Hazel Miller

Hazel Miller is not just a great singer; "She is a force of nature!" quotes the Rocky Mountain News. Her voice has been called "stunning, moving, and powerful." Hazel has been a sought after performer in Colorado for more than three decades. The Hazel Miller Band was formed more than 2 decades ago. Hazel Miller and the Collective renamed themselves in 2020. The band performs an eclectic blend of Jazz, R&B, Blues, and original music. The band’s music is designed to make the audience dance and sing along. They play the music that excites and involves the listener.

A great highlight of 2015 was Ms. Miller’s singing of the national anthem at the inauguration of Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper, January 13, 2015. Later on that night, the Governor’s Inaugural Concert featured the Lumineers, String Cheese Incident, and Big Head Todd and the Monsters with Ms. Miller. Ms. Miller performed at the FIS Alpine Ski Championships in Beaver Creek, Colorado on February 15, 2015; with an estimated international television audience of 180,000,000 viewers. Ms. Miller has been chosen to record a welcome greeting for visitors taking the trains to the main terminal at Denver International Airport. The winter of 2014 marked the last full tour with Big Head Todd and the Monsters. They toured the entire country with great responses from audiences.

Ms. Miller has appeared as a special guest of Big Head Todd and the Monsters for more than 19 years. The band had a great summer, in 2021 including opening two nights at Red Rocks. Headlining festivals all over Colorado; 2021 marked the 25th year performing at Boulder's Band on the Bricks. They have opened for Al Green, James Brown, Michael McDonald, and many others. The band has appeared at major local festivals: Jazz in City Park, Lakewood Amphitheater's Summer of Music, the Botanic Gardens in Denver and so many more.

Ms. Miller’s music can be heard on many local radio stations KOA, KBCO, KUVO, KRFC, KOTO, and KCNU. Nationally, Sirius Radio and XM Radio are playing her music on the “Real Jazz” and “B. B. King’s” Blues stations. Mark Ruffin, on “Real Jazz” XM Radio added Ms. Miller to the lineup fall of 2010 and she continues to be a requested performer on radio stations nationally, for example, Martha’s Vineyard, Charlotte, Miami, and Chicago. Ms. Miller sang on 6 tracks of the hit 2014 CD Blues Masters 3. This CD featured Mickey Thomas from Jefferson Starship and Tim Tucker, executive producer and lead guitarist on the CD. The reviews said this about Ms. Miller’s vocal performance: “Miller’s vocals would rival Koko Taylor”.

Coco Brown

Coco grew up in Rockford, Illinois, the youngest of four children. After touring in the Denver area, she decided to make it her home in 1983. She is a gifted and soulful songstress and entertainer. “Coco Brown knew singing would be a ticket to a career on the stage. A vocation doing anything else was not given a moments thought. She had the voice, the talent, the presence, the drive to belt out rhythm and blues. Her home town of Rockford knew well the voice of Coco…”.

Some of Coco’s career highlights include co-writing and starring in the popular, “Sistas & Storytellers”, which was at the Denver Civic Black Box, the Crossroads Theater, and in Maui, Hawaii for AECG. She also vocally nailed her authentic impression of the legendary Sarah Vaughn, in live @ The Rossonian, and Jazz Legends Live.

Coco is a much sought after studio session vocalist, and her voice is heard on countless recording projects with Colorado’s top talent. She sings for the lord at her church, The Potter’s House, and has sung in several Denver-based gospel groups. Coco’s bucket-list is to cruise around the world. Now, side-by-side with Hazel, Coco is creating an electric sound that captivates audiences across the globe.

Cody Carbone

Born and raised in Colorado, Cody Carbone has been playing music since he was three years old. Originally being taught Bluegrass on mandolin and guitar, he later found his passions in Blues, Soul, and R&B music around the age of 16. Though he still plays Bluegrass occasionally with his family band, Cody has been playing lead guitar for Hazel Miller for the past eight years. Before joining Hazel’s band, Cody sang in a multi-award winning, eight piece a cappella group called Mix, for five years. During that time, they traveled overseas and performed in London and Denmark, as well as several states on the East Coast. It was this group that opened up for the Hazel Miller Band on July 3rd, 2014, leading Cody to her coincidentally at a time when she didn’t have a guitarist. Cody seized the opportunity and auditioned for Hazel three days later and has been with her ever since.

Brian Mikulich

Brian started drumming at age 11 and began playing professionally at age 15. Upon graduating high school, he toured the Midwest with a swing band based out of Las Vegas. A year later, he joined Colorado's Wind Machine who performed original instrumental jazz/rock. He recorded two albums with that group (which garnered significant radio airplay around the US) and toured the west coast in 1988.

Brian has since performed with many local and national artists such as Chris Daniels and the Kings, Nina Storey, Lannie Garrett, Jacob Larson, Moments Notice, Steve Thomas, Jerome Gilmer, Glenn Tilbrook (Squeeze), William Topley, Derek St. Holmes (Ted Nugent) Martha Wainwright, Mindy Abair and The Drifters. He began working with Hazel Miller in 2012.

Additionally, Brian is an active studio drummer who often records with many artists around the US. He can be heard on radio/TV ads for the US Forest Service, Rocky Mountain PBS, Longmont Athletic Club, Larimer Square, Maxfund Animal Shelter and Twin Peaks Mall. He runs his own home studio and can be heard at studioqualitydrumtracks.com

Stu MacAskie

Jazz pianist Stu MacAskie has been performing professionally for some 35 years, including 8 years based in New York City. Using this experience along with a constant commitment to excellence he has a developed a highly personal playing, composing and arranging style steeped in the great American jazz tradition while drawing fresh ideas from contemporary street and world musics.

The high demand for his skills as performer, composer, bandleader, recording artist and music educator has led to engagements and tours on three continents. The extensive list of jazz and pop artists he has performed alongside includes Bobby Shew, Bill Watrous, Eric Alexander, Antonio Hart, Richie Morales, Frank Morgan, Kevin Mahogany, Chris Calloway, The New York Voices and Hazel Miller.

Awards include several New Mexico Music Industry Commission (NM MIC) awards and the coveted Performer's Certificate from the School of Music at Indiana University. Mr. MacAskie has served on the faculty of several universities both here and abroad. He is currently a Guest Artist at the Denver School of the Arts. He makes his home in Denver, Colorado, and enjoys spending time in the Rocky Mountains.

Jeff Nathanson

From 1991-2018, Jeff was a featured saxophone soloist and horn section member for Latin-pop superstar Luis Miguel. He toured and recorded extensively with Mr. Miguel, appearing on numerous albums and videos, and has performed thousands of concerts worldwide including multiple sold-out performances at Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, Hollywood Bowl, Staples Center, Aztec Stadium Mexico City, Estadio Belez in Argentina. Jeff has also appeared on primetime shows such as The Today Show and Ellen Degeneres.

When he is not touring with other artists, Jeff is busy performing, recording, and composing in Denver, Colorado, where he currently resides. Some of the other artists with whom Jeff has performed and recorded include: Kenny Loggins, Jim Messina, Frankie Valli, Freddie Fender, Alex Bugnon, Juan Gabriel, Alejandro Sanz, JoseJose, Armando Manzanero, Earl “Fatha” Hines, Hazel Miller, Jill Sobule, Alexandre Pires, Ehsan Aman (Kite Runner), Googoosh, Joan Sebastian, Sheila E., Ray Obiedo, John Novello, Nelson Rangell, Rob Mullins, Rekha Ohal and Pete Escovedo.

While Jeff is involved with many artists from a wide variety of musical genres, he has also recorded two of his own CD’s, More than Coincidence and Deep into the Night, which showcase both his saxophone/flute/EWI playing and compositional talents. In addition to all of his musical endeavors, Jeff is a bilingual (Spanish) clinician and representative for D’Addario/RICO Reeds and InMusic/Akai Professional.

To contact Jeff directly: JeffNathanson.com, nonarmusic@yahoo.com, 720.837.0111

Thomas Jefferson

Born in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in 1958, my musical journey began with singing in church and playing percussion in local bands. By the age of 14, I had started teaching myself to play the bass guitar. Despite several attempts to form my own bands, I eventually chose to collaborate with existing groups. At 19, I became a member of the Joe Keel Action Orchestra, where I primarily engaged in jazz performances for a year and a half. Following this, I joined the Joe Clemmons Band, which provided me the opportunity to perform alongside notable musicians such as Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson and Pee Wee Crayton.

My versatility in playing various musical styles, including country western, alternative rock, R&B, funk, and jazz, led to increased recognition. In the mid to late 1980s, I had the privilege of performing with Lannie Garrett among other artists. My career continued to evolve, and in 1994, I recorded with saxophonist Brian Savage. From 1998 to 2005, I performed with Hazel Miller. Subsequently, I collaborated with Mary Louise Lee, serving as her music director from 2005 to 2019. Together, we performed at numerous venues both within and outside the state, organizing tributes to Whitney Houston, Tina Turner, Aretha Franklin, Natalie Cole, Diana Ross, and others. We also had the honor of performing with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra in "The First Ladies of Jazz."

In 2008, I began playing with Dotsero and have since continued to perform with a variety of artists as required, showcasing my adaptability and passion for music across a wide range of genres.