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David Murray

Few musicians in jazz history have proven more vigorously productive and resourceful than David Murray. During the past 35 years, from the moment he first visited New York as a 20 year-old student, playing in a walkup loft, in 1975, David has careened forward in a cool, collected, rocket-fueled streak. He has released over 150 albums under his own name. Yet more impressive than the numbers is the constancy of two abiding achievements: as a tenor saxophonist, he has perfected an instantly recognizable approach to improvisation that even in its freest flights acknowledges the gravity of a tradition he honors more than most; and he has altered the context for his improvisations as an infinite mosaic of musical challenges and explorations. David Murray goes down as a worthy successor for some of the biggest names in jazz, and he is now contributing to the rise of young talents such as Lafayette Gilchrist, a young pianist who has already been widely acclaimed by the critics.

Be Bop and shut up! An impossible task for the young David, at the time of the free jazz and civil rights movements, the last adventure of the end of century jazzman. Impossible, too, for the son of Baptist parents, discovering the Negro spiritual style in the time of Coltrane and during Ayler’s best period, not to be political right down to his tenor-playing fingertips. David Murray, now in his fifties, has 130 albums to his name and contributions to around a hundred other recordings as a guest artist behind him.

At the end of the 1990’s, David Murray was referred to in terms of fusion, of world music, and even of Pan-Africanism, ever since he took on a backwards tour through the Caribbean and the ‘little’ Americas, via South Africa and Senegal. Before setting off on this journey, David Murray jumped the gun somewhat for a jazz musician. Born in Oakland, he grew up in Berkeley and studied with Catherine Murray (his mother, an organist), Bobby Bradford, Arthur Blythe, Stanley Crouch and many others until the 2nd March 1975 when he left Ponoma College in Los Angeles for New York, which he made his base. In New York, he met many new musicians and musical styles: Anthony Braxton, Don Cherry, Julius Hemphill … Within Ted Daniels’ Energy Band, he worked with Hamiett Bluiett, Lester Bowie and Frank Lowe. In 1976, after a first European tour, David Murray set up one of his mythical groups, the World Saxophone Quartet with Oliver Lake, Hamiett Bluiett and Julius Hemphill. From Jerry Garcia to Max Roach, via Randy Weston and Elvin Jones, David Murray continued working with ever more artists and making ever more recordings.

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Album Review

Ivo Perelman: Reed Rapture in Brooklyn

Read "Reed Rapture in Brooklyn" reviewed by Jeff Schwartz


Is this album fundamentally unreviewable? Are there jazz fans who do not immediately know if they need an 11-hour collection of 103 improvised duets between Ivo Perelman and a dozen saxophonists and clarinetists? It is at least describable. Perelman is faithful to his tenor, while his partners bring examples of nearly every type of saxophone, from soprillo to contrabass, as well as most of the clarinet family. Although all tracks are free improvisations, the default mode is ...

1
Radio & Podcasts

Reed Rapture With Murray And More

Read "Reed Rapture With Murray And More" reviewed by Bob Osborne


On this show we continue our exploration of Ivo Perelman's Reed Rapture In Brooklyn release, this time featuring his partnership with David Murray. There is also music from across Murray's career plus new albums from Steve Tintweiss Spacelight Band, Satoko Fujii, and, Francisco Mela featuring Cooper-Moore and William Parker.Playlist Show Intro 00:00 Ivo Perelman and David Murray “Six" from Reed Rapture In Brooklyn (Mahalaka) 00:54 David Murray feat. The GWO-KA Masters “The Devil Tried To Kill Me" from ...

8
Album Review

Ivo Perelman: Reed Rapture in Brooklyn

Read "Reed Rapture in Brooklyn" reviewed by Mark Corroto


"Let's play two," the famous line by the Cubs Hall-of-Fame baseball player Ernie Banks in 1969, uttered when the temperature in Chicago had reached 105 degrees (40.5 celsius) and his teammates were exhausted, might find its analogy with this massive undertaking from saxophonist Ivo Perelman. At eleven hours in length though, the two games Banks cited are not single games, but more like two double-headers here. Like the baseball infielder, Perelman has limitless energy and a never-ending appetite for creativity, ...

9
Liner Notes

Reed Rapture In Brooklyn: A Box Set Of Woodwind Duets With Ivo Perelman

Read "Reed Rapture In Brooklyn: A Box Set Of Woodwind Duets With Ivo Perelman" reviewed by Hrayr Attarian


One of the 20th century's musical geniuses, saxophonist Charlie Parker said “Music is your own experience, your thoughts, your wisdom. If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn. They teach you that music has boundaries. But, man, there's no boundary line to art." This statement on unbridled creativity applies perfectly to saxophonist Ivo Perelman's oeuvre. Perelman, however, is not just a saxophonist. Although the tenor is one of his favorite tools of expression, he is an ...

10
Album Review

David Murray: Seriana Promethea

Read "Seriana Promethea" reviewed by John Sharpe


It's over 45 years since David Murray blew into the Lower East Side lofts from California. For a while he was near ubiquitous and amassed a discography to match. While releases have become less prolific in the decades since, he remains restlessly active, and Seriana Promethea by his Brave New World Trio ranks alongside his best. With a saxophone style strung between the twin poles of the New Thing of Albert Ayler and the earlier practices of Coleman Hawkins and ...

Live Review

Vicenza Jazz 2022

Read "Vicenza Jazz 2022" reviewed by Libero Farnè


Vicenza Varie sedi 11—22.5.2022 Le new conversations di Vicenza Jazz 2022 da un lato si sono concentrate inevitabilmente sul centenario mingusiano, dall'altro non hanno derogato dalla propria tradizione, andando a curiosare nelle espressioni jazzistiche dell'attualità, senza rinunciare a rivisitare con orgoglio la propria storia, ripresentando protagonisti già accolti con successo in tempi passati. Nel corso di questa edizione inoltre si è tornato a previlegiare, nella programmazione dei concerti, l'utilizzo del prestigioso Teatro Olimpico, dopo che dall'edizione del ...

16
Album Review

David Murray, Brad Jones, Hamid Drake: Brand New World Trio

Read "Brand New World Trio" reviewed by Mark Corroto


David Murray's Brave New World Trio is certainly a dream team of modern jazz. The only explanation for why the saxophonist, bassist Brad Jones and drummer Hamid Drake have not toured and recorded together in the past is that each musician is in high demand as leader or sideman. It took a worldwide pandemic, with each player's lockdown location being proximate to the others, for a performance and this recording to happen. While not ready to thank the virus for ...

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Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: David Murray

Jazz Musician of the Day: David Murray

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating David Murray's birthday today!

Few musicians in jazz history have proven more vigorously productive and resourceful than David Murray. During the past 35 years, from the moment he first visited New York as a 20 year-old student, playing in a walkup loft, in 1975, David has careened forward in a cool, collected, rocket-fueled streak. He has released over 150 albums under his own name. Yet more impressive than the numbers is the constancy of two ...

1

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: David Murray

Jazz Musician of the Day: David Murray

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating David Murray's birthday today!

Few musicians in jazz history have proven more vigorously productive and resourceful than David Murray. During the past 35 years, from the moment he first visited New York as a 20 year-old student, playing in a walkup loft, in 1975, David has careened forward in a cool, collected, rocket-fueled streak. He has released over 150 albums under his own name. Yet more impressive than the numbers is the constancy of two ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: David Murray

Jazz Musician of the Day: David Murray

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating David Murray's birthday today!

Few musicians in jazz history have proven more vigorously productive and resourceful than David Murray. During the past 35 years, from the moment he first visited New York as a 20 year-old student, playing in a walkup loft, in 1975, David has careened forward in a cool, collected, rocket-fueled streak. He has released over 150 albums under his own name. Yet more impressive than the numbers is the constancy of two ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: David Murray

Jazz Musician of the Day: David Murray

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating David Murray's birthday today!

Few musicians in jazz history have proven more vigorously productive and resourceful than David Murray. During the past 35 years, from the moment he first visited New York as a 20 year-old student, playing in a walkup loft, in 1975, David has careened forward in a cool, collected, rocket-fueled streak. He has released over 150 albums under his own name. Yet more impressive than the numbers is the constancy of two ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: David Murray

Jazz Musician of the Day: David Murray

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating David Murray's birthday today!

Few musicians in jazz history have proven more vigorously productive and resourceful than David Murray. During the past 35 years, from the moment he first visited New York as a 20 year-old student, playing in a walkup loft, in 1975, David has careened forward in a cool, collected, rocket-fueled streak. He has released over 150 albums under his own name... Read more.

Place our Musician of the Day widget on your ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: David Murray

Jazz Musician of the Day: David Murray

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating David Murray's birthday today!

David Murray (tenor saxophone and bass clarinet) is a Jazz artist who has recorded over 130 albums, including 2 recorded in 2006 (Gwotet and Pushkin) and a forthcoming album to be released in Summer 2007. He was born in Oakland, California in 1955 and grew up in Berkeley, where he studied with his mother Catherine Murray (organist), Bobby Bradford, Arthur Blythe, Stanley Crouch... Read more.

Place our Musician of the Day ...

1

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: David Murray

Jazz Musician of the Day: David Murray

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating David Murray's birthday today!

David Murray (tenor saxophone and bass clarinet) is a Jazz artist who has recorded over 130 albums, including 2 recorded in 2006 (Gwotet and Pushkin) and a forthcoming album to be released in Summer 2007. He was born in Oakland, California in 1955 and grew up in Berkeley, where he studied with his mother Catherine Murray (organist), Bobby Bradford, Arthur Blythe, Stanley Crouch... Read more.

Place our Musician of the Day ...

1

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: David Murray

Jazz Musician of the Day: David Murray

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating David Murray's birthday today!

David Murray (tenor saxophone and bass clarinet) is a Jazz artist who has recorded over 130 albums, including 2 recorded in 2006 (Gwotet and Pushkin) and a forthcoming album to be released in Summer 2007. He was born in Oakland, California in 1955 and grew up in Berkeley, where he studied with his mother Catherine Murray (organist), Bobby Bradford, Arthur Blythe, Stanley Crouch... Read more.

Place our Musician of the Day ...

1

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: David Murray

Jazz Musician of the Day: David Murray

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating David Murray's birthday today! David Murray (tenor saxophone and bass clarinet) is a Jazz artist who has recorded over 130 albums, including 2 recorded in 2006 (Gwotet and Pushkin) and a forthcoming album to be released in Summer 2007. He was born in Oakland, California in 1955 and grew up in Berkeley, where he studied with his mother Catherine Murray (organist), Bobby Bradford, Arthur Blythe, Stanley Crouch... Read more. Place our Musician of the Day ...

164

Recording

Hal Singer Feat. David Murray - Challenge (Marge, 2010)

Hal Singer Feat. David Murray - Challenge (Marge, 2010)

Source: Music and More by Tim Niland

This was a very interesting collaboration between saxophonists Hal Singer and David Murray. Aided my Murray's core band of Lafayette Gilchrist on piano, Jaribu Shahid on bass and Hamid Drake on drums, the group develops a nice swing feel that is less of a tenor battle and more of a friendly conversation. The saxophone tones contrast nicely, with Singer's lighter Pres like tone counteracting nicely with the gruff Hawkins like feeling of David Murray. Occasionally I longed to hear them ...

Dave Mullen
saxophone, tenor
Eyal Netzer
saxophone
Adam Simmons
woodwinds
Benjy Sandler
saxophone, alto

Photos

Concerts

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Seriana Promethea

Intakt Records
2022

buy

Reed Rapture in...

Mahakala Music
2022

buy

Spirit Groove

Spiritmuse Records
2020

buy

Be My Monster Love

Motéma Music
2013

buy

Army Of The Faithful featuring Gregory Porter

From: Be My Monster Love
By David Murray

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