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James Robert Murphy

About Me

My Jazz Story

I love jazz because...I am primarily known as a blues artist (Austin Jimmy Murphy), but in order to expand my playing ability and songwriting ability, I have switched to jazz. I am learning so much. I was first exposed to jazz...in Syracuse, NY, my home turf. Nancy Kelly and others would perform in downtown clubs. Frank Malfitano hosted an annual jazz festival in downtown Syracuse. I met [musician name]...pianist Ruben Gutierrez. The best show I ever attended was...Syracuse Jazz Festival. The first jazz record I bought was...Nancy Kelly - Singin' and Swingin'. My advice to new listeners... Or whatever else you have in mind.

My House Concert Story

I created both the New York State Blues Festival (Festival Director 1992-2003, 2014) and the Guinness Irish Festival (Festival Director 1998-2003) in Syracuse, NY. As mentioned, I am relatively new to the world of jazz. That being said, I have hired several El Paso jazz musicians to perform at three Blues and Jazz Festivals I have hosted at the Chamizal National Memorial in El Paso. I have also hired jazz musicians to perform at the El Paso Museum of History (I was the Development Director for 12 years), the International Museum of Art here in El Paso (I served on the board), and will be hosting a summer series at our community pool here in the desert Southwest this summer.