Musillami was born and raised in California and was inspired by Miles Davis, Chet Baker and John Coltrane. After studying with Joe Diorio, he moved to the East coast and began working in organ trios under the leadership of Bobby Buster and Richard “Groove”. He was a sideman who performed with Curtis Fuller and Junior Cook. In turn, he joined the Hillside Club in Waterbury Connecticut. This circle included future collaborators Thomas Chapin, Mario Pavone, and many others. Since then, he has led or co-led many ensembles and released 15 CDs as a leader, and toured in the United States, Canada, and Western Europe. He is well-known for his iconic trio, Joe Fonda, drummer George Schuller, and as the leader of numerous groups, including duos and octets that include notable collaborators like Drew Gress and Mario Pavone. Musillami established Playscape Recordings in 1999 to have more control over his music career and provide a supportive environment for other musicians. The label was founded around a group of frequent collaborators and has a catalogue of over 40 diverse releases. John Chacona, Signal to Noise reviewer, writes that Michael Musillami’s Playscape label is “Like Blue Note and CTI in their prime,” “Michael Musillami has a distinctive sound.” In addition to his work as a performer, and overseeing the daily operations of Playscape Recordings, Musillami is also the longtime Director of Jazz Studies at The Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, CT. from http://www.michaelmusillami.com
