THE FOURTH WORLD QUARTET
Avant Garde Neo Classical Jazz
The 1st quartet formed very gradually in the fall of 1974 with brother Roger Miller on pump organ,
then piano by early 1975. This original version was more classical leaning, blooming into
full fruition by February 1975. The band folded in April, shortly after their recording
in March that year, as Roger then left the group for other musical experiences.
experimented with polyrhythm. A 'live' recording in June captured their sound.
Both recordings were surprisingly released 45 years later on CUNEIFORM RECORDS.
Both collections met with rave reviews much to all our greatful astonishment.
~ 1st Incarnation of the group ~
"1975"
Released on Cuneiform Records June 2021

THE FOURTH WORLD QUARTET
"Grand Bland Vapid Rapids"
[ Slated for Release September 2022 ]
https://cuneiformrecords.bandcamp.com/album/grand-bland-vapid-rapids
The
Fourth World Quartet formed in February 1975 at Thomas Jefferson
College. Roger Miller, the original pianist, left the group in April.
By the end of that month, Denman Maroney, who taught composition for
the remaining member's – Benjamin and Laurence Miller and Jack
Waterstone – suggested joining the band as their new pianist. The
members were thrilled.
Denman
was an undergraduate student from 1967-71 at Williams College. There
he spent time at Bennington, where Bill Dixon and Jimmy Garrison
filled his head with Coltrane, Ayler, Coleman, Taylor, etc. From
1972-74, Denman attended Cal. Arts, where Jim Tenney, Mort Subotnick,
Lucky Mosco, and Ingram Marshall filled his head with Ives, Joplin,
Messiaen, Ligeti, Stockhausen, Varèse, etc.
Thanks
to CalArts teacher John Bergamo, Denman got a job teaching at Thomas
Jefferson College. There, Denman and choreographer Beverly Brown
taught a course called Sound & Movement where this new Fourth
World Quartet was collaborating for the class. Both band and dance
students worked together, forging ahead with free improvisation on a
regular basis. The Fourth World Quartet performed at a TJC Music
Performance and a house party in Ann Arbor in April, and again at
Grand Valley State College Graduation Picnic
in June 1975.
At the end of the school year, Denman was
offered the same teaching position at Thomas Jefferson College with
less pay and thus he left for NYC. Laurence, Benjamin and Jack
continued composing and trying material out with other ensembles that
never quite took shape until early 1976 when their efforts
dissolved.
Previous aspects of the earlier version of the
band (see Cuneiform's “1975”), which included psychedelic guitar,
changed when the newly reformed quartet focused further on 20th
Century techniques along with Denman's exploration in using advanced
polyrhythms.
THE FOURTH WORLD QUARTET performing at Grand Rapid's Thomas Jefferson College
"end of the year" Outdoor Graduation Picnic Party, Johnson Park, June 1975.
