Stephanie Miller
With a voice that is sultry and sophisticated, along with a strong sense of phrasing and lyricism, Stephanie Miller clearly knows her way around a jazz standard. She’s garnered comparisons to such diverse singers as Roberta Flack, Billie Holiday, and June Christy. And she has studied with some of the finest contemporary jazz vocalists around, including Molly Holm, Madeline Eastman, Maria Marquez, and Dena DeRose.
Stephanie has performed solo and in ensembles in the Bay Area, and was selected as a semi-finalist in San Francisco Invitational Musician’s Showcase competition in June 2004.
Mike Oria
Mike Oria hit the road to jazz in the 7th grade playing the bari sax, an instrument that was almost as tall as he was. He eventually settled on tenor sax and clarinet before discovering the guitar. He began performing in pop cover bands during the 80's, and became a veteran of the thriving Austin, Texas music scene with original rock trio, Thru the Tulips. As a member of The University of Texas Jazz Ensemble, Mike studied with guitarist Scott Sherwood.
In 1994, Mike migrated to the San Francisco Bay Area, where he performed with The GrooveYard, Just Friends, The Bay Area Jazz Collective, vocalist Melinda Lopez, Avalon Jazz Trio, vocalist Lisa E, and Steve Meicke. Mike was a charter member of the SF peninsula-based West Coast jazz octet, Octobop, appearing on their maiden release, Too Close For Comfort (1999). He also performed as a guest on writer/vocalist Matt Swindells’ 2004 release, Matt Swindells Here.
Presently, Mike studies with guitar virtuosa Mimi Fox and transcribed all of the lessons for her instructional video CDs, Jazz Anatomy and Graduated Solos (True Fire Productions). He also transcribed her performance of East Coast Attitude, published in Just Jazz Guitar (Feb 2005).
Mike's musical influences include Charlie Parker, Wes Montgomery, Miles Davis, Joe Pass, and Jim Hall.
In 2005, Mike retired his 6-string, replacing it with a custom 7-string guitar. The extra string (low A) expands the guitar's range, helping to create the illusion of guitar and bass being played simultaneously, very effective in a solo or duo setting.