The Microscopic Septet

A big band trapped in the body of a seven piece, the Microscopic Septet made some of the most creative, fun-loving ensemble jazz of the 1980s. Co-led by pianist Joel Forrester and soprano saxophonist Phillip Johnston, they were out of time with any definable trend in jazz, past or present. Unlike most artists in the post-Bebop era, they focused on composing and arranging rather than soloing. Furthermore, their songs made frequent reference to Swing and other early jazz idioms rarely found in a forward-thinking jazz context. Nonetheless, their dissonance-enhanced harmonies and rock-ish, backbeat-driven rhythms attest that they couldn't have existed in the 1930s. The Micros were further distinguished by their lopsided instrumental lineup -- four saxophones plus a rhythm section -- and their witty, often mysterious sense of humor (reflected in such titles as "The Lobster Parade"). Above all, unshakable tunes such as "Pack the Ermines, Mary" and spirited on-record performances make them well worth remembering, taking notice of, or catching up on -- whichever the case may be.