Tommy Muellner: Solitary Moon

Pianist Tommy Muellner, a fixture on the Chicago-area jazz scene for many years, has not recorded often—Solitary Moon is only his second album as leader, following 1998's (All) About Time. That is a 28-year span between visits to the studio, more than numerous careers, let alone recording sessions.

This is by and large lovely music, and easy on the ear. Nearly half of the album's 15 refreshing numbers were taken from the Great American Songbook, and most of those that were not may well be on the waiting list. Muellner, who recognizes and appreciates the need for diversity, mixes things up, leading a trio with bassist Clark Sommers and drummer Phil Gratteau on five tracks, adding saxophonist Geof Bradfield on eight, trumpeter Art Davis (one of the Windy City's near-hidden treasures) on a half dozen, and everyone together on four.

No less than 10 selections are dedications, to members of Muellner's family or to musicians he admires or with whom he has worked. The album's last track, "Why Did I Choose You," is a salute to pianist Bill Evans, the "amazing and inspirational genius" Muellner often cites as his primary musical influence. Earlier, Muellner singles out for praise and dedicates numbers to fellow pianists Keith Jarrett, John Campbell, Steve Kuhn, Thelonious Monk and Fred Hersch.

The full quintet opens with Alec Wilder's too-seldom-heard classic, "While We're Young," after which the trio debuts with Johnny Burke and Jimmy Van Heusen's "Like Someone in Love," showcasing Gratteau's decisive mastery of brushes and sticks to underline a splendid solo by Muellner. Bradfield's smooth soprano sax seizes the spotlight on Muellner's upbeat "Sandy's Samba" (to which Muellner and Sommers append pleasing solos), and his agile tenor and Davis' always-dependable trumpet set the course on Russ Freeman's graceful ballad, "The Wind."

A third standard, "I Remember You" (played by the trio, with more splendid brushwork and an engaging solo by Gratteau) leads to Henry Mancini's pensive "Soldier in the Rain" (Davis on trumpet) and Muellner's second composition, "Cuz Tune," a gentle samba performed by the quintet with Bradfield on flute, and Kuhn's buoyant "Oceans in the Sky," on which Bradfield returns to soprano and Gratteau solos with authority. Bradfield's tenor points the way on Muellner's even-tempered "Monk See, Monk Do," and the trio skates easily through another well-known Broadway theme, "Make Someone Happy."

The standard "Polka Dots and Moonbeams" is next in line, leading to Johnny Mandel's genial title song (performed by the quintet) and Leonard Bernstein's poignant ballad, "Somewhere," from West Side Story. Nearing the finish line, Muellner uses Bradfield's tenor as the benchmark on a medley of the tunes "Diane" and "Danny Boy" (arranged for Muellner's aunt Diane and uncle Dan), then wraps the package with a solo rendition of "Why Did I Choose You," employing his usual chordal reservoir to endorse the message.

While this may not be a classic session to cherish and enshrine forever in your library, it is well-designed and adeptly performed (for well over an hour) by some of the Chicago area's most accomplished jazz musicians. That should be more than enough to please most listeners.