“Ronsongs”: Greg Garrison’s Powerful Jazz Farewell to Mentor Ron Miles
When trumpet master Ron Miles passed in 2022, it was a huge blow to the jazz community. He was influential in his playing as well as his leadership and mentorship. Shortly after his death, a group of musicians gathered to record his music. The session was put together in part by bassist Greg Garrison, who has now released the result as an album called Ronsongs.
Garrison was joined by Erik Deutsch, Dave Devine, Shane Endsley, John Gunther, and Dru Heller.
“This recording was an act of catharsis. Each musician involved had worked intimately with Ron Miles in some fashion- performing, recording, touring, studying, teaching with,” Garrison wrote. “He was a titanic influence on all of us; a musical mentor, a spiritual beacon, a friend. We chose to come together and record a collection of songs – some unreleased from Ron’s book, some newly composed in memoriam – about a month after his passing in March of 2022 in order to process, play, pay tribute, and remember.”
Garrison is a fantastic player and a versatile one, at that. Many know him as a member of the genre-bending group Leftover Salmon. He was also a founding member of the Punch Brothers and Mighty Poplar. While he is a pillar of the bluegrass and folk scene, his jazz playing is just as stellar.
Check out his feature on “Glass Jaw”:
Ronsongs is out now on CD and LP via Bandcamp, with digital versions on Apple Music, Amazon Music, and more.
Ronsongs Track List:
- Every Fifth Sunday
- When Jesus Called, I Turned Away
- Grown Folks
- Be Humble, Be Quiet
- Glass Jaw
- Sleepyhead
In his time with No Treble, Kevin has met hundreds of amazing bassists and interviewed icons like Jack Casady, Victor Wooten, Les Claypool, Marcus Miller, and more. He's a gigging bassist performing jazz in Northern Virginia and bluegrass with The Plate Scrapers up and down the East Coast. Kevin appreciates all genres of music, from R&B to metal and everything in between. Connect with Kevin on Facebook and check his performance schedule on his website.
