Michael Musillami - Part Pitbull (2002)

Guitarist Michael Musillami and pianist Peter Madsen have worked together in a wide variety of settings; here they highlight their electrifying rapport as a duo. Musillami's five compositions run the gamut, from the tight lines of the title track to the spare lyricism of "Kinship" to the hip 5/4 dance of "Mr. Tiara." The six tracks co-written with Madsen tend toward a freer, more improvised approach, balancing anarchic interplay with a judicious use of space. These, too, evoke a variety of moods, from the ominous crescendo of "Braids" and the busy eighth-note traffic of "Restaurant People" to the sonic boldness of "Cush." Musillami's "Heroes" closes the program with a lieder-like calm (he's only "part pitbull," remember). © David R. Adler