He might have been a jazz trumpet player influenced by everyone from Miles Davis to Moby, but now, in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Brice Miller hails himself as one of the country’s musical ambassadors to the rhythmic, cultural epicenter of New Orleans.
Born and raised in the Big Easy, Miller reminisces fondly over the city that shaped his development, musically and culturally. He calls his music a reflection of traditional New Orleans jazz, with a mixture of the hip-hop and rap influences made apparent through the city’s characteristic diversity. He speaks of New Orleans as a microcosm of the world, an island where people were separated from the rest of the country.
The proverbial shadow falls with mention of Hurricane Katrina.
“It has been a travesty musically,” Miller said. “Artists have been forced to leave and find other opportunities. The city will never be what it was. I fear it will be a Southern Las Vegas.”
He went on to mention the people of circumstance still residing in the city.
“They lack infrastructure,” Miller said. “They lack the understanding of tomorrow.”
While he, his wife and children now call Columbus home, Miller has not yet abandoned the city of New Orleans. He is now touring the country independently as an artist and an educator in an effort to bring New Orleans’ living culture of traditions to others. His goal, he said, is to dispel the many preconceived notions that jazz is something out of a black-and-white movie. He compared his intentions to that of fellow artist Jamie Cullum.
Having played the trumpet since the eighth grade and grown up in a musical household, Miller also plays various other instruments and integrates digital elements into his music. By using computers to fill in for missing accompaniments, Miller said he feels he is free to be more creative when playing live.
Miller said he believes the music is relevant whether the listener is 5 or 85 years old. As a young artist he finds importance in reaching out to his peers and calculating his audience. Last week he performed in Columbus at a Mardi Gras celebration hosted by the Court Clerks’ Annual Convention. Any other performer might have let the audience remain in their seats, but not Miller.
“I stopped playing and explained, ‘This is a party! Get up and dance!'” he said.
His sets range in diversity from traditional jazz standards to music featured at the most recent Grammy awards. He explained the process of calculating what an audience might want to hear.
“To open a show I might want to play ‘When the Saints Go Marching In’, an audience in their 20s might not want to hear that, so instead I might open with a Macy Gray number,” he said.
Miller will be performing tonight at 7 in The Union Dawg House. He was chosen to play by Campus Activities Board affiliate and sophomore biochemistry major Erica Nix. Nix said Miller’s history as a New Orleans jazz musician and educator would make him a perfect candidate for the Random Tuesday Music Series.
Sophomore banking and finance major Ryan Esreal said he is curious to hear Miller perform.
“I don’t know that much about New Orleans’ jazz, so this should be new and interesting,” Esreal said.
Miller said he will not play from a set list tonight, but instead attempt to read his audience’s emotions. What the viewing audience can expect is to be more than observers.
“My music is a party,” Miller said. “When I play, I expect to be on that stage entertaining more than just myself.”