International Jazz Vocalist Maci Miller on her 'Nine" new album

Originally from Harrisburg, PA, Miller was born into a musical family. Growing up she was drawn to the soulful divas of the day- Whitney Houston, Chaka Khan, Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner..
Her inspiration from the great jazz singers, in particular Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, and Dinah Washington. Philadelphia-based vocalist Maci Miller brings together a host of the city's finest musicians for her stunning new album Nine, the number nine is connected to wisdom and experience. Nine is the singer's second release. The stellar ensemble represents a who's who of the thriving Philly jazz scene- the pair are joined by bassist Mike Boone, tenor sax living legend Larry McKenna, Victor North on soprano sax, and drummers Byron Landham, Leon Jordan Sr., and Josh Orlando, The bassist Mike Boone invited her to join him for several of his weekly livestream concerts; it was there that she met pianist Aaron Graves.  Playing into the theme of the album, Graves turns out to be the ninth writing partner that Miller has worked with during her career. The number is rounded out by special guest trumpeter Jeremy Pelt. The tracks on the Nine album, "Complicated," featuring a witty call and response with Larry McKenna, the tense "I Can't-Wait," and the sultry "Love Me For Who I Am" "Strange is the Night" sets an ominous noir tone to address the societal issues confronting the world, with modern-day echoes of Billie Holiday's immortal "Strange Fruit." The album ends with the buoyant "Feel the Music," serving as a mission statement for the deeply felt album. In addition to the original songs, the album includes a rendition of Chick Corea's inspirational "High Wire,""The Nearness of You," and Miller's new lyric for Cedar Walton's "Firm Roots," the title song of the pianist's 1976 album.