Allison Miller is perhaps best known for her drumming with Ani DiFranco, Natalie Merchant and Brandi Carlile, but her first love and enduring passion is jazz. Miller grew up in the Washington, D.C. area and began playing drums at 10. After college, she moved to New York City, where she established herself not only as an in-demand timekeeper but as a composer, producer and teacher. In the jazz world she has toured with both avant-garde saxophonist Marty Ehrlich and “soul-jazz” organ legend Dr. Lonnie Smith. Twice named a “rising star drummer” in the DownBeat critics poll, Miller’s second album as a leader, Boom Tic Boom, landed on many “Best of 2010” lists, including that of the Los Angeles Times.
Miller’s Boom Tic Boom quartet is built around three other remarkable players. Bassist Todd Sickafoose, another longtime DiFranco sideman, has played with such diverse figures as Andrew Bird, Nels Cline and Yoko Ono as well as leading his own group, Tiny Resistors. Pianist Myra Melford has performed two previous RJA concerts as a leader or co-leader, and she accompanied violinist Jenny Scheinman on her CenterArts show in 2009. Scheinman herself grew up in Petrolia and studied briefly at Humboldt State before making her way to the Oberlin Conservatory, UC Berkeley, San Francisco and New York City. She has released six CDs of original music, with her seventh, Mischief and Mayhem at the Village Vanguard, to be released in January. In addition to her own projects, she frequently collaborates with jazz guitarist Bill Frisell and has worked artists as varied as Bono, Bruce Cockburn, Lou Reed, Metallica and Norah Jones.
Allison Miller’s Boom Tic Boom will also present a free public workshop the morning of Monday, October 31st at 10:00 a.m. in Music 131. People of all levels of experience are welcome to attend.
More information about Allison Miller and the rest of the Redwood Jazz Alliance’s 2011-12 season can be found at RedwoodJazzAlliance.org. Advance tickets for Allison Miller ($15 General Admission, $10 Students & Seniors) can be purchased at the website and at Wildberries, Wildwood Music, People’s Records and The Works.