Miller is a local jazz guitarist performing this weekend as part of the Jazz Festival. A native Brazilian, he teaches guitar and music theory at Catholic University and has been a music educator for more than 15 years.
What got you interested in guitar?
Growing up in Brazil I played piano, studying from the age of 6. At 10, my parents allowed me to stay with piano or choose an instrument of my liking. My older brother played guitar, so I was attracted to it.
With an event like the D.C. Jazz Festival, do you seek out other players to jam with them?
I always try to play with those who are better than me. I'm always trying to take lessons from people, formally and informally. The great thing about music is there's always something to learn and improve.
As a teacher, how do you approach instructing young jazz players?
My approach usually begins with having them learn their instrument thoroughly. If you don't know where to put your fingers, then nothing else happens, really. I ground them in accompaniment before improvising. Accompanying is an important skill that informs everything else. My technique is unique because I came from a classical background. I play Brazilian finger-style guitar. I don't consider myself a purebred jazz guitarist.
How does your Latin heritage inform your interpretation of jazz?
Everything I do ends up being Brazilian or Latin. Even if I play a song like [Duke Ellington's] "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)," I always put a Brazilian thing on it. It's almost like I can't help myself. I left Brazil when I was 15, and I've always wanted to go back and live there. In some ways, I do that musically. It's kind of like an obsession.
-- Joey Flechas
