Molly Miller – The Ballad of Hotspur

By starrymag | September 9, 2024

By: Maggie Stankiewicz

 

 

Q) How would you describe your sound?

 

A) I’ve been calling the newest record “Americana Surf Jazz.” It’s a record of songs, with some western/ surf flair. My playing is routed in jazz.

 

Q) Who are some of your musical influences and what makes them so inspirational to you?

 

A) I have a wide range of influences. I started playing guitar at seven. The first time I felt the power of the instrument is when I performed “Wipe Out” at my fifth-grade talent show. I realized the guitar was cool when I started playing Hendrix at age twelve. Grant Green was my gateway drug into jazz, which then got me hooked on West Montgomery, Django Reinhardt, George Benson and Johnny Smith to name a few. I was obsessed with Bob Dylan in high school. I love his storytelling, imagery and rawness. Sister Rosetta Tharpe was an explosive discovery for me. I spent a lot of time with her – she is fearless, something I always strive for. When making the record, I listened to Mickey Baker a lot (he is so bold) and we referenced bands from Booker T and the MG’s to Dave Brubeck to Tony Allen. I could go on forever. I feel like such an amalgamation of so many great musicians, for whom I’m forever grateful for.

 

 

Q) What is your songwriting process like? Do you need lyrics before you can craft a melody?

 

A) I write instrumental guitar music. I write in three ways. Sometimes it’s coming from a raw emotional space, and I am searching for a way to process what is going on. I sit with my instrument and start to create melodies, with sort of mantras/ lyrics. While the words remain only in my head, they help shape the song. Other times, I am simply exploring the instrument, and it leads me somewhere. I savor time with my instrument where I can just explore. It’s an essential part of connecting with myself and the guitar. The third way I write is with my writing partner and bandmate, Jennifer Condos. She will send me little ideas and then I will finish the thought or vice versa. Our voices complement each other. My favorite things I’ve written come out with ease – quickly and naturally. There is an organic way where I am led from one line to the next. I love writing music. I find it to be like the best therapy session – you discover something about yourself and feel like you conquered something.

 

 

Q) It takes a special crew of musicians to elicit emotion in listeners without lyrics. What is it about your music that you think people connect to so deeply?

 

A) The trio spends a lot of time crafting arrangements that help make a song shine. While there is a ton of improvisation and interaction in our music, we focus on the song. We all have a wide range of influences, so can pull from myriads of places. There is a deep focus on melody. Once there is a strong melody, we sort out an arrangement to make the messaging as clear as possible. Each song is a little puzzle – we are trying to find the clearest way to relay a feeling. It’s so fun working with Jennifer and Jay. I love our process of creating. We spend a lot of time and energy on making our songs fully realized.

 

Q) The official music videos for your latest singles, including “66 West,” are simple yet intimate and perfectly capture you and your band’s love of the music. Talk about your experience filming those videos.

 

A) I love raw, live, unproduced music. I play live shows two to five times a week and wanted to create some higher quality videos that capture that experience. I got a dream team of friends together to do that. I met Bryce Gonzales of Highland Dynamics at ETA some years back when he was recording shows live to tape with his analog equipment. His recordings are high quality and alive. It was just the sonic experience I wanted. My friend Abby Linne is a super talented Director of Photography. I elicited her, between her many jobs, to try and do some live one-shot videos. There was no option for overdubs because we were recording to tape and Abby’s shots were just one take. I think that sort of pressure can help push everyone to be hyper-present, something I always strive for when playing. I play with a ton of wonderful musicians. I got Beth Goodfellow and Tamir Barzilay on drums for the sessions and JP Maramba on bass. I am super happy with how they came out and I am looking forward to doing more when I return from tour. They’re really enjoyable to make. We hit about four songs each day. We play each song a few times and then move to the next one. I like the immediacy of the process.

 

 

Q) The Molly Miller Trio musicians have experience touring and playing with some of the most formidable acts in the music industry.  What’s your favorite part about playing and touring with other artists?

 

A) I get to grow in different ways from working with a variety of musicians and artists. I love diving into someone’s catalogue and going deep into their music. It makes me evolve in new ways – maybe it makes me learn a new technique or fall in love with new harmonic choices or sounds, discover a new way of arranging or melody development. I cherish that I get to do so many things. I think it helps make me more whole. Each act I work with pushes me in different ways, so I am continually growing. I love it.

 

 

Q) What are some themes you’ll be exploring on your upcoming album The Ballad of Hotspur?

 

A) One of the big themes on The Ballad of Hotspur is old Westerns. We were thinking of cinematic songs that illicit a great deal of imagery and nostalgia. There’s also a focus on “bringing back the instrumental.” There was a time when instrumentals were hits – The Ventures, Duane Eddy, Dave Brubeck, etc. Our music has that belief, that songs without lyrics can stand strong and tell emotionally and visually coherent stories.

 

Q) Are there any venues or specific locations that you’re most looking forward to playing on your summer tour?

 

A) I am so excited to be playing these songs around the country. That in itself is a dream. There are a couple highlights, like Red Rocks (it’s so iconic and epic!) and The Rady Shell in San Diego – it’s such a gorgeous venue. But I am truly stoked for every note that I get to play out there this summer.

 

Q) Which songs off The Ballad of Hotspur are you looking forward to performing live?

 

A) Every single one of them!!! I just finished an East Coast and West Coast run celebrating the album release with Jennifer and Jay. We would play the record in its entirety each night. It felt so good to do it that way.

 

Q) Who are some people you’d like to collaborate with in the future?

 

A) That’s a hard question. I always have ideas of who I’d like to play with, but sometimes opportunities arise that I didn’t even know were in the cards. If I am making music I enjoy, with people that inspire me, I feel pretty great. And I feel incredibly fortunate to say that I get to do that most days.

 

Q) What would you like to say to your fans and supporters? 

 

A) Thanks for the love! I feel like a lucky lady.