| Jazz |
“Nine” is the album of an excellent American vocalist, Maci Miller, who has been consumed by a passion for jazz for a long time. The result here is a captivating album by a dedicated artist who has brought all her expertise to it. Don’t be fooled by the multitude of videos made from an iPhone or any other mobile phone that people put on the internet with poor sound quality, as they might cause you to miss out on the talent of this artist. Maci Miller presents us with 6 personal compositions written in collaboration with her pianist Aaron Graves. Additionally, Maci Miller also wrote the lyrics for the track “Firm Roots” by Cedar Waldon, as they were not originally included.Right from the introduction, we get a sense of the album’s tone with the track “High Wire,” which boasts technical complexity and is wonderfully performed by Maci Miller, skillfully accompanied by a portion of the young Philadelphia scene. Joining Miller and Graves, we find bassist Mike Boone, the living legend Larry McKenna, Victor North, Byron Landham, Leon Jordan, Sr, Josh Orlando, and the very special guest Jeremy Pelt, courtesy of High Note.
Hence, “Nine” refers to the number of musicians present on this album, and it’s true that the title of the album is particularly fitting. These musicians contribute a warm and intelligent backdrop to Maci Miller’s voice. Let’s hope that “Nine” will be able to perform with this fantastic ensemble, which lends a timeless quality to the album.
Here’s what I previously mentioned about her previous album:
“In France, you certainly do not know this incredible vocalist, Maci Miller, who is part of the rising generation of jazz in the USA. “Round Midnight” is Maci Miller’s fifth album, and it’s a daring bet with vocals and guitar, and on that side David O ‘Rourke works wonders! The talent of this musician would make a good number of guitarists blush with jealousy who think they have the feeling, the sensitivity and touch that are the signature of this great artist, David O ‘Rourke. For those who do not know him yet, check out his website, HERE
“Round Midnight” is an album of covers, recorded and arranged live, with a freshness and a spontaneity that I had not heard since the famous duos Joao Gilberto & Stan Getz. Years gone by, generations of artists too, and the beauty of this Maci Miller album lies in two things: a marvelous visionary interpretation plunging into the future, and backed up by a guitar magician whose career speaks for him, David O ‘Rourke. Thus, whether “Round Midnight”, “Quiet Nights” or “Nature Boy”, the works are never distorted, the arrangements are beautiful and discreet, supporting lightly and effectively the beautiful voice of Maci Miller.
At a time when the major jazz labels in Europe are forcing artists to revert to various standards by blithely slaughtering the work of Joni Mitchell and other artists for the sole purpose of “making sales”, here with “Round Midnight”, Maci Miller plays the card of simplicity and intelligence, and it is to salute, because all the standards present on this CD have already had in the past high level performers, which is not easy to rub . For a singer, interpreting a title should always go through a form of acting work, as is the case here, placing the desired moods on each title, simply by the modulation of her voice. And that, Maci Miller succeeds with a magic that bewitches us. Yes, Maci Miller is a great artist to discover urgently, and “Round Midnight” an indispensable album that will find its place as much in the gifts of Thanksgiving November 28 in the US as under the tree for those who celebrate Christmas, because it is an “essential” album for the editorial staff of Bayou Blue Radio & Paris-Move.”
It’s almost as if with time, Maci Miller’s artistic vision becomes even more refined, as we find her practically embodying certain tracks here, creating an interesting ambiance in a song like “Little Bird”. The more we delve into this album, the greater the exhilaration. The musical arrangements are of great beauty; nothing is done for sensationalism, everything is perfectly in its place. It’s up to Maci Miller to play and take pleasure in interpreting these tracks, and she certainly doesn’t hold back.
Of course, “Nine” will soon be featured on Bayou Blue Radio. You’ll be able to hear a track before the album’s release on August 25th, and believe me, choosing just one track won’t be easy. So, for those of you who love jazz and beautiful voices, you’ll be fulfilled here. There’s no point in purchasing individual digital tracks; this album certainly deserves to be bought in CD format. We’ll provide you with the link at the end of the article.
I’d like to extend my gratitude to Maci Miller, who kindly sent us her album, which we will take care of. An essential addition that the Paris-Move and Bayou Blue Radio teams are particularly proud of.
Thierry De Clemensat
USA correspondent – Paris-Move
Editor in chief Bayou Blue Radio, Bayou Blue News
PARIS-MOVE, August 4th 2023
::::::::::::::::::::::::::