www.montereycountyweekly.com March 28-April 3, 2024 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 39 MUSIC If you take a walk through downtown Monterey, you may be tempted to snap a photo with a statue of a wide-smiling man playing an accordion on the corner of Alvarado Street and Franklin Street. The man immortalized is Mike Marotta Sr., the father of local singer Janice Perl—one of the teaching artists for the Monterey Jazz Festival. She and her daughter Miranda are living proof of the way music transcends generations beyond bronze. Janice and Miranda Perl both are jazz singers, and they perform across Monterey County at various venues. Janice recently took part in a benefit concert in January for Grammyadjacent Tammi Brown, who is battling cancer. Miranda regularly serenades diners at restaurants in Monterey and Seaside, often accompanied by her fiancé, jazz guitarist Adam Astrup. The elder Perl has been studying music since she was 6 years old, with a resume that includes performing— both singing and dancing—for the Dick Clark show in the 1960s on its American tour. Miranda first fell in love with theater but has been singing since she could talk. “Every family gathering turns into a jam session,” Miranda says, “but I didn’t see a career in it until I was older.” Her live performance repertoire began when she landed a role as the eponymous character in Annie, staged at the Forest Theater in Carmel when she was younger. “That’s how I fell in love with music,” she adds. The Perls’ legacy of music is imprinted on Monterey’s history. Janice’s father owned the ABC Music Center, which used to be housed in the now-dormant Osio Cinema building. It was the only music store that allowed local musicians to pay for their instruments on credit. Miranda admits that in her artistic career, she was always looking for the thing she was good at. Ultimately for her, that became singing jazz. The Perls have performed duets and they have trouble modulating their pitch sometimes due to the similarities in their voices. “It’s confusing because we have the same tone of voice, so when we sing together, if one of us is off, it’s really hard to tell which one of us it is,” Miranda says with a laugh. They find a way while looking at each other and questioning, “Is it you? Or is it me?” Miranda Perl performs regularly 6-9pm Wednesdays at Cibo Ristorante Italiano, 301 Alvarado St., Monterey. 649-8151, cibo.com. DANIEL DREIFUSS Mother of Perl Two jazz singers have been keeping their family’s local musical legacy alive. By Sloan Campi Janice and Miranda Perl are mother and daughter jazz singers who perform at various venues around Monterey County. EASTER BRUNCH SATURDAY, MAY 4, 2024 10:00 AM TO 4:00 PM QUAIL LODGE, CARMEL TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW AT QUAILLODGETICKETS.COM
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