Bay Area musician vocalist has a style that is simply… her own. Her gospel roots, diverse education and training in both classical and jazz music, and love of world music have all culminated in her own vocal musical style.

 

Mikki has been surrounded by music her whole life, starting with Pentecostal- Cogic gospel church roots, she began singing in her churches childrens’ and youth choirs and in her teens, she began directing these choirs. Mikki’s love for music led her to leave California for the Midwest Iowa, to a small music school where she studied both classical and jazz piano and voice under the tutelage of Grammy nominated pianist Phil Matson.

 

While in Iowa, Mikki performed in both ACDA and IAJE conferences. At IAJE, Mikki was mentored by jazz vocalists Kevin Mahogany and Diane Reeves and during this conference, Mikki won ‘outstanding jazz vocalist’ award in her age group. Also while in Iowa, Mikki worked on special music projects and recorded in studio sessions with Darmon Meader of Grammy winning vocal jazz group New York Voices, the Real Group, Bobby McFerrin and Cedric Dent of Grammy winning group Take 6.

 

After finishing school in Iowa, Mikki moved back to the California, furthering her music studies at San Francisco State University.

She earned her Bachelors of Arts in Music and San Francisco and ventured back to the Midwest, this time, Chicago, to study music at graduate level. Mikki studied jazz composition and performance and world music at Northern Illinois University, under jazz great Ron Carter along with other noted professors Robert Simms and Liam Teague.

 

After earning her Master of Music, Mikki returned to California and began working in the bay area as a Music Director for a musical theater company for children. Mikki was accepted into the Red Bull Music Academy with teachers in residence Dave Matthews, Sir Mix A lot, Oh No, Theo Parrish and Questlove,

 

Mikki is currently working on her album set to release in the next summer, and is actively performing with various Bay Area bands and musicians, including a collaborative musician’s group ‘Mugpush’ that is set to release an album in August 2015 which features both Doug E. Fresh and Michael Eric Dyson. Mikki is the ‘Music Director’ at Lakeshore Church and teaches music at Athena Academy, a school that serves children that have dyslexia and other learning difficulties such as ADD and ADHD.