LIVE EVENTS
The historic Cephas House becomes a creative crossroads this Saturday as poet Jacqueline Miller and jazz professor Hank Hehmsoth unite for a first-time performance blending nature-inspired verse and live piano improvisation.
The Calaboose African American History Museum and SMTXArts are co-hosting the event, which will also feature an exhibit of music-inspired paintings by Hehmsoth, a Texas State professor and acclaimed jazz musician.
Miller, who describes herself as a “multidisciplinary artist, poet and storyteller,” has been featured several times in the San Marcos poetry anthology “When the River Speaks.” In February, she read her poetry at the Cephas House as part of a “Read-In” for Black History Month. This community outreach event attests to her frequent collaborations with area educators, historical preservation organizations and the San Marcos Public Library.
As a poet and visual artist for more than four decades, Miller draws upon her experiences to help children and adults develop confidence in their own art and creative outlets.
“Basically, I am an entrepreneur,” she said. “I have worked for several organizations across the nation related to human dignity, building safe communities and safe networks on behalf of children and youth to be their best selves.”
As a Professor of Practice, Hehmsoth has taught tips and techniques to many Texas State music students, at the same time sharing his classic jazz favorites. On Saturday, he will be performing 1950s-era beat jazz inspired by artists such as Thelonious Monk, Charlie Parker, Sonny Rollins, Kenny Dorham and Miles Davis. But those artists will only be the starting point for improvisation inspired by his collaboration with Miller.
Music from that era is familiar to Miller, who grew up listening to it. “I am able to reflect back on the historical pieces, because there’s still a partnership, a collaboration. There’s a bridge there, and I consider myself a connector. I am able to feel the energy on both ends.”
Poet Nikki Giovanni and jazz singer Nina Simone have been role models throughout her life. She plans to read Giovanni’s poem “Ego Tripping” at the Saturday event, a work that has been an inspiration for her live poetry readings.
“I do a lot of improv and that comes by listening, by feeling the energy,” Miller said. “When I think about jazz, it makes me think about the earth, the space and tension that exists in jazz music, and then the rhythm and the melody. It all connects and works together.”
Performing with Miller will add a whole new dimension to the music, Hehmsoth said. “Playing behind a poet is like entering their interior world in real time. I’m reacting to breath, pacing, tone and the emotional pulse of each line. It’s a true conversation — the poem shapes the music, and the music reshapes the poem.”
The Cephas House will have a big impact on her performance, according to Miller. “Being there in that space, I can feel the history, there’s something very, very special about it.”
“Jazz & Poetry at Cephas House – with Jacqueline Miller & Hank Hehmsoth” takes place at the Cephas House, 217 Martin Luther King Drive, from 3 - 4:30 p.m. on Saturday. For more on Hehmsoth's art exhibit, see
