Harry Miller is a South African-born bassist from Cape Town, active in avant-garde jazz, free jazz and jazz. Born in 1941 and dying in 1983, he moves from early work in rhythm and blues and rock groups, including Manfred Mann, into the European jazz scene after arriving in England to play bass on cruise ships heading to New York. Between 1961 and 1964, he hears Coltrane, Cecil Taylor and Thelonious Monk first-hand.

Career in England and European jazz

After leaving Geraldo’s Navy, Miller works with Mike Westbrook, Mike Osborne and John Surman, and is already established when the Blue Notes arrive. He becomes a key figure in the London jazz community and plays with Chris McGregor’s Brotherhood of Breath, a trio with Osborne and Louis Moholo, Keith Tippett’s big band Centipede, the trio Ovary Lodge, Alan Skidmore’s quintet and Stan Tracey. His work also includes the The Mike Westbrook Concert Band and Dudu Pukwana & Spear.

Ogun and community organising

Miller is also active as an organiser. With his wife Hazel, he starts Ogun Recordings, a label that issues recordings by South African and contemporary European musicians and continues operating. He also helps create the Lambeth New Music Society and its Grass Roots Jazz Club.

Recordings as a leader

As a leader, Miller focuses on the more exploratory side of jazz. His releases include a solo album, two duo recordings with trombonist Radu Malfatti, and two trio albums with Peter Brötzmann and Louis Moholo, both on FMP. In Conference on Ogun in 1978 is a sextet recording featuring Willem Breuker, while Family Affair on Ogun in 1980 is the only record by his own band Isipingo. He also records Berlin Bones in Berlin in 1981 and Down South in Holland in 1983 with Han Bennink, Harry Beek, Theo Jörgensmann, and Alan Skidmore.

Later years

Miller lives in Berlin and later in Holland, where he dies after a car crash in 1983. His Ogun recordings and Down South are later reissued together in the Collection box set on Ogun.