Jim Miller (musician)
Jim Miller | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 2, 1954 Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Guitarist, vocalist, educator, recording artist, bandleader |
| Years active | 1980–present |
| Known for | Jam band style within rock and roll genre; founding member of Oroboros; leader of JiMiller Band; co-founder of Rock & Reggae Festival |
Jim Miller (born 1954) is a guitarist, vocalist, educator, recording artist, and bandleader specializing in the jam band style within the rock and roll genre. He has performed with Oroboros and currently leads the JiMiller Band. Miller played a pivotal role in establishing significant events such as the Rock & Reggae Festival and was the founder of Lazy Daisy and DeadFall at Nelson Kennedy Ledges State Park located in northeast Ohio. His base of operations is in Cleveland, Ohio.
Personal background
Born on July 2, 1954, in Cleveland, Ohio, Miller is married to Beth. He has a son named Michael, who contributes guitar to the JiMiller Band, along with two stepchildren, Reid and Sarah Street.
Oroboros
In 1980, Miller co-established Oroboros initially as a tribute band honoring the Grateful Dead, which soon transitioned into producing original jam band compositions. The band's name is inspired by the ancient ouroboros symbol—a serpent consuming its own tail—representing infinity. Oroboros opened for distinguished groups including Go Ahead (featuring members of Grateful Dead and Santana), The Radiators, Black Uhuru, Santana, and Rusted Root. In 1984, alongside First Light, they co-created the Rock & Reggae Festival at Meadowoods Farm to support the Cleveland Free Clinic. Over their career, Oroboros released five albums before disbanding in 1998, later reuniting for a performance in 2003.
Former members
- Jim Miller (guitar & vocals)
- Bill Cogan (guitar & vocals)
- Mary Beth Cooper (vocals)
- Gary Maxwell (bass)
- Rocky Miller (keyboards)
- Rob Luoma (drums)
- Dave Downing (bass)
- Don Safranek (percussion)
- Will Douglas (drums)
- Scott Swanson (bass)
- Mike Rotman (keyboard, guitar, percussion)
- Mike Verbick (guitar)
- Michael Bradley (keyboards, vocals)
- Ned Kalafat (bass)
Notable achievements
- 1984 – Co-founded the Rock & Reggae Festival with First Light
- 1991 – Served as opening act for Phish at Cleveland’s Agora
- 1994 – Participated in the HORDE Tour at Blossom Music Center
- 1995-1997 – Appeared at the Starwood Festival in Sherman, New York
- 1996 – Performed at Southern Thailand Jazz Festival and Furthur Festival
- 2003 – Held a reunion concert
Albums
- 1985 – Different Feeling
- 1988 – Psycha Deli: Live at the Euclid Tavern
- 1991 – First Circle
- 1993 – Serpent's Dance
- 1996 – Shine
JiMiller Band
Formed by Jim Miller in 1998, the JiMiller Band carries forward the jam band tradition that Miller cultivated with Oroboros. The group has performed alongside prominent artists such as String Cheese Incident, Galactic, Bruce Hornsby, Little Feat, Rusted Root, and the Rhythm Devils. They have released four studio CDs to date.
Current lineup
- Jim Miller – Lead Guitar & Lead Vocals
- Vince Berry – Guitar
- Steve "Nev" Scheff – Keyboard & Vocals
- Brian "Bagel" Golenberg – Drums & Vocals
- Dave Blackerby – Bass
Former members
- Brett Miller (bass)
- Matt Harmon (guitar, dobro)
- Dan Carter (drums)
- Rick Davidson (guitar)
- Steve Zavesky (drums)
- Mike Miller (guitar)
Key milestones
- 2004 – Participated in the 10,000 Lakes Festival
- 2005 & 2006 – Served as opening act for Little Feat at Cleveland's House of Blues
- 2007 – Supported Rusted Root at both Tower City Center Amphitheater and The House of Blues (Cleveland)
- 2009–2011 – Featured as opening performer for Early Bird Festival held at Nelson Ledges
- 2010 – Opened for the Rhythm Devils, including Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann from The Dead
- 2012 – Appeared at Starwood Festival hosted at Wisteria Event Campground (Pomeroy, Ohio)
Discography
- 2000 – Rock and Roll Always Do
- 2001 – Crooked River Groove
- 2004 – Family Roots (Double Live CD)
- 2006 – In Trance It (Double CD featuring live and studio recordings)
Original Songs
A significant portion of JiMiller Band’s repertoire traces back to Oroboros, spanning numerous albums released between 1985 and 1996. Key tracks such as Sing It To Your Children, Agathodaimon, Shake It To The Limit, and Calliope originated during this period. These compositions have been regularly performed in concert and appear on various Oroboros albums, underscoring the band’s foundational role in advancing jam band music.
References
- Earlybird Gathering Simply Groovy by Malcolm X Abram, April 23, 2010, The 330
- Grateful Dead at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: Poet Mark Kuhar and Rocker Jim Miller Pay Homage by Michael Norman, March 22, 2012, The Plain Dealer
- ‘In trance it,’ latest JiMiller Band CD, debuts in Lakewood by Charles Cassady in West Life News
- Jam Bands: North America's Hottest Live Groups Plus How to Tape and Trade Their Shows by Dean Budnick - ECW Press, 1998
- Jammin' Again: The Midwest's First Jam Band Reunites at the Grog Shop by D.X. Ferris, October 6, 2004, The Cleveland Scene
- JiMiller Band – Soundclick
- JiMiller Band 'Grateful' to be Playing Outpost by Allan Lamb, Feb. 17th, 2005, KentWired
- JiMiller Band's Final Live CD Recording at Park Street Tavern on April 28 by Margaret Marten - Short North Gazette, Mar/Apr 2012 Issue
- Oroboros - The Kipple Archives Volume No. 17, Issue No. 2, April 1990
- Rock ‘n Roll and the Cleveland Connection: Music of the Great Lakes by Deanna R. Adams - Kent State University Press, 2002
- Rockers Play Tribute to Grateful Dead by Kenny Miles, September 30, 2005, Grateful Dead News
- A Slippery Band to Define by Neil Malhatra, February 6, 1998, UWO Gazette
External links
- American male singer-songwriters
- American rock songwriters
- American rock singers
- Singers from Cleveland
- Musical groups established in 1980
- Musical groups disestablished in 1998
- Musical groups established in 1998
- Psychedelic rock musicians
- Jam bands
- Musical groups from Cleveland
- 1954 births
- Living people
- Singer-songwriters from Ohio