After fifteen years in the Twin Cities, and her 2004 CD, Live at the Dakota, Minnesota native Nichola figured it was time to check out the Big Apple.  But it wasn’t an easy transition. “NY's tough,” she says, “not so generous to its musicians.” And she missed Minnesota. Her first gigs back home were at the Times, where she had been a favorite of the 15-year resident band, the Wolverines Trio. More recently, Nichola has appeared at the Dakota, Hell’s Kitchen and other area venues. She's sung with local jazz greats Gordy Johnson, Phil Hey, Phil Aaron, Jendeen Forberg, Dave Karr, Adi Yeshya, Tanner Taylor, Mary Louise Knutson, and Laura Caviani. These days she can be heard monthly at Hell’s Kitchen with her recording session cohorts, Rick Carlson, Keith Boyles, Nathan Norman and Dave Karr.

Many have compared Nichola to the great Anita O’Day, and indeed she counts Anita as a major influence. But many others serve as sources of inspiration, including Chris Connor, Carmen McRea, Astrud Gilberto, Juao Gilberto, Chet Baker, Louis Prima, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and the Twin Cities’ Maud Hixson. And she also counts Willie Nelson, Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett and rockers The Kinks, Bowie, Guided By Voices, Beastie Boys, Pixies, The Replacements, Tom Waits, Velvet Underground, Talking Heads, CCR, Al Green, Yo La Tengo, The Ramones, AC/DC, and Prince.

Put all those influences into one mouth, and what you get is hip and sassy. This lady swings like she invented the concept, churning through the Great American Songbook with a glint in her eye and a sultry invitation on her lips. And that invitation is for you, for Sunday, November 22nd, at the Artists Quarter. Stay for both sets, at 7 and 9 pm!

“Old school jazz with punk rock attitude!” – Nichola Miller 

The Artists Quarter is located at 408 St. Peter Street in downtown St. Paul, in the lower level of the Hamm Building; www.artistsquarter.com. More on Nichola Miller and music samples at http://www.myspace.com/nicholamillerjazz