Monterey Jazz Festival Announces Allison Miller And Derrick Hodge As 2019 Artists-in-Residence

Monterey Jazz Festival is proud to announce that drummer and composer Allison Miller and bassist, composer and producer Derrick Hodge have been selected as the 2019 Monterey Jazz Festival Artists-in-Residence and will work year-round with young musicians in performances and clinics at the 2019 Next Generation Jazz Festival, Summer Jazz Camp Intensive, with the Next Generation Jazz Orchestra and at the 62nd Monterey Jazz Festival, September 20-22, 2019.

"I am very pleased to have Allison and Derrick on board as AIR's for 2019," said Tim Jackson, Monterey Jazz Festival's Artistic Director. "Derrick was on our first MJF on Tour back in 2008 and I have been waiting for chance to deepen our relationship with him ever since. Allison has always caught my ear as a first-call drummer, excellent bandleader, fine composer, and an outstanding educator. Together they will bring artistry and excellence to our festival and education programs."

Over the Festival's 60-year history, artists have had an informal role in the production and artistic selection of the festival, including John Lewis, Clark Terry, Dizzy Gillespie, and many others. In 2004, the Artist-in-Residence program was revamped to include educational visits to the Next Generation Jazz Festival and Summer Jazz Camp, and the program has continued to expand year after year.

New York City-based drummer/composer/teacher Allison Miller has been named "Rising Star Drummer" and "Top 20 Jazz Drummers" in DownBeat Magazine's acclaimed Critics Poll. Her band, Boom Tic Boom, is a 2014 recipient of Chamber Music America's "Presenter Consortium for Jazz Grant"; has been met with critical acclaim, and has been featured on NPR's Tiny Desk Concert, WBGO's The Checkout, and many jazz festivals around the world. Miller is a three-time Jazz Ambassador of the US State Department, conducting clinics and master classes throughout the globe at universities and camps. She has been the rhythmic force behind such artists as Ani DiFranco, Natalie Merchant, the Meredith Vieira Show and Late Night with Seth Meyers, in addition to Dr. Lonnie Smith, Patricia Barber, Marty Ehrlich, Steven Bernstein, Ben Allison, Steve Cardenas, and Ben Goldberg. Miller holds adjunct teaching positions at The New School, Kutztown University, and Jazz Camp West. Miller has performed at the Monterey Jazz Festival in 1998, 2004 and 2006.

Two-time Grammy Award-winning bassist and Blue Note Recording Artist Derrick Hodge attended Temple University and was the first jazz major to participate in their Symphony Orchestra and New Music Chamber Orchestra. His wide range of accomplishments in many genres include orchestrations and arrangements for Nas with the National Symphony Orchestra, Common, and Kanye West. Hodge has won two R&B Grammys with the Robert Glasper Experiment, and co-produced albums with Quincy Jones and Don Was. Hodge has toured, performed or recorded with Maxwell, Kanye West, Herbie Hancock, Q-Tip, Mos Def, Timbaland, Jill Scott, Musiq Soulchild, Gerald Levert, Common, Bilal, Andre 3000, Sade, Terence Blanchard, Ledisi, Terell Stafford, Donald Byrd, Stefon Harris, and many others. For Blue Note, Hodge has released The Second and Live Today, and has written original music for the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture and the Chicago Brass Ensemble. Some of his many film score credits include Back to School Mom, the 180 Days documentary series for PBS, Land of Opportunity, Black Candle, The Army Recruiter, and Uneasy Listening. Hodge has performed at the Monterey Jazz Festival multiple times over the years and represented MJF during the 50th Anniversary All-Stars' national tour in 2008.

The 62nd Annual Monterey Jazz Festival will take place on the Monterey County Fairgrounds & Event Center September 20-22, 2019, with more than 500 artists performing on 8 stages for 3 nights and 2 days of the world's best jazz.

About Monterey Jazz Festival
The Monterey Jazz Festival celebrates the legacy of jazz, expands its boundaries, and provides opportunities to experience jazz through the creative production of performances and educational programs.