Phil wrote Eastern Region at the beginning of the eighties. A surviving score is addressed to Alan Gowen, suggesting the piece was already around in 1981, at the time of the Before A Word Is Said album. In the event, it was first recorded by the trio of Phil, Richard Sinclair and Pip Pyle, then when In Cahoots was formed, it became, and remained, a staple of their concerts. You can find it on their first CD Cutting Both Ways and also on Phil & Fred Baker’s debut duo CD Double Up. There have been many explanations as to the meaning of the title – I particularly liked Doug Boyle’s – that it was named after the Eastern Region train line and to districts of East London. It actually refers the natural resonating key of the guitar: what Fred Baker calls “the magic E”.
VIDEO
2023 Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, The Phil Miller Guitqr Prize’
The Fred Baker Trio: Fred Baker guitar, Mickey O’Brien bass, Jim Bashford drums.
2022 Oliver Canham – guitar and Adam Roberts – electric bass Duo, 2nd Prize winners at the
Royal Birmingham Conservatoire’s Phil Miller Guitar Prize 19th May 2022
2019 the Phil Miller Tribute Concert, Vortex, London, 6th January 2019
Pete Lemer keyboards, Fred Baker guitar, Doug Boyle guitar, Mickey O’Brien bass guitar, Mark Fletcher drums.
AUDIO FILES
1992 Miller/Baker Duo: Phil Miller guitar, Fred Baker bass.
Theater De Schuurkerk, Maassluis, Netherlands 10 May 1992
1992 Miller/Baker Duo: Phil Miller guitar / midi guitar, Fred Baker guitar / bass guitar.
Crescent Studios, London. July 1992. Produced by Phil Miller.
1985 In Cahoots: Phil Miller guitar, Elton Dean saxes, Hugh Hopper bass, Peter Lemer keyboards, Pip Pyle drums.
Spaceward Studios, London. 12-13 November 1985. Engineered by Mark Graham
1993 Miller Baker duo: Phil Miller guitar/synth guitar, Fred Baker guitar/bass guitar.
Draviono Musicos Mokykla, Vilnius, Latvia. 9 January 1993.
1984 In Cahoots: Phil Miller guitar, Richard Sinclair bass, Elton Dean alto sax/ saxello, Peter Lemer keyboards, Pip Pyle drums.
De Trucker, Pijnaker, Netherlands. 13 May 1984
1983 In Cahoots demos 1983 track 4
Glebe Sound Studios (Peter Lemer’s house). 6 August 1983
1986 In Cahoots: Phil Miller guitar, Elton Dean sax, Peter Lemer keyboards, Hugh Hopper bass, Pip Pyle drums.
Le Dunois, Paris. 30 March 1985
1995 Miller/Lemer duo: Phil Miller guitar, Peter Lemer keyboards.
De Nieuwe Pul, Uden, Netherlands. 26 May 1995
2001 In Cahoots: Phil Miller guitar, Doug Boyle guitar, Fred Baker bass, Pip Pyle drums, special guest Elton Dean, sax.
Les Naïades, St Jean-Aux-Bois, France. 2 June 2001
1995 Miller/Baker Duo: Phil Miller guitar, Fred baker bass.
Travers Club, Bruxelles, Belgium. 21 April 1995
1986 In Cahoots: Phil Miller guitar, Hugh Hopper bass, Elton Dean sax, Peter Lemer keyboards, Pip Pyle drums.
Radio Bremen Broadcast. 20 May 1986
1982 The Phil Miller Quartet: Phil Miller guitar, Richard Sinclair bass, Elton Dean sax, Pip Pyle drums.
Bull & Gate, Kentish Town, London. 14 December 1982
1985 In Cahoots: Phil Miller guitar, Hugh Hopper bass, Elton Dean sax, Peter Lemer keyboards, Pip Pyle drums.
Le Dunois, Paris. 30 March 1985
1985 In Cahoots: Phil Miller guitar, Elton Dean alto sax/saxello, Peter Lemer keyboards, Hugh Hopper bass, Pip Pyle drums.
Wilhelmina, Eindhoven, Netherlands. 25 March 1985
1984 In Cahoots: Phil Miller guitar, Elton Dean alto sax/saxello, Peter Lemer keyboards, Richard Sinclair bass/vocals, Pip Pyle drums.
De Vrije Vloer, Utrecht, Netherlands. AVRO Radio broadcast. 8 May 1984
1984 In Cahoots: Phil Miller guitar, Richard Sinclair bass, Elton Dean sax, Peter Lemer keyboards, Pip Pyle drums.
Université Villeneuve, Lille, France. 2 May 1984
1991 Miller/Baker & Friends: Phil Miller guitar, Fred Baker bass joined by Pip Pyle drums, Elton Dean sax and some Japanese friends.
Roppongi Pit Inn, Tokyo, Japan. 21 December 1991
2019 A Life In Music. Second Concert: Peter Lemer keyboards. Fred Baker guitar. Mickey O’Brien bass guitar. Doug Boyle guitar. Mark Fletcher drums.
Phil Miller Tribute Concert. Vortex, London. 6 January 2019. Engineer Benjamin LeFevre.
1984 In Cahoots: Phil Miller guitar, Elton Dean sax, Richard Sinclair bass, Pete Lemer keyboards, Pip Pyle drums.
Melkweg,Amsterdam, Netherlands. 4th May 1984
2003 Phil Miller guitar, Richard Sinclair bass, Fred Baker bass guitar.
Progman Cometh Festival, Moore Theatre Seattle, WA, USA 2003.
1984 In Cahoots: Phil Miller guitar, Didier Malherbe piccolo, Elton Dean alto sax, saxello, Richard Sinclair bass, Pete Lemer keyboards, Pip Pyle drums.
Le Dunois Paris France 1984
1983 In Cahoots: Phil Miller guitar, Richard Sinclair bass, Pete Lemer Keyboards, Pip Pyle drums.
Bull & Gate London 27th April 1983