Project Grand Slam to Perform at Ashford & Simpson's Sugar Bar This Week

Robert Miller's acclaimed Project Grand Slam will perform at Ashford & Simpson's Sugar Bar in New York on January 6th.

The newly confirmed appearance, which coincides with NYC's APAP Conference as well as with the popular Jazz Connect Conference, will showcase Miller's jazz/rock/post-fusion amalgam, which has earned an impressive one million video views, while defying genres, languages and geographic boundaries.

The band - the brainchild of bassist/composer Miller -- is a rollicking live act, and they have cultivated a fervent, worldwide fan base, particularly among Spanish-speaking audiences in Mexico, Argentina and Brazil. This surge in international fans has been fueled by the Latin/Caribbean-infused title track from 'The Queen's Carnival' (available now via CEN/RED Distribution, a division of Sony Music). Meet the diverse, talented band, here.

In mid-January, Miller and his band will head back into the studio to record several original new tracks and one reimagined cover. Further details will be announced in the weeks ahead.

Miller recently appeared on WBAI's Cat Radio Café with Janet Coleman, www.catradiocafe.com. A series of new interviews and CD reviews follow, and upcoming coverage includes a DownBeat Magazine interview, JazzWeekly CD review and more. No Depression praised 'The Queen's Carnival' as "a uniquely affecting work...impossibly memorable!" With influences as diverse as Jimi Hendrix, The Kinks, Afro-Cuban rhythms and Celtic folk, Miller has delivered a jazz / rock sound like no other. In fact, one of Miller's musical signatures is to take classic rock songs such as Jimi Hendrix's 'Fire' and The Kinks' 'You Really Got Me', and to completely reimagine them.

Both of the abovementioned songs were performed at a recent Benefit concert at the legendary Café Wha in New York City. Miller and PGS raised funds for Citymeals on Wheels, timed to the Holiday season. See videos for both tracks, below these recent interview features.

Get a taste of Project Grand Slam below!

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MORE ABOUT PROJECT GRAND SLAM: The brainchild of acclaimed bassist/composer Robert Miller, Project Grand Slam is an amalgam of jazz and rock that has earned over one million video views, while defying genres, languages and geographic boundaries.

PGS has cultivated a fervent, worldwide fan base. This surge in international fans has been fueled by the Latin/Caribbean-infused title track from the band's fourth studio album, 'The Queen's Carnival' (CEN/SONY). No Depression praised the album as "a uniquely affecting work...impossibly memorable!" With influences as diverse as Jimi Hendrix, The Kinks, Afro-Cuban rhythms and Celtic folk, Robert has delivered a sound like no other. In fact, one of Robert's musical signatures is to take classic rock songs such as Jimi Hendrix's 'Fire' and The Kinks' 'You Really Got Me', and to completely reimagine them.

The last year has been particularly active for the band from a performance standpoint. PGS provided support for such artists as Boney James (twice), YES and Scott Weiland (formerly of Stone Temple Pilots), and performed at major venues including the Bergen Performing Arts Center, Ridgefield Playhouse, F.M. Kirby Performing Arts Center, Gramercy Theater, Garcia's at The Capitol Theater, and the Highland Lakes Concert Series, while also performing at a number of major clubs including The Blue Note, The Cutting Room, Iridium and a continuing monthly residency at The Groove.

"The Queen's Carnival", released in August 2016, features nine original tunes written by Robert that are rich in texture and diverse in feel, while still staying true to the PGS sound. Plus Robert's totally reimagined cover of The Kinks' "You Really Got Me" (feat. Lucy Woodward on vocals).

As Robert says, "The new album is the work that I've been building towards my entire career. It truly captures the two musical genres that have informed my composing and playing - rock and jazz. I consider this a breakthrough album for me and the band."
"The Queen's Carnival" has received uniformly rave reviews, including: "Unquestionably one of the year's best albums!" (Mac Wire); "An inspired album...a work of ensemble genius!" (Music Existence); "A uniquely powerful work!" (Gashouse Radio); "A sonic cavalcade of different shades and textures!" (IndieMunity); "An album of wide ranging taste and distinction!" (Indie Music Reviews); and "Smart, stylish and sophisticated!" (Beach Sloth).

The title tune from the album has similarly garnered rave reviews such as: "Party powered happiness!" (Jamsphere); "Crackling hot Latin song craft!" (IndieMunity); "So full of personality it's nearly impossible to listen sitting still!" (Independent Spotlight); and "Designed to lift your mood and make you want to dance!" (Stereo Stickman). The Official and Live videos of this song have been viewed over 500,000 times to date.

The band's unique cover of The Kinks' "You Really Got Me" has been called "Astonishing!" (Music Existence); "Stunning reinvention!" (Indie Music Reviews); "Crackling reimagining!" (Gashouse Radio), and "Stuns as a powerhouse cover!" (IndieMunity). In fact, Dave Davies, guitarist and co-founder of The Kinks, has praised PGS's new version of the song.

PGS's prior album - "Made In New York" - was released in September 2015 and featured two celebrated singles, "New York City Groove", Robert's love letter to his NYC home, and "Fire", Robert's reimagined version of the Jimi Hendrix classic. Both singles featured 2013 "The Voice" semi-finalist Kat Robichaud on vocals.

Robert originally formed the band in 2007. PGS's first two CDs, "Play" (2008) and "Spring Dance" (2012), had three top radio singles - "The Captain Of Her Heart" (feat. Judie Tzuke on vocals) from Play, and "Catch You Later" and the title song from Spring Dance. In 2009 the band and Robert also had a featured role in an episode of the hit NBC-TV series "Lipstick Jungle" starring Brooke Shields and Kim Raver, with five of the band's tunes featured in the soundtrack and Robert having a speaking part.

Robert was a staple of the Boston music scene in the 1970?s, when jazz fusion came into vogue with Weather Report, Return To Forever, Mahavishnu Orchestra and others. His fusion band (which included Anton Fig of Letterman fame) played alongside Gary Burton, Sonny Stitt, and Jaki Byard, among others, and played steadily at all the Boston area clubs.

Fast forward to the 1990?s when Robert formed The Robert Miller Group. Their first album, "Child?s Play" (1994), contained Robert?s first original compositions and featured such luminaries as Al Foster (MiLes Davis), Randy Brecker (Brecker Brothers), Tony "Thunder" Smith (Lou Reed), Anton Fig and Jon Lucien. The band went on to play at several festivals including the Telluride Jazz Celebration and the San Bernadino Jazz Festival (alongside Bruce Hornsby, War and Bela Fleck).

Says Robert: "What I?m trying to achieve now with PGS is to combine the power and beat of rock with the improvisation of jazz in a new and exciting way that takes the music to a whole other level."

For more about PGS, visit projectgrandslam.com, or follow them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/projectgrandslam.