Natasha Miller: Press

Miller's Genuine Draft

NATASHA MILLER's show at the KUUMBWA last Thursday was not only an opportunity to hear some underappreciated and unknown music, but also a chance to see some local musicians at their finest. While Natasha makes her home up in Alameda, both her bassist, DAN ROBBINS, and her pianist, ADAM SHULMAN, have a long history of playing in Santa Cruz.

Robbins is still capable of turning the introduction to a slow soul song into a BACH invention for solo bass. He is a total monster. Shulman, now free of his weekly gig at the Roasting Company, has moved to San Francisco, where, according to evidence, he practices almost constantly. His playing with Miller's band was dramatic and intense, and it was interesting to hear quotes from überpianist and MILES DAVIS sideman BILL EVANS within one of BOBBY SHARP's forgotten soul classics. These tunes deserve to be heard and it's a damn tragedy that they've been gathering dust for the last 30 years. Many of them are not only awesome within their own genre, but also ripe for sampling. All you have to do is ask Sharp, now that he owns the rights to his songs again.