Marcus Miller
The Sun Don't Lie

Before releasing this album in 1993, Marcus Miller was already renowned as a virtuoso of the electric bass, multi-instrumentalist, composer, and a fusion musician of biblical proportions. His numerous collaborations with big names in the jazz world in the 80s contributed to his growing fame, but the most important was undoubtedly with the master Miles Davis for whom he composed and arranged his last two albums; with few exceptions, "Tutu" from 1986 and "Amandla" from 1989 were entirely composed and arranged by the bassist. Moreover, he was a key member of the excellent funky group the Jamaica Boys, and we must not forget the high-quality pop-flavored solo albums he released during those years, along with his important collaboration with saxophonist David Sanborn. Miller, in particular, was always appreciated as someone who often and willingly sacrifices virtuosity to make space for good taste, and believe me, Miller has plenty of good taste in music to sell.

This first album of his, entirely instrumental fusion, is a clear proof of that. This album represents everything that is Miller's music, it is and remains his most beautiful record, and it is certainly one of the greatest fusion releases ever. The ingredients of this album are funky (Miller excellently uses the slap technique), blues, refinement, and a touch of "pomposity" mainly created by keyboards and sampling that the musician habitually uses in his studio works, giving his pieces a "pop-like" flavor (this method became even more impactful in his subsequent works, and his albums took on the nuances of a certain type of R 'n' B very popular both in the nineties and today. This is why I define all publications following "The Sun Don't Lie" as true anthems to Afro-American music, including the commercial ones often heard on MTV).

The album opens with "Panther", a relatively simple yet splendid track. The track opens with Miller's bass, which, with the warm sound typical of his Fender jazz, plays the beautiful main theme alone; once the theme is finished, it sets the time, and the drums (electric), keyboards, and guitar make their appearance: the theme is repeated again, this time with the keyboard, followed by variation and guitar solos leading to Miller's rhythmic slap solo and the finale. Initially, the track might seem a bit cold in the arrangements due to the use of samples, but if you can overlook this "prejudice," you will fall in love with it. The second track immediately takes on a Latin flavor, the protagonist remains Miller's bass, the piece is refined and romantic, it’s called "Steveland", the sax and guitar solos are splendid, especially the final one played by Sanborn, but the electric bass solo is dreamy. In the third track, the tempo picks up with a funky-rock flavored piece, Miles Davis's trumpet makes its appearance in the chorus, but the romantic tones return with the beautiful "The Sun Don't Lie". "Scoop" immediately raises the tempo with its catchy slap accompaniment, a funky track rich with ideas where sax and bass have fun with their improvisations. "Mr. Pastorius" is a bass solo of a brief one minute and twenty-four seconds, yet with great intensity.

In "Funny", the refinement of the first tracks clashes with the rhythmic and driving funk to give life to an irresistible crossbred track where the trumpet, with its classic muted sound, is the star alongside the soprano sax. "Moons" is a fusion piece with a strong jazz flavor, where, besides the bass, Miller unleashes his creativity with the bass clarinet that he plays excellently. "Teen Town" is a cover of Jaco Pastorius's intricate bass solo from the Weather Report days, but here Miller prefers to perform it entirely with slap. "JUJU" is a beautifully melancholic funky piece where this time the saxophonists are called upon to perform the main theme and engage in splendid solo exchanges.

The album concludes with "the king is gone", dedicated to Miles Davis; we are faced with what might be the most beautiful track on the entire album. The clarinet plays the romantic and melancholic theme accompanied only by keyboards, as if bidding one final farewell to the now-fallen great master, after which bass and sax exchange two solos in full jazz style; the theme repeats until the very melancholic and emotional end. I’m done, and I strongly recommend to all, truly everyone who loves music, to listen to this album.