Dominic Miller: First Touch

Jim Santella

Senior Contributor since 1997

Jim Santella has been contributing CD reviews, concert reviews and DVD reviews to AAJ since 1997. His work has also appeared in Southland Blues, The L.A. Jazz Scene, and Cadence Magazine.

Recent articles (1,677 total)

Published: September 1, 1998

Employing fingerstyle guitar and picked melodies, the smooth jazz album First Touch represents Dominic Miller's first session as a leader. No stranger to the recording industry, the guitarist has worked with such notables as Sting, Phil Collins, and Tina Turner. This 1995 debut album features his overdubbed guitars with additional support on several tracks provided by guests.

The songs, Miller's own compositions, represent the easy-listening genre with their floating melodies, pleasant harmonies, and loping "soft touch" rhythms. Specific images sprout, as "Boca" weaves Latin and smooth, "Rush Hour" contains suspenseful drama, "Ten Years" includes dreamlike wordless vocals by guest Mike Lindup, and "Scan" rests atop the locomotive rhythm supplied by guest drummer Barry Kinder. Complete background information is available at http://www.dominicmiller.com/ .

Track Listing: Eclipse; Do You Want Me; February Sun; Rush Hour; Boca; Looking For; Buenos Aires; Scan; David; Ten Years; Last Dance.

Record Label: EarthBeat!
Style: Straight-ahead/Mainstream