Barry Miles

Recognized early as a prodigy, Barry Miles first sat at the drums at age three, took up piano two years later, and gained entry to the Musicians Union by nine. He began working professionally on drums at ten, an early highlight being a guest appearance with the Woody Herman Orchestra. At twelve he cut his debut album as leader while still playing drums, directing a sextet that featured pianist Duke Jordan. In his teens he trained in classical piano before changing his main instrument. Though rooted in bop, by the late 1960s Miles had moved toward fusion, regularly employing electric piano and synthesizer. He fronted Barry Miles & Silverlight for several years, during which time his sidemen included Woody Shaw, John Abercrombie, and Al di Meola; he also served as Roberta Flack’s musical director from the early 1980s into the mid-1990s and subsequently worked as a New York studio musician. Across his discography he has led dates for Charlie Parker (1959-1961), Venture (1966), Poppy (1970), Mainstream (1971-1972), London (1974-1975), Gryphon (1977), and other labels.