Five-time Grammy Award winner Marcus Miller will return to Australia in April 2027 for five headline performances across Perth, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide.
by Paul Cashmere
Marcus Miller will return to Australia in April 2027 for a five-date national headline tour, two years after his Australian debut alongside Herbie Hancock at the Melbourne International Jazz Festival. The bassist, composer, producer and bandleader will perform in Perth, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide, bringing his long-running solo repertoire and collaborations with some of the defining names in jazz, soul and R&B to Australian concert stages.
Miller’s return provides a different setting from his 2024 Australian appearance, when he shared the opening night program of the Melbourne International Jazz Festival with Hancock. The two musicians performed separately before appearing together at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl, an encounter that placed two major figures in contemporary jazz on the same bill.
The 2027 tour will instead centre on Miller’s own band and catalogue, spanning more than four decades of recording, performance and production. His career has extended well beyond the electric bass, encompassing songwriting, arranging, production, broadcasting and film composition.
Miller’s influence is particularly evident in his work with Miles Davis during the 1980s. He was a principal songwriter and producer on Davis’ Tutu in 1986, Music From Siesta in 1987 and Amandla in 1989. The partnership helped establish Miller as a significant creative force rather than simply a highly regarded session player.
His association with Luther Vandross was similarly extensive. Miller co-produced and arranged much of Vandross’ recorded work and co-wrote several songs, including “Any Love”, “Power Of Love/Love Power” and “Don’t Want To Be A Fool”. He also co-wrote Aretha Franklin’s “Jump To It” with Vandross.
Miller’s recording credits extend across jazz, R&B, pop and rock. His bass playing has appeared on more than 500 recordings, with credits involving artists including Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, David Sanborn, George Benson, Chaka Khan, Bill Withers, Elton John, Frank Sinatra, Bryan Ferry, Eric Clapton, Michael Jackson and Beyoncé.
His own recording career began in the early 1980s with Suddenly and Marcus Miller. He subsequently developed a substantial catalogue as a solo instrumentalist, with albums including The Sun Don’t Lie, Tales, M², Silver Rain, Marcus, Renaissance, Afrodeezia and Laid Black.
M², released in 2001, earned Miller a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Jazz Album. He had previously won a Grammy for co-writing and producing Luther Vandross’ “Power Of Love/Love Power”, giving him recognition in both contemporary jazz and R&B.
The breadth of Miller’s career has also extended into film. His score credits include Siesta, House Party, Boomerang, Above The Rim, The Great White Hype, The Brothers, Head Of State, Obsessed, Marshall, Sidney and Candy Cane Lane. His work in film has allowed him to apply the same compositional approach used across his jazz and R&B recordings to narrative projects.
Miller was appointed a UNESCO Artist For Peace in 2012, supporting the organisation’s Slave Route Project. He has also maintained a role as a broadcaster through Miller Time With Marcus Miller on SiriusXM’s Real Jazz channel.
His live career has included several notable collaborations. In 1997 he joined Eric Clapton, David Sanborn, Joe Sample and Steve Gadd in the touring group Legends. More than a decade later, he formed SMV with fellow bassists Stanley Clarke and Victor Wooten, resulting in the album Thunder and an extended international tour.
The Australian dates will take place in theatres in five capital cities. Perth opens the tour on April 13, followed by Brisbane on April 15, Sydney on April 16, Melbourne on April 17 and Adelaide on April 18.
Miller’s continuing touring career places him among a generation of musicians whose influence has crossed multiple musical disciplines. His work with Davis and Vandross established a foundation that continues to inform his own recordings, while his session, production and scoring credits have connected him with audiences far beyond the traditional jazz market.
For Australian audiences, the April 2027 shows will offer Miller in a headline setting, following his 2024 appearance with Hancock and his first Australian performances. The five-date run will provide the next chapter in a relationship with the Australian jazz audience that began with one of the country’s major jazz festival events.
Tour Dates
Tuesday, April 13, Perth, Riverside Theatre
Thursday, April 15, Brisbane, Fortitude Music Hall
Friday, April 16, Sydney, Enmore Theatre
Saturday, April 17, Melbourne, Palais Theatre
Sunday, April 18, Adelaide, Thebarton Theatre
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