TNEK Jazz

Electronic Press Kit

Kent Miller & TNEK Jazz

Jazz Bassist · Bandleader · Silver Spring, MD

Book TNEK JazzListen
Follow TNEK Jazz
“Mr Miller is a renaissance man of Jazz.”
Raul da Gama · Jazz da Gama
A black-and-white photo of a bassist in a dark suit and patterned tie, playing the upright bass on a dark stage beside a microphone stand.
Kent Miller in a brown checked suit, standing beside his upright bass in a photo studio.
The quartetSelect a member to read their bio

About

A big tone and a groove that swings

Kent Miller, a bassist from St. Louis, Mo., has performed as a sideman with renowned jazz artists including John Hicks, Stanley Cowell, Eric Person, Bill Saxton, Andrew White, Monte Croft, Nasar Abadey, Benny Powell and the Ray Abrams big band. Based in Silver Spring, Md., he has performed with the Ron Kearns Quintet, Michael Thomas Quintet, Larry Brown Quintet and the Thad Wilson big band.

In 2016 he formed TNEK Jazz LLC, a music production and publishing company whose vision is a global platform for musicians, composers and arrangers who share a passion for jazz and its cultural significance. Under the TNEK Jazz label he has released four CDs: Contributions (2016), Minor Step (2017), Sunday Evenin’ (2018) and, with producer Ron Kearns, The TNEK Jazz Quintet Plays the Music of Sam Jones (2019). In 2025 he founded the 501(c)(3) nonprofit African American Indigenous Music. theaaim.org

A Rockhurst University business administration graduate and an All-American basketball selection, he simultaneously studied classical bass, music history and theory at the UMKC Conservatory of Music. Back home, he attended the St. Louis Conservatory of Music, then joined the historic George Hudson big band. His teachers include Wendell Marshall, Milt Hinton, Rufus Reid and Ron Carter.

Studied with
Milt Hinton, Ron Carter, Rufus Reid and Wendell Marshall
Training
UMKC Conservatory of Music · Rockhurst University
Founded
TNEK Jazz LLC, 2016 (TNEK is Kent, backwards)
Available as
Duo, trio, quartet, quintet or septet

Music

Listen

Four albums of hard-swinging, straight-ahead jazz. Select a record to read about it and listen.

All music →
2020The TNEK Jazz Quintet

The TNEK Jazz Quintet Plays the Music of Sam Jones

Seven tunes by and for Sam Jones, the bassist and composer behind Cannonball Adderley's classic quintet. It was Kent's idea, and the band plays it with fire.

PersonnelKent Miller, bass · Antonio Parker, alto saxophone · Benny Russell, tenor and soprano saxophones · Darius Scott, piano · Greg Holloway, drums
“Kent Miller’s bass lines are muscular and the quintet as a whole swings in time-honoured fashion.”
Derek Ansell · Jazz Journal
Listen on Apple MusicBuy on Amazon

The player loads from Apple Music when you press play.

Video

Watch Kent Miller as lead and side musician

Live, unedited and swinging. Select a video to watch it here.

All videos →
Kent Miller Quartet

Photos

On stage and in the studio

Press photos. High-resolution files are available on request.

All photos →

Press

What the critics say

Mr Miller is a renaissance man of Jazz.
Jazz da GamaRaul da Gama · on Minor StepRead the Jazz da Gama review →
This is as pure and soulful as contemporary jazz music gets and if you like swinging jazz you are in for a real treat.
Sea of TranquilityJon Neudorf · on ContributionsRead the Sea of Tranquility review →
Kent Miller’s bass lines are muscular and the quintet as a whole swings in time-honoured fashion.
Jazz JournalDerek Ansell · on The TNEK Jazz Quintet Plays the Music of Sam JonesRead the Jazz Journal review →
Miller honors Jones’s music by getting a similarly large tone and non-stop walking groove.
No TrebleKevin Johnson · on The TNEK Jazz Quintet Plays the Music of Sam JonesRead the No Treble review →
Mr Miller is a renaissance man of Jazz.
Jazz da GamaRaul da Gama · on Minor StepRead the Jazz da Gama review →
This is as pure and soulful as contemporary jazz music gets and if you like swinging jazz you are in for a real treat.
Sea of TranquilityJon Neudorf · on ContributionsRead the Sea of Tranquility review →
Kent Miller’s bass lines are muscular and the quintet as a whole swings in time-honoured fashion.
Jazz JournalDerek Ansell · on The TNEK Jazz Quintet Plays the Music of Sam JonesRead the Jazz Journal review →
Miller honors Jones’s music by getting a similarly large tone and non-stop walking groove.
No TrebleKevin Johnson · on The TNEK Jazz Quintet Plays the Music of Sam JonesRead the No Treble review →
This set is the epitomé of elegance and good taste; a classic date.
Jazz da GamaRaul da Gama · on Minor StepRead the Jazz da Gama review →
This is music the TNEK Quintet clearly enjoys playing, and the enthusiasm is evident throughout.
All About JazzJack Bowers · on The TNEK Jazz Quintet Plays the Music of Sam JonesRead the All About Jazz review →
Again, get acquainted with the music of Sam Jones and revisit those great echoes of Cannonball and Nat through this set of inspired jazz.
Making A Scene!Jim Hynes · on The TNEK Jazz Quintet Plays the Music of Sam JonesRead the Making A Scene! review →
Miller himself has a palpable tone, nimble on “Visitation” and tapping like Astaire during “My Little Suede Shoes.” A swinging affair.
Jazz WeeklyGeorge W. Harris · on Minor StepRead the Jazz Weekly review →
With the latest album from The Kent Miller Quartet titled Minor Step the band creates a joyous swinging romp through seven standards and four original compositions that will delight any jazz fan young or old.
Sea of TranquilityJon Neudorf · on Minor StepRead the Sea of Tranquility review →

Live

Upcoming shows

Catch Kent live around Washington, DC, Baltimore and beyond.

The Royal Sonesta Washington, DC Capitol Hill

Washington, DC · 12:00 pm

Tickets

Booking

Book the band

Festivals, concert series, clubs, private events and school programs. Tell us about your date, and Kent will get back to you.

  • Duo
  • Trio
  • Quartet
  • Quintet
  • Septet
Prefer email or a call?tnekjazz1@gmail.com301-381-1547