Miles Mosley is an American vocalist, upright bassist, composer, arranger, and music producer from Hollywood, California. He was named after Miles Davis.
Life and career
Miles Mosley was trained in classical music and jazz. He studied with jazz musicians John Clayton, Ray Brown and Al McKibbon. He claims he played the upright bass because it was the only instrument at his school that he did not have to take home with him. His solo projects blend jazz, soul, funk and rock. They are built around an upright bass, effects pedals, bow, vocals and a horn section. Mosley's style was once described Jimi Hendrix playing upright bass in Prince's band. In 2016, he was listed in Vanity Fair's Jazz Youth Quake feature. Mosley has written, composed, performed live, appeared in videos and recorded for various artists including Chris Cornell, Jonathan Davis, Everlast, Terrence Howard, Joni Mitchell, Lauryn Hill, Gnarls Barkley, Jeff Beck, Common, Christina Aguilera, Lesa Carlson, and Kamasi Washington. A founding member of the collective West Coast Get Down, Mosley has released his own solo albums, in addition to recording and touring with artists including Jonathan Davis, Miss Lauryn Hill, Harvey Mason, Kendrick Lamar, Rihanna, India Arie, Mos Def, Common and Andra Day. He has a duo project called ‘BFI’ with West Coast Get Down drummer, Tony Austin - their music is described as 'heavy soul', a mix of soul, jazz and rock. In 2016, Mosley joined booking agency United Talent Agency to represent him for touring along with film & television. In early 2017, he signed a worldwide multi-album deal with Universal Music / Verve Label Group. His first album under the label, UPRISING, features West Coast Get Down. The first single, “Abraham”, was named one of NPR's Top 100 songs of 2016 and the album received critical acclaim from publications including The Los Angeles Times, who featured the song in their California Sounds section. In 2017, Rolling Stone Magazine US, France, and Italy named him one of the Top 10 New Artists You Need to Know, with the single receiving worldwide radio airplay, including BBC Radio and Apple Beats 1. UPRISING debuted at #4 on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Chart, #10 on the Billboard Jazz album chart, and #2 on the iTunes Jazz Album charts. The UPRISING TOUR sold-out venues worldwide. From 2018 to 2019, Mosley joined longtime collaborator Kamasi Washington on tour for the Heaven & Earth album tour. Mosley continued to write and record his new album while touring. Produced by West Coast Get Down drummer, Tony Austin, it is slated for release in early 2020 on UMG/Verve. Mosley released a new single called "BROTHER" in October 2019, a track one critic described as ”funky” and “displaying triumphant vocals and an innovative bass solo”.
