Casa Captivating
Exclusive Interviews
Casa Romantica is kicking off our 2021-22 Casa Captivating Season with our Casa Jazz series featuring world-renowned percussionist Allison Miller, a three-time Jazz Ambassador for the U.S. State Department and the Monterey Jazz Festival’s 2019 Artist in Residence. Allison Miller is known for her high energy and syncopated rhythms with a wholly contemporary sound. The evening will start off with a pre-show reception on our Ocean Terrace with appetizers and full bar from Carbonara Catering and wine from Westerly Wines. Ahead of the performance, get to know Allison Miller, what it means to be a US Jazz Ambassador, and what excites her about performing at Casa Romantica.
Does it feel to be back performing after this past year?
It is exhilarating to perform creative music again and I will personally never take performing music with my bandmates, in front of a live audience, for granted again. After the past year and half of isolation I have promised myself to enjoy every second of music making, to give every musical moment 100% of my truth, intention and commitment and to never compromise my artistic integrity again. Most importantly I have realized that the music we make as artists mean nothing without a listening audience. We are a community and that magical feeling we get after a performance is absent without an audience.
You were surrounded by music from a very young age and have passed your love of it to your family and children. What advice can you give to young musicians who want to pursue a career in music?
Check out all kinds of music and play the music you absolutely love and have a passion for. Practice hard when you are young and get to know your instrument inside and out. Trust me…all that hard work WILL pay off. Surround yourself with musicians you trust and respect as human beings. Approach all situations with an open ear, an open heart, humility, and stay true to yourself.
Could you explain to our audience what it means to be a US Jazz Ambassador?
A US Jazz Ambassador travels to designated countries around the world, sponsored by the US govt., solely to engage in cultural exchange, educational outreach, and represent America’s classical music, Jazz. I participated in three Jazz Ambassador tours funded and presented by the US State Department and the Kennedy Center for the Arts. Each tour covered 6 to 7 countries in chosen regions of the world: East and South Africa – with a focus on the music of Duke Ellington. The Newly Independent States – with a focus on the music of Louis Armstrong. Southeast Asia – with a focus on Latin Jazz. In each country we would perform and engage with traditional musicians of the region, engage in education outreach at local grammar schools, perform free community concerts, partake in interviews and media requests, and participate in diplomatic events.
What artists are you currently listening to?
Georgia Anne Muldrow, Meshell Ndegeocello, Prince, Yusef Lateef, Bonny Light Horseman, Chick Corea Trio with Christian McBride and Brian Blade, Thelonious Monk, Wayne Shorter, Duke Ellington.
What is next for you and your music career?
I have many recording projects coming out over the next year. A duo album with Jane Ira Bloom. A duo album with Carmen Staaf. A new trio project with Wendy Eisenberg and Nick Dunston. And Rivers In Our Veins – a 75 minute suite, commissioned by Mid-Atlantic Arts and Jazz Touring Network, that celebrates American Rivers and the bio and cultural diversity they carry with them. The suite features my band Boom Tic Boom, tap dance, and video design.
What excites you about playing at Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens?
I am particularly excited to present this quartet with my longtime bandmate, Myra Melford. We will be joined by world renowned bassist, Scott Colley, and the incredibly musically sophisticated tenor saxophonist, Dayna Stephens. I can’t wait to engage in musical conversations with my friends in an intimate setting for a sophisticated listening audience.
