Michael Musillami - Mars Bars (1992)

For part two of Michael Musillami's series of Playscape recordings, the guitarist's quintet becomes a sextet with the addition of trumpeter Randy Brecker. Pianist Kent Hewitt, drummer Steve Johns, and the late altoist Thomas Chapin all remain, while bassist Nat Reeves is replaced by Ray Drummond. The addition of trumpet allows Musillami to create arrangements of greater depth and complexity, most notably on the quick 3/4 tune "Shoeshine," which stretches to nearly 12 minutes. This remarkable piece begins with Musillami playing deft, swinging lines, backed only by Johns on brushes. Drummond then enters to set up a vamp, which introduces a marvelously intricate three-part melody involving Brecker on muted trumpet, Chapin on flute, and Musillami on guitar. From an orchestrational standpoint, this is a good deal more advanced than what one hears on Musillami's previous outing, Archives. There are similar nuances on the opening track, "GlassArt," where Musillami deploys the three melody instruments in such a way as to simulate sectional writing. "Cousin Jim" also finds Musillami reaching new heights of originality and surprise. Beginning as a ballad, the tune abruptly switches to a brisk 6/8 tempo and remains there throughout. It's a simple idea -- the best usually are -- yet one that elevates the piece quite far above the ordinary. The theme, lyrical and yet staggeringly complex, is undoubtedly some of Musillami's finest writing to date. The other tunes feature great playing but don't quite rise to the same level as compositions. There's the breezy Latin piece "Mar's Bars"; a fast modal tune called "Out of Balance," which features an especially hot Brecker solo; "The Haberdasher Blues," a quirky 12-bar tune with cooking solos by Musillami and Chapin; an affecting ballad titled "I Wait for the Summertime"; and the up-tempo finale "Grey Cypress," with Chapin and Musillami darting through the changes ferociously. Brecker is absent from quite a few of the tracks, but Chapin's alto and flute work is ever-present and characteristically superb. The rhythm section is in top form, with Kent Hewitt contributing a number of fine solos (especially on "Cousin Jim"), and Drummond and Johns driving the whole band expertly. Mar's Bars doesn't sustain the kind of interest generated by its three best tracks but, on the whole, the album represents a big creative step forward for Michael Musillami. ~ David R. Adler