Jazz Articles about David Murray

David Murray: Speaking in Tongues

by Robert Spencer
December 1, 1999

Devil music? This disc contains the inscription: “There has always existed a fear throughout African American churches that jazz music was some kind of devil's music." But not on this one, friends. Teamed with the powerful vocalist Fontella Bass and organist Jimane Nelson, master reedman David Murray creates here a shouting, rollicking, joyful gospel jazzfest. It even features “Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen, “Amazing Grace," “Blessed Assurance," “A Closer Walk with Thee."

Well, Murray plays with all his customary ...

David Murray: Creole

by Douglas Payne
March 1, 1999

The protean and prolific David Murray is a force of nature. Surely, no tenor sax or bass clarinetist in the last two decades has crafted as distinctive and commanding a tone as his. Nor have many explored - much less mastered -- the many musical milieus he's investigated: free, bop, ballads, soul jazz , ska, world beat, even Theresa Brewer and the Grateful Dead.Wherever he's heard, Murray is a fount of resourceful, intriguing musical ideas (though ...

David Murray: Long Goodbye

by Jim Santella
April 1, 1998

Tenor saxophonist David Murray, founding member of the World Saxophone Quartet and 1991 winner of the Danish Jazzpar prize, leads this tribute to the late pianist Don Pullen. Recorded in the year following Pullen's death from lymphoma and only recently released, Long Goodbye features four of the pianist's compositions, two from D.D. Jackson, and one from Butch Morris. Joining Murray are pianist Jackson, bassist Santi Dibriano, and drummer J.T. Lewis; both bassist and drummer were members of Pullen's African Brazilian ...