In the year that is 2020, it seems that a lot of amazing things happen because of an email. Recently, Jeffery Miller was checking his and he got a special invitation from the Saints’ programming team. They wanted him to play the National Anthem.
“[A]pparently, I was recommended by a former NOCCA schoolmate whose friend was in charge of finding artists. She told me via Instagram DM when she had heard I had accepted the offer. That just goes to show you that you never know who’s looking out for you. I’m definitely very grateful for the opportunity. When I read the email, I immediately thought of my big brother Jon Batiste and his NBA performance of the anthem and knew that I wanted to use that as inspiration for my arrangement of the anthem. I saw it as my chance to continue the conversation in the same vein,” says Miller.
Miller, who admits to being a lifelong OffBeat reader, started thinking of arrangement ideas right away.
“I arranged the song for four trombones. Given the racist nature of the Star-Spangled Banner and its lyrics, I knew I did not want to play just the melody. I felt that doing so would be spitting in the face of my ancestors and my fellow people today who are still fighting and living with these injustices. I was directly inspired by Jon Batiste’s performance of the song for the NBA Kickoff. I had a duty to uphold to the black community to arrange the anthem in a way that made it clear that black people are the foundation and the reason America was able to grow to be the global power it is today. Because of that, the respect (even at the most basic level) is long overdue. At the same time, I also wanted to inject the truth of the reality of the situation of being black in America. That truth can be found when you listen closely to the arrangement.”
With a smile, he adds, “Those who hear it will get it. And if you don’t hear it, keep listening.”
Miller doesn’t seem to get nervous when performing. When asked for advice on preparing for such a momentous occasion, he recommends drinking lots of water and breathing.
“If I were to give one tip to performers getting ready for a big event, it would be to breathe and drink water (okay maybe that’s two tips). Taking deep breaths is highly underrated. It’s so helpful. And water is quite literally the best thing on planet Earth. I’ve been drinking so much more water recently and I’ve been feeling great! Once you do those things, go for it! And like my hero Louis Armstrong said: “Play for someone you love.”
The Saints play Green Bay Packers Sunday, September 27 at 7 p.m CDT. Miller will perform at 5:20 p.m. Follow Jeffery on Instagram @thejefferymiller. For more information on the artist, visit his website.
Jeffery Miller prepares for Sunday’s Saints game performance, photo by Deon Butler Jr.
