Muller's Wheel: The History of Jazz is a collection of original tunes that evolve from New Orleans jazz to swing into bop, then shifts into funk and then fusion. It is mostly very happy music, even if it begins with a New Orleans funeral march.

The first half features saxophonist Woody Mankowski. Most of those tracks are performed by a quartet, a few have a full ensemble, and a few are multi-layered duets in which Tobin and Woody play multiple instruments. These original tracks represent their personal journey through jazz influences -- from swing to bop to blues to acoustic fusion and then funk. The last third tends toward electronic fusion and more experimental arrangements.

>The styles of Count Basie, Charlie Parker, Lester Young, Herbie Hancock, The Brecker Brothers, Weather Report and more influence this homage to the jazz greats. Even the blues are given Mueller/Mankowski's uniquely bop-funk treatment ("Struttin' Up Bourbon"). In all, the duo's originality permeate each track, each jazz sub-genre.

This is joyous music. It reminds us of the happiness we relive when returning to our musical roots. Mueller/Mankowski remind us how the personalities of certain eras continue to assert their influence and power.

Two tracks are included from Tobin Mueller's award-winning 2009 release, "Rain Bather," pieces that further highlight Mankowski’s playing: "Windowshade" and "Cliff's Edge". The CD ends where it began, with a vocal variation of Seafood Gumbo (with vocals and lyrics by Angela Hope); and the wheel continues to turn...

Tasty electric guitar additions by Fran Dagostino, drumming by Dane Richeson and bass by Jeff Cox complete the album. Tobin's nephew Chris Mueller adds piano on "Cliff's Edge"(Tobin plays organ on that track).

"The Muller’s Wheel" title is based on the biological concept that mutation and DNA recombination creates cycles of growth and loss. It serves as a metaphor for the ebb and flow of the synthesis and creativity Mueller and Mankowski apply to their musical influences. The tracks are arranged in historical sequence, and the listener appreciates the cross-pollination between each of these genres. Listening from beginning to end creates a cyclical pilgrimage. Its rhythms and inventive flights of fancy invite the listener along for many return trips.

The Muller's Wheel* has been remastered and expended.

	1	The Long Sleep
	2	Seafood Gumbo (vocal version feat. Angela Hope)
	3	Saddle Shoe Sally
	4	Oasis on the Rocks
	5	Lost In The West Village
	6	Fusion of Minds
	7	Struttin' Up Bourbon
	8	Windowshade
	9	Muller's Wheel
	10	Cliff's Edge
	11	Deconstruction of a Glance
	12	Acid Hopping
	13	Rock the Baby
	14	Let the Rumpus Begin
	15	Prestidigitation
	16	Pandora's Box
	17	Escaping the Fray Zone
	18	Seafood Gumbo - Instrumental Version (bonus track)

*"The Muller's Wheel" is a concept involving the interplay between populataion size, genetic recombination, the influence and speed of evolution and mutations. Large effective population size allows for more efficiency of natural selection, which leads to a selective sweep (the reduction or elimination of variation among nucleotides in neighbouring DNA of a mutation as the result of recent and strong positive natural selection), which decreases effective population size, which decreases the efficiency of selection... And the wheel turns round. Since this project moves from swing to bop to funk, which, in many ways, feels like starting from my parents' muisic and moving toward a return of the music of my own youth, I liked the idea. Plus, the whole Muller thing is a play of my name: Müller, as they spelled it in the Old Country.