Dave McMurray - I Know About Love

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:10
Size: 151,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:38)  1. Time #4
(2:57)  2. I Luv You Like Jazz
(5:05)  3. First Night In Africa
(4:27)  4. Precious Memories
(4:04)  5. I'm Coming Up
(4:39)  6. Love Calls
(4:06)  7. Waba Doo Bop
(4:04)  8. One Night In Paris
(4:30)  9. I Know About Love
(4:04) 10. Radio Days
(4:05) 11. Inherit The Wind
(4:58) 12. Beautiful You
(4:34) 13. Naked
(4:18) 14. Break It Down
(1:39) 15. Ma's Song
(2:53) 16. I Luv You Like Jazz / Rollin

Whether as sideman for the likes of Bob James or contributor to albums such as Dylan’s ‘Under The Red Sky’ or the Rolling Stones ‘Voodoo Lounge’ fusion player Dave McMurray can always be relied upon to deliver the goods. This Detroit-based saxophonist made his solo debut in 1995 with ‘The Dave McMurray Show’ and since then has gone on to release four more CDs with the latest being the excellent ‘I Know About Love’. McMurray makes an early statement of intent with the opening track, ‘Time’ which, after a moody intro, evolves into a swaggering streetwise slice of edgy contemporary jazz. Predictably McMurray’s jazzy playing is outstanding and although he retains a similar groove for the aptly named ‘Waba Doo Bop’ much of what this fabulous collection is all about can be typified by two contrasting versions of the intensely foot tapping ‘I Love You Like Jazz’. The initial take has something of an hypnotic urban undertone which in the later rendition gives way to a ballsy rap by Paradime that is right on the money.  When McMurray takes a melodic diversion for the smoky ‘First Night In Africa’, he is still able to inject an urgency that is added to in no small measure by Marcus Miller on bass while the fusion filled ‘I’m Coming Up’ is notable on many counts and not least for fantastic keys from the great George Duke. This jazzy funk fest is wonderful and in delightful contrast to the deliciously relaxed ‘Precious Memories’ which proves to be a first rate slice of mellifluous contemporary jazz. By and large ‘I Know All About Love’ revolves around McMurray’s own excellent compositions but along side thirteen of his own tunes are the sensational ‘Love Calls’ from R & B star KEM (who also features on vocals) and a fine cover of the Wilton Felder composition ‘Inherit The Wind’ which was a massive hit in 1979 for Bobby Womack. The Womack like vocals of Sweet Pea Ackinson (with whom McMurray first collaborated back as 1982) are tremendously faithful to the original while when McMurray gets back to his own songs the reflective title cut is anchored by the distinctly soulful vocals of Herschell Boone who also shares writing credits. McMurray switches to flute for the expansive ‘Naked’ where Al Turner on bass also contributes and as ‘I Know About Love’ glides to a tranquil end the outcome is the mellow yet jazz drenched ‘My Ma’s Song’. Elsewhere ‘Beautiful You’ is another top-notch example of easy grooving urban jazz whilst the mellifluous ‘One Night In Paris’ is embellished by the vocals of TIYI Adjovi and more superb flute from McMurray. This track is right up there with the album’s best and in the good company of both the hugely inviting ‘Radio Days’ (which finds McMurray re-uniting with old pal Bob James) and the wonderfully intense ‘Break It Down’ where vocalist Jessica Wager Cowan vies for the spotlight with more of McMurray’s great playing.‘I Know About Love’ is out now and comes highly recommended. http://smoothjazztherapy.typepad.com/my_weblog/2012/02/dave-mcmurray-i-know-about-love.html

I Know About Love

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Dave McMurray - My Brother and Me: The Best of Dave McMurray

Styles: Flute and Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 76:44
Size: 176,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:23)  1. Walk in the night
(4:24)  2. Feel the need
(3:58)  3. My brother and me(remix)
(4:48)  4. Just an illusion
(5:38)  5. Gar Z
(5:53)  6. I want you
(3:57)  7. How come u dont call me any more
(5:10)  8. Nautilus
(4:11)  9. Let it go
(5:26) 10. Searching
(6:42) 11. Chow main street
(6:39) 12. Big dreams
(5:33) 13. The jazz life(remix)
(4:49) 14. Good day
(5:07) 15. Killing Me Softly With His Song

This compilation by Dave McMurray is drawn from the saxophonist's three albums for HipBop Records -- Peace of Mind (1999), Soul Searching (2001), and Nu Life Stories (2003). Nothing has been licensed from his first album, The Dave McMurray Show (1995), released on Warner Bros. Records. Two tracks, "My Brother and Me" and "The Jazz Life," have been remixed, and there are three previously unreleased tracks, "Feel the Need," "Just an Illusion," and a version of the Marvin Gaye hit "I Want You." McMurray, who earns a credit for programming in addition to playing tenor, soprano, and alto sax on different tracks, is very much involved in the creation of the contemporary jazz sound of the music, with its electronic percussion backing tracks and frequent prominent vocals from several different singers. But he rarely gets lost in the shuffle, unlike some of his contemporary jazz peers, and his playing displays considerable bite and invention, not just providing slight variations on the melodies, but often going off in interesting directions. Some key guest stars, notably Bob James and George Duke, also make strong contributions. Still, this is music that will best be appreciated by contemporary jazz fans, while more traditional listeners will be put off by its cross-genre tendencies. ~ William Ruhlmann https://www.allmusic.com/album/my-brother-and-me-the-best-of-dave-mcmurray-mw0000345414      

Personnel:  Dave McMurray (flute, saxophone, keyboards, lyricon, percussion, programming, sampler); Don Was (vocals, double bass, percussion); Poe, Sweet Pea Atkinson (vocals); Quentin Baxter (guitar); George Duke (Fender Rhodes piano); Darrell Smith (bass instrument); Ron Otis (drums); Marlon Curry (percussion).

My Brother and Me: The Best of Dave McMurray

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