Ron Miles

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American musician, composer, and professor (1963–2022)

title: "Ron Miles" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1963-births", "2022-deaths", "20th-century-african-american-musicians", "21st-century-african-american-musicians", "20th-century-american-male-musicians", "21st-century-american-male-musicians", "20th-century-american-trumpeters", "21st-century-american-trumpeters", "musicians-from-indianapolis", "musicians-from-denver", "university-of-denver-alumni", "university-of-colorado-boulder-alumni", "manhattan-school-of-music-alumni", "american-male-trumpeters", "american-jazz-cornetists", "american-male-jazz-composers", "american-jazz-composers", "african-american-jazz-composers", "rykodisc-artists", "gramavision-records-artists", "blue-note-records-artists", "deaths-from-blood-cancer-in-the-united-states", "deaths-from-cancer-in-colorado", "east-high-school-(denver,-colorado)-alumni"] description: "American musician, composer, and professor (1963–2022)" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Miles" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary American musician, composer, and professor (1963–2022) ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox musical artist "]

FieldValue
nameRon Miles
imageRon Miles 2009.JPG
captionMiles in concert with Bill Frisell, Innsbruck, Austria, in 2009
backgroundnon_vocal_instrumentalist
birth_nameRonald Glen Miles
birth_date
birth_placeIndianapolis, Indiana, U.S.
death_date
death_placeDenver, Colorado, U.S.
genreJazz
occupationMusician, composer
instrumentCornet, trumpet
years_active1980–2022
labelCapri, Gramavision, Sterling Circle, Prolific
associated_actsBill Frisell, Fred Hess
::

| name = Ron Miles | image = Ron Miles 2009.JPG | caption = Miles in concert with Bill Frisell, Innsbruck, Austria, in 2009 | background = non_vocal_instrumentalist | birth_name = Ronald Glen Miles | birth_date = | birth_place = Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = Denver, Colorado, U.S. | genre = Jazz | occupation = Musician, composer | instrument = Cornet, trumpet | years_active = 1980–2022 | label = Capri, Gramavision, Sterling Circle, Prolific | associated_acts = Bill Frisell, Fred Hess | website = Ronald Glen Miles (May 9, 1963 – March 8, 2022) was an American jazz trumpeter, cornetist, and composer. He recorded for the labels Prolific (1986), Capri (1990), and Gramavision. His final album, Old Main Chapel, his second on the Blue Note label, was released posthumously in 2024.

Early life

Miles was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, on May 9, 1963. His parents, Fay Downey Miles and Jane Miles worked for the federal civil service. partly because his parents thought the mountain climate would be better for his asthma. After graduating, Miles initially studied electrical engineering at the University of Denver. However, he eventually switched his major to music and transferred to the University of Colorado Boulder, where he first met Fred Hess. Miles won a classical competition at the International Brass Clinic hosted by Indiana University Bloomington. This enabled him to earn a scholarship to the Manhattan School of Music in New York City, where he obtained a master's degree.

Career

Miles's debut album, Distance for Safety, was released in 1987. Two years later, he distributed his second album titled Witness. He toured with the Mercer Ellington Orchestra during this time and went to Italy with Sophisticated Ladies in 1992. He also received national recognition playing with the Duke Ellington Orchestra, Ginger Baker, and the Bill Frisell Quartet. His third album, My Cruel Heart (1996), saw him delve into modern creative jazz combined with rock influences. He also collaborated with Bill Frisell that year on the latter's album Quartet. The two teamed up again the following year on Miles's album Woman's Day, which was influenced by grunge and post-rock.

Miles recorded a total of twelve solo albums throughout his 35-year career. Miles became one of Denver's most prominent jazz musicians, but only started receiving national acclaim towards the end of his career. He taught there as a professor of music, and eventually became director of its Jazz Studies program.

Personal life

He was married to Kari Miles and together they had two children, Justice and Honor.

Miles died on the evening of March 8, 2022, at his home in Denver from complications of polycythemia vera, a rare form of blood cancer.

Discography

As leader

  • Distance for Safety (Prolific, 1987)
  • Witness (Capri, 1989)
  • My Cruel Heart (Gramavision, 1996)
  • Women's Day (Gramavision, 1997)
  • Ron Miles Trio (Capri, 2000)
  • Heaven (Sterling Circle, 2002) – recorded in 2001
  • Laughing Barrel (Sterling Circle, 2003)
  • Stone / Blossom (Sterling Circle, 2006)[2CD]
  • Quiver (Yellowbird, 2012) – recorded in 2011
  • Circuit Rider (Yellowbird, 2014) – recorded in 2013
  • I Am a Man (Yellowbird, 2017) – recorded in 2016
  • Rainbow Sign (Blue Note, 2020) – recorded in 2019
  • Old Main Chapel (Blue Note, 2024) – recorded in 2011

As sideman

With Bill Frisell

With Fred Hess

  • 2002: The Long and Short of It (Tapestry)
  • 2004: Crossed Paths (Tapestry)
  • 2006: How Bout' Now (Tapestry)
  • 2007: In the Grotto (Alison)
  • 2008: Single Moment (Alison)

With others

  • 1999: Ginger Baker and the DJQ2O, Coward of the County (Atlantic)
  • 2003: Joe Henry, Tiny Voices (ANTI-)
  • 2006: Wayne Horvitz, Way Out East (Songlines)
  • 2007: Jason Steele, Some Wonderful Moment (ears&eyes)
  • 2008: Rich Lamb, Music Along the Way (Rich Lamb)
  • 2009: Ben Goldberg, Go Home (BAG Production)
  • 2009: Hashem Assadullahi, Strange Neighbor (8Bells)
  • 2013: Aakash Mittal, Ocean (self)
  • 2012: Hashem Assadullahi, Pieces (OA2)
  • 2015: Whirlpool, Dancing on the Inside (ears&eyes)
  • 2017: Jason Moran, BANGS (Yes Records)
  • 2017: Matt Wilson, Honey & Salt (Palmetto)
  • 2018: Joshua Redman, Still Dreaming (Nonesuch)
  • 2022: Charles Rumback Seven Bridges

References

References

  1. Chinen, Nate. (March 9, 2022). "Ron Miles, cornetist who imbued modern jazz with heart and soul, dies at 58". NPR.
  2. Yanow, Scott. "Ron Miles – Music Biography, Credits and Discography". AllMusic.
  3. Collar, Matt. "Ron Miles – Biography". [[AllMusic]].
  4. Harrington, Jim. (March 9, 2022). "'Gifted artist' Ron Miles dies of a rare blood disorder at 58". The Mercury News.
  5. Russonello, Giovanni. (September 20, 2021). "Ron Miles Headlines the Village Vanguard, at Last, as the Club Reopens". The New York Times.
  6. Bret Saunders. (September 14, 2010). "Jazz: The many styles of Ron Miles". The Denver Post.
  7. link. (March 4, 2016 Retrieved October 11, 2012.)
  8. "Ron Miles – Credits". [[AllMusic]].
  9. "Ron Miles – Album Discography". [[AllMusic]].
  10. McClenaghan, Dan. (March 19, 2006). "Fred Hess Band: How 'Bout Now".
  11. Saunders, Bret. (December 27, 2007). "Best of 2007: Top jazz albums". The Denver Post.
  12. Collins, Troy. (October 31, 2008). "The Fred Hess Band: Single Moment".
  13. (May 4, 2003). "These dolls just wanna sing and dance". Los Angeles Times.
  14. (November 4, 2012). "Ron Miles: 'Quiver' (trio, with Bill Frisell and Brian Blade)". Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
  15. Camphire, Greg. (December 16, 2007). "The Jason Steele Ensemble: Some Wonderful Moment".
  16. (August 19, 2016). "Another Mood by Rich Lamb".
  17. Jazz, All About. (October 14, 2009). "The Hashem Assadullahi Quintet: Strange Neighbor album review @ All About Jazz".
  18. Jazz, All About. (August 10, 2013). "Jazz news: Aakash Mittal: From Denver to Kolkata, Jazz Crosses Continents and a Big "Ocean"".
  19. Jazz, All About. (April 24, 2013). "Hashem Assadullahi: Pieces album review @ All About Jazz".
  20. Walton, Jack. (September 24, 2015). "Jazz trio Whirlpool performs at Merrimans' Playhouse". South Bend Tribune.
  21. Reich, Howard. (September 22, 2015). "Don't miss these shows at the Hyde Park Jazz Festival". Chicago Tribune.
  22. Beuttler, Bill. (April 8, 2019). "Soaring jazz from Jason Moran's BANGS trio at Sanders Theatre". The Boston Globe.
  23. (August 25, 2017). "Matt Wilson - Honey And Salt (Music Inspired By The Poetry Of Carl Sandburg)".
  24. Meyer, Bill. (November 11, 2021). "On the new Seven Bridges, Charles Rumback gathers together the many sounds he's mastered". Chicago Reader.

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1963-births2022-deaths20th-century-african-american-musicians21st-century-african-american-musicians20th-century-american-male-musicians21st-century-american-male-musicians20th-century-american-trumpeters21st-century-american-trumpetersmusicians-from-indianapolismusicians-from-denveruniversity-of-denver-alumniuniversity-of-colorado-boulder-alumnimanhattan-school-of-music-alumniamerican-male-trumpetersamerican-jazz-cornetistsamerican-male-jazz-composersamerican-jazz-composersafrican-american-jazz-composersrykodisc-artistsgramavision-records-artistsblue-note-records-artistsdeaths-from-blood-cancer-in-the-united-statesdeaths-from-cancer-in-coloradoeast-high-school-(denver,-colorado)-alumni