About Milton
Milton Suggs’s voice and approach to music are a reflection not only of his direct lineage, but of the many great voices in Black American Music and culture from the past century and beyond. A Chicago native, Suggs is firmly rooted in the blues and sports a rich baritone with the breadth and power reminiscent of Joe Williams. He is able to emote with the soulful intensity of singers like Donny Hathaway, and achieve a velvet palette suggestive of Nat King Cole. Milton possesses a unique ability to evoke emotion with a masterful sense of phrasing and dynamics.
Repeatedly voted as a top 10 rising star male vocalist in Downbeat Magazine’s annual critc’s poll, the recognition of Milton’s talents have continued to grow throughout his years as a fixture in Jazz working with artists and bands such as the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Orrin Evans, Wycliffe Gordon, Ulysses Owens, and Marquis Hill among others. Milton has also been consistent with his own efforts as a recording artist, producing four albums to date and continually developing new projects with new ensembles.
A gifted composer, arranger, and lyricist, Milton's music is both honest and inventive, drawing inspiration from a number of influences while also forging a singular identity. As a visionary artist, Suggs seeks to pave new roads within the vast traditions that were laid before him for it is the spirit, struggles, triumphs, and stories from the many generations that preceded him that make up the foundation upon which his own artistry stands.
