Swallow
Joni Mitchell
Brad Mehldau
Bill Frisell
Keith Jarrett
Stravinsky
Copland
Steve Reich
Leonard Bernstein
Wayne Shorter
Herbie Hancock
Jane Siberry/ISSA
Bob Brookmeyer
Maria Schneider
Dave Holland
Ralph Towner
John Adams
Osvaldo Golijov
the Collective
Mark Isham
Duncan Sheik
Bruce Cockburn
Jackie McLean
Monteverdi
/Perotin
Ornette Coleman
King's X
Allan Holdsworth
Horace Silver
Bill Evans
Tribal Tech
Jonatha Brooke
Sidsel Endresen
Kneebody
Michael Hedges
Joe Henderson
Willy Porter
Joe Zawinul
Paul Shaghoian
Peter Epstein
Jeff Miley
Brian Hamada
Roger Shew
...and so many others...

Sounds Like: music (usually)
Record Label: unsigned
Type of Label: None

My Blog

Any Requests????

OK... So I desperately need to update my player. It will happen one of these days--just haven't gotten around to much of the maintenance stuff on myspace recently. Any suggestions for tunes to ppst?...
Posted by James Miley on Tue, 18 Sep 2007 07:31:00 PST

BUGtet or not BUGtet

Check out the new BUGtet page here:www.myspace.com/bugtetWe're considering names for the band and/or CD... if you've got ideas, head on over there and post in the blog called NAME THIS BAND.Thanks! C...
Posted by James Miley on Sun, 17 Dec 2006 03:58:00 PST

THAT was a blast!

OK. So I'm not exactly a dedicated blogger... just finished the tour, recorded the band, had a great time. Looking forward to getting home, though. CD should be done in February--will definitely po...
Posted by James Miley on Tue, 31 Oct 2006 11:52:00 PST

Deep Thoughts

I've discovered I don't have time to blog.Concert was great last night... getting ready to head into the studio and record some of this music. Should be fun! I'll try to post a real update later th...
Posted by James Miley on Sat, 28 Oct 2006 01:01:00 PST

sleep

Left for the airport at 4:30 am on Friday in Virginia.. finally going to sleep at 2:30 am on Saturday in California.I think it's safe to say that was some pretty bad travel planning on my part. I'll ...
Posted by James Miley on Fri, 27 Oct 2006 02:30:00 PST

BUG goes on tour

If you're in the area, come check out the band at the end of the month in California. So looking forward to the chance to play some good music with my comrades: Peter Epstein, Brian Hamada, Jeff Mile...
Posted by James Miley on Mon, 23 Oct 2006 11:49:00 PST

This Week in the CD Changer

Supposed to be working on a big commission right now. I'll write about the current inhabitants of my CD changer instead...Currently on rotation:Claudia Quintet -- Semi-FormalLars Moller -- Kaleidesco...
Posted by James Miley on Mon, 23 Oct 2006 11:38:00 PST