Daniel Cronin Photography

Bassist, improviser, composer and educator, Miles Wick was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. He inherited his love of music from his father, a drummer supportive of his son’s musical endeavors from the beginning. By the age of 16 Miles was playing jazz gigs with his father.

Miles earned his B.A. in Jazz Studies, studying bass at Sonoma State University, a half hour east of his hometown. He had the privilege of learning with truly gifted teachers. A year training with internationally renowned theoretician and composer, William Allaudin Mathieu, proved a profound influence in Miles’ musical life. In addition to arranging and composing for Stan Kenton and Duke Ellington, Mathieu has written several books including Harmonic Experience: Tonal Harmony from Its Natural Origins to Its Modern Expression.

Miles also studied with the late Mel Graves, a wonderful bassist and composer.  Mel was a fixture in the local community and creator of Sonoma State’s Jazz Studies program.  Miles’ education was balanced by private study of composition and theory with Will Johnson, a non-discriminatory teacher with an encyclopedic mind, and study of North Indian classical music with master singer Laxmi Tewari.

While completing his education, Miles moved to San Francisco, gaining experience playing in the local jazz scene. The opportunity to share the stage with skilled musicians like Noam Lemish, George Marsh, Smith Dobson Jr., Kasey Knudsen, and Jack Riordan was crucial in Miles’ development.  Miles spent a semester playing and speaking about jazz in public schools as part of “Adventures in Music,” a unique outreach program of the San Francisco Symphony. After a few moves between San Francisco and New York City, Miles finally landed in New York, drawn to the musical opportunities there.

Now at home and growing roots in Brooklyn, Miles divides his creative efforts between playing improvised music on the double bass and composing songs that are sung and accompanied on guitar.  Miles can also be found performing music for kid’s and teaching private lessons.

Daniel Cronin Photography