Sammy Miller & the Congregation

Sammy Miller and The Congregation are on a mission to bring joy, generosity, and accessibility back to jazz. Led by Juilliard-trained, Grammy®-nominated drummer Sammy Miller—called “the perfect player scholar” by The Wall Street Journal—the band has headlined major stages including Lincoln Center, the White House, TEDx, and the Newport Jazz Festival, often sharing the stage with artists like Jon Batiste and Wynton Marsalis. Known for their “joyful jazz,” the group delivers music that is vibrant, uplifting, and deeply connecting.

The band members include Sammy Miller (drums), Alphonso Horne (trumpet), Ben Flocks (tenor saxophone), Corbin Jones (bass), David Linard (piano), Molly Miller (guitar), Rick Lollar (guitar), and Olivia K Harris (vocals). Their recent album, Joyful Jazz at Lincoln Center (2023), exemplifies the group’s signature sound—soulful, grooving, and exuberant—capturing the energy of their live performances and their commitment to making jazz accessible to all audiences.

In addition to performing, Sammy Miller has spent over a decade educating young musicians, reaching more than 60,000 students in 45 states. He also founded the music education platform PLAYBOOK, designed to give teachers the tools to inspire lifelong musicianship, and shared his philosophy in a New York Times op-ed titled “We’re Teaching Music to Kids All Wrong.” Through both performance and education, Sammy Miller and The Congregation continue to champion music that is joyful, inclusive, and transformative.