“Black and white, wild and tender, a balance between the duality of the forces of

nature,” are the words used to describe Chicago pianist, composer and educator Liza Micelli’s musical works. (Ana Teresa, El Nuevo Día, Puerto Rico)

 

Liza Micelli has always been interested in humanity and our interconnectivity. At the age 21, Liza left her hometown and relocated to Puerto Rico in pursuit of the Afro-Caribbean sound. She studied at the prestigious Conservatorio de Música de Puerto Rico and recorded her first album with guest artists Richie Flores, Pedro Perez (Gilberto Santa Rosa), Jimmy Rivera (Batacumbele) and Manolito Rodriguez, co-produced by acclaimed Latin pianist and mentor Luis Marín. Liza’s skills as pianist and performer would begin a five year career as an on-screen keyboardist for Fox’s hit show Empire under Lee Daniels, Sanaa Hamri and Danny Strong. Her unique teaching style continues to draw her to the screen as a personal coach for actors such as Anthony Fleming of Starz’s Power Book IV: Force. She’s shared the screen with people like Patti LaBelle to Alicia Keys and has enjoyed further study and mentorship with the world renowned pianist, composer and educator Danilo Perez, saxophonist Tony Malaby and Kenny Werner in conjunction with the Berklee Global Jazz and Effortless Mastery institutes.