MILLER - Unknown Solo Guitar Great -
I was roaming around Baguio's Central Market looking for Dondi and Bosyo when I heard solo guitar music. I thought someone was playing a tape of Joe Pass or Chet Atkins until I saw that the music I heard came from this blind guy sitting on the curb of a crossroads in the market. I couldn't believe it at first and I just stood there in awe of this guy's playing while the people in the market went about their business. Dondi and the others found me just standing there, looking at this blind guy play and they too were taken by his playing.
He uses a technique similar to Doc Watson's style with his right hand, just thumb and forefinger. He also has an extra appendage on his right hand that he uses to dampen the strings and provide a slight "chick" to his playing. The guitar is a locally-made Gibson SG copy and his amp is actually a karaoke mic preamp that 's assembled from kits available in any electronics shop. Despite the less than desirable gear, he manages to sound pretty good.
I came back the next day and brought my little recorder with me and just stood still somewhere in front of him, recording his playing. Dondi and I stood there for almost an hour, shrugging off puzzled looks from the passers-by. After one side of the cassette was done, we left for a while to buy goodies to take home with us. We came back an hour later and saw Mike Hanopol enjoying this man's playing. I flipped my tape over and recorded some more of his playing. Mike asked around and found out that his name is Miller and that he plays there every morning. He is also considered to be the best blind guitar player in all of Baguio. It's a shame that a really great talent like this guy is just passed by everyday without even a slight notice, save for the few coins dropped in his tumbler.
I think he sensed that he was being watched by guitar players so he decided to have some fun and blow our minds away even further. Miller gave little snippets of "modern" guitar techniques like fingertapping (Van Halen style & Joe Satriani's "Midnight"), the guitar and bass intro (simultaneously) to "Sweet Child of Mine", and even an arrangement of the Philippine National Anthem, complete with all the voicings and running bass lines!! Damn he's good!!!
We stuck around for a few more minutes then went back to the hotel to pack up and start the trip back to Manila.
I've uploaded a Real Audio sample of his playing so as to prove that I'm not making this up. The recording is decent enough, you can hear the guitar loud and clear, but you can also hear sounds a typical Filipino marketplace makes.
The next time you're in Baguio City, please drop by the crossroads at the Central Market (near the stretch where you can buy all the jams, strawberrys and peanut brittle you want) and treat yourself to a few moments of Miller's playing. I know he'll appreciate it if you give him something that rattles but he'd really be grateful for something that swishes.
Photos by Perf De Castro except "Perf & Miller" by Dondi Ledesma.
 | * Audio sample requires REAL Audio Player. |
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