“Black and white, wild and tender, a balance between the duality of the forces of nature,” are the words Puerto Rican journalist Ana Teresa from El Nuevo Día uses to describe Chicago pianist Liza Micelli’s music. Chicago born pianist Liza Micelli has always been curious about humanity and our interconnectivity. It’s apparent in her heartfelt songwriting and provocative instrumental works. Liza began playing piano by ear at age 3. After noticing her inclination for improvisation at age 11, her first piano teacher recommended she switch to Jazz studies. It wasn’t until studying at Columbia College Chicago that she'd discover a hunger for Afro-Caribbean music, deciding to then move to Puerto Rico to continue her studies at the Conservatory of Music. Living in PR, learning Spanish and becoming part of the cultural fabric truly expanded her social perspective, and has greatly informed Liza’s musical style, enlacing it always with her Chicago roots and her love for the blues. Liza has had the privilege to play with Eddie Gomez, Batacumbele, Richie Flores, Manolito Rodriguez among others. She has also worked 5 seasons as principal keyboardist for Twentieth Century Fox’s hit show Empire. What can we look forward to next from this artist? During the pandemic, Liza has been delving into the world of scoring for film and live theater, exploring her love of storytelling. She looks forward to going back to school to elevate her current skills and expand her creative palette.