Marcus Miller - The Sun Don't Lie

"The Sun Don't Lie" is one of those albums for me-- maybe I heard it at the right time in my life, maybe it really is that good, but even in the face of what many consider better records, this is my favorite of Marcus Miller's catalog-- certainly, his playing (as superb as it is) would be better on later albums, but I think this is some of his best work. Marcus Miller is, of course, regarded as one of the great bassists, and with good reason, this album shows that nicely-- from breathtaking plucked runs (the intro to "Panther") to just stunning slap playing ("Rampage"), delicate fretless work ("Moons") and a great solo bass piece ("Mr. Pastorius", originally recorded with Miles Davis). But its the songwriting on this one that really shines, from the delicate "The Sun Don't Lie" to the great funky jazz-rock of "Funny (All She Needs is Love)", the hard swining "Rampage", and the totally brilliant "Panther"-- but what makes Marcus so great is that when his songs are bass driven, he somehow gets away without having a concrete bassline until another solo voice joins, when he steps back into a supportive role on the instrument. And with a generous supporting cast including guest performances by Miles Davis, Kenny Garrett, Wayne Shorter, and Vernon Reid, this album is nothing short of spectacular. Certainly, if you're a Miles fan looking to explore Marcus' music, this is a great place to start, its how I did. This album is excellent. - by Michael Stack, Amazon.com

Artist: Marcus Miller
Album: The Sun Don't Lie
Year: 1993
Quality: eac-flac, cue, log, artw.
Label: Dreyfus Jazz
Runtime: 60:30

Tracks:
1.  Panther (Marcus Miller) 6:03
2.  Steveland (Marcus Miller) 7:21
3.  Rampage (Marcus Miller) 5:48
4.  The Sun Don't Lie (Marcus Miller) 6:29
5.  Scoop (Marcus Miller) 5:59
6.  Mr. Pastorius (Marcus Miller) 1:25
7.  Funny (All She Needs Is Love) (Marcus Miller/Boz Scaggs) 5:26
8.  Moons (Marcus Miller) 4:52
9.  Teen Town (Jaco Pastorius) 4:55
10.  Juju (Marcus Miller) 6:02
11.  The King Is Gone (For Miles) (Marcus Miller) 6:04

Personnel:
Marcus Miller (Bass Guitar, Keyboards, Drum Programming, Bass Clarinet, Rhythm Guitar)
Poogie Bell (Drums) - 1,7,10
Lenny White (Percussion) - 1,2
Dean Brown (Guitar) - 1,7
Jason Miles (Sound Programming) - 1-3,7
Wayne Shorter (Tenor and Soprano Saxophone) - 2,11
Jonathan Butler (Guitar) - 2
David Sanborn (Alto Saxophone) - 2
Don Alias (Percussion, Congas) - 2,9
Paulinho Da Costa (Percussion) - 2,4,9
William Calhoun (Drums) - 3
Vernon Reid (Guitar) - 3
Miles Davis (Trumpet) - 3
Sal Marquez (Trumpet) - 3
Joe Sample (Piano) - 4
Andy Narell (Steel Drums) - 4,9
Michael White (Drums) - 4,10
Eric Persing (Sound Programming) - 4,7,10,11
Kenny Garrett (Alto Saxophone) - 5
Paul Jackson Jr. (Rhythm Guitar) - 5
Maurice White (Vocals Samples) - 5
Everett Harp (Soprano and Alto Saxophone) - 7,10
Michael Stewart (Trumpet) - 7
Steve Thornton (Percussion) - 7
Steve Ferrone (Drums) - 9
Omar Hakim (Drums) - 9
Philippe Saisse (Keyboards) - 9,10
Hiram Bullock (Guitar) - 9
Kirk Whalum (Tenor Saxophone) - 10
Christian Wicht (Keyboards) - 10
Tony Williams (Drums) - 11