Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Mark Murphy: I'll Close My Eyes
Mark Murphy: I'll Close My Eyes
The song "If" is all too often a staple of karaoke bars and Holiday Inn lounge singers, but in Murphy's hands it becomes a heartfelt dissertation on the conditional nature of love. And when it comes to sheer swinging, nobody can top Murphy. This is especially evident in the seldom performed "Happyin'" where Murphy scats up a storm and is matched by an exquisite guitar solo by John Basile.
The Murphy/Roditi collaboration is also heard to great effect in the Latin swinger "Small World" (not to be confused with "It's a Small World") and in the ballad "There Is No Reason Why." The Kid Creole-ish "Ugly Woman" shows the humorous side of Murphy's artistry as he relates the tale of the ultimate male horror story—rejection by a homely member of the opposite sex.
The album ends with "Not Like This," a slow ballad about the end of a relationship, that quickly builds to an emotional crescendo before tapering off into the sonic ether. While the song's text may be correct in its assessment of romantic love, it would be so nice if every album could end "just like this." I'll Close My Eyes is a classic and should be a part of every serious jazz lover's CD collection.
Track Listing
I'll Close My Eyes; If; Happyin'; Miss You Mr. Mercer; Small World; There Is No Reason Why; Time on My Hands; Ugly Woman; Not Like This
Personnel
Mark Murphy
vocalsMark Murphy, vocals, Sammy Figueroa, percussion; Peter Grant, drums; John Basile, guitar; Cliff Carter, keyboards; David Finck, bass; Pat Rebillot, Piano; Claudio Roditi, trumpet
Album information
Title: I'll Close My Eyes | Year Released: 2002 | Record Label: Muse Records
About Mark Murphy
Tags
PREVIOUS / NEXT
Become a Sustaining Member
Since 1995, All About Jazz has championed jazz as an art form and supported the musicians who create it. Over three decades, it has grown into one of the world's leading jazz resources, serving hundreds of thousands of readers, musicians, presenters and industry professionals each month.
Help Build the Future of All About Jazz
Your support helps us continue building All About Jazz for the next generation—expanding our editorial coverage, preserving jazz history, developing new community features and creating better ways to discover the music and the people behind it.
Become a sustaining member for as little as $20 per year and you'll immediately enjoy an ad-free experience along with access to subscriber features and future articles for a full year.
Together, we're not simply sustaining All About Jazz—we're building its future. Thank you for being part of the journey.
