Hal Singer - Challenge

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:50
Size: 174,6 MB
Art: Front

(10:16)  1. Challenge
( 9:01)  2. Hamid's Time
(10:57)  3. Hong Kong Nights
( 8:38)  4. I Thought About You
( 7:55)  5. Long March to Freedom
(10:27)  6. Stressology
(10:02)  7. Dreams of Dream
( 8:31)  8. About the Children

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 let rip with a Kansas City like tenor sax battle of history, but that's not the point of this disc. Rasul Siddik sits in on trumpet on two tracks, enlivening Murray's "Hong Kong Nights" and "Stressology" with strong brassy accents. Gilcrest is excellent throughout with a bright and strong tone. Drake, as always, is a joy mixing rhythm and pace, getting his own feature on the aptly named "Hamid's Time," composed by Singer. But the focus is really on the two saxophonists throughout, trading solos and ideas and sparking off of each other with ebullient energy and taste. Singer tends to reign in Murray's occasional over-exuberance, and Murray in turn challenges Singer to a high level. Classy photographs of the sessions and liner notes in English and French round out an excellent package.

Personnel: Tenor Saxophone – Hal Singer; Tenor Saxophone, Art Direction – David Murray;  Bass – Jaribu Shahid; Drums – Hamid Drake; Piano – Lafayette Gilchrist; Trumpet – Rasul Siddik

Challenge

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David Murray Brave New World Trio - Seriana Promethea

Styles: Clarinet And Saxophone Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:39
Size: 132,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:48) 1. Seriana Promethea
(8:17) 2. Necktar
(7:22) 3. Metouka Sheli (Ballad For Adrienne)
(8:31) 4. Rainbows For Julia
(9:34) 5. Switchin' In The Kitchen
(7:24) 6. Anita Et Annita
(6:25) 7. If You Want Me To Stay
(5:15) 8. Am Gone Get Some

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 Ben Webster, it is the latter which has exerted the greater pull over time.

The eight cuts, seven by Murray and one cover, comprise material honed on tour and subsequently captured in the studio in November 2021. Each is based around accessible song form, handled with aplomb by bassist Brad Jones and drummer Hamid Drake, who furnish a rock solid bottom end and a buoyant swing which allows the leader to go as far out as he wishes, but packs enough sass to grip tight when needed.

While there's nothing revelatory about Murray's playing, he is supremely accomplished, full of nuance, and a consummate exponent of the ballad. Hinting at his seminal experiences in the lofts, he colors his contemporary mainstream discourse with adroitly co-opted extremes and a preternatural command of the upper register. With his extraordinarily deep woody tone Jones proves a fount of melodic variation without missing a beat, both in counterpoint and when stepping forward. He can hold down the riffs with the best, but it's what he interpolates between which grabs the attention. Murray has always shown an affinity for strong drummers, as albums with the likes of Sunny Murray, Rashied Ali, Andrew Cyrille, Steve McCalland Elvin Jones attest, so his ten years and counting association with Drake comes as no surprise.

Murray wields his bass clarinet for the only time on the jaunty grooving title cut, establishing a percolating vamp in consort with Jones before spinning out ever expanding runs punctuated by the occasional excited yelp. Each of the tracks stays true to the parameters of the tunes, but Murray often stretches the boundaries, perhaps posing himself challenges in doing so. One such comes on the standout, "Rainbows For Julia," with its aching yet celebratory feel, where after setting out the theme he elaborates on it by running his notes together using a tremolo effect which he takes further and further into the weeds, while keeping the original refrain just about discernible. The overall impact is remarkable.

Murray similarly infuses the tradition with the avant saxophone lexicon to confound expectations elsewhere as well, whether with a legato which flows like lava over the rocky outcrops on "Necktar" or the spicing of his elongated lines with peppery exclamations on the upbeat "Switchin' In The Kitchen." "Anita Et Annita" convinces as tender double portrait, while Murray imbues Sly And The Family Stone's "If You Want Me To Stay" with an almost religious fervor. Classic jazz, but what sets it apart is that it is done so well with absolute conviction. By John Sharpe https://www.allaboutjazz.com/seriana-promethea-david-murray-intakt-records

Personnel: David Murray: bass clarinet, tenor saxophone; Brad Jones: bass; Hamid Drake: drums.

Seriana Promethea

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David Murray Octet - Home

Styles: Saxophone, Clarinet Jazz
Year: 1982
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:53
Size: 84,7 MB
Art: Front

(6:01)  1. Home
(6:51)  2. Santa Barbara And Crenshaw Follies
(6:11)  3. Choctaw Blues
(9:14)  4. Last Of The Hipmen
(8:35)  5. 3-D Family

Although David Murray has recorded in many different settings throughout his busy career, his octet has always been perfect for his talents. More disciplined than his big band, yet containing more tone colors than his smaller combos, the octet allowed Murray to be exploratory yet occasionally look backwards. This set, his second with the band, has quite an all-star lineup: Murray on tenor and bass clarinet, altoist Henry Threadgill, trumpeter Olu Dara, cornetist Butch Morris, trombonist George Lewis, pianist Anthony Davis, bassist Wilber Morris and drummer Steve McCall. All of the brilliant players have their opportunities to make strong contributions to Murray's five originals (best known of which is "3-D Family"), and the leader's writing is consistently colorful and unpredictable. Recommended. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/home-mw0000649670

Personnel:  David Murray – tenor saxophone, bass clarinet; Henry Threadgill – alto saxophone, flute, alto flute; Olu Dara – trumpet; Lawrence "Butch" Morris – cornet; George Lewis – trombone; Anthony Davis – piano; Wilber Morris – bass; Steve McCall – drums

Home

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David Murray Octet - Ming

Styles: Saxophone, Clarinet Jazz
Year: 1980
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:30
Size: 90,6 MB
Art: Front

( 8:55)  1. The Fast Life
(10:39)  2. The Hill
( 4:28)  3. Ming
( 8:51)  4. Jasvan
( 6:36)  5. Dewey's Circle

His octet was always the perfect setting for tenor saxophonist David Murray, large enough to generate power but not as out of control as many of his big-band performances. Murray contributed all five originals (including "Ming" and "Dewey's Circle") and arrangements, and is in superior form on both tenor and bass clarinet. The "backup crew" is also quite notable: altoist Henry Threadgill, trumpeter Olu Dara, cornetist Butch Morris, trombonist George Lewis, pianist Anthony Davis, bassist Wilbur Morris, and drummer Steve McCall. 

These avant-garde performances (reissued on CD) are often rhythmic enough to reach a slightly larger audience than usual, and the individuality shown by each of these major players is quite impressive. Recommended. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/ming-mw0000188486

Personnel:   David Murray - tenor saxophone, bass clarinet, producer, mixing; Henry Threadgill - alto saxophone;  Wilber Morris - bass; Lawrence "Butch" Morris - cornet; Steve McCall - percussion; Anthony Davis - piano;  George Lewis - trombone;  Olu Dara - trumpet

Ming

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David Murray Quartet - Morning Song

Styles: Saxophone And Clarinet Jazz
Year: 1984
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:05
Size: 97,0 MB
Art: Front

( 8:06)  1. Morning Song
( 6:50)  2. Body And Soul
( 7:29)  3. Light Blue Frolic
( 6:29)  4. Jitterbug Waltz
(10:54) 5. Off Season
( 2:15)  6. Duet

For David Murray, this is a fairly straightforward quartet date. Joined by pianist John Hicks, bassist Reggie Workman and drummer Ed Blackwell, Murray performs three of his lesser-known originals, Butch Morris' "Light Blue Frolic," "Body and Soul" and "Jitterbug Waltz." Doubling on tenor and bass clarinet, Murray as usual has a tendency to jump into the extreme upper register a bit too much at unexpected times, disrupting a relatively mellow mood on a few occasions. But one cannot deny his musicianship, and there are some exciting moments to be heard during this program. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/morning-song-mw0000649669

Personnel: David Murray – tenor saxophone, bass clarinet;  John Hicks – piano;  Reggie Workman – bass;  Ed Blackwell – drums

Morning Song

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David Murray Quartet - Black & Black

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1992
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:14
Size: 128,9 MB
Art: Front

(10:12)  1. Anti - Calypso
(11:16)  2. Duke's Place
(11:13)  3. Cool
(10:47)  4. Black And Black
(12:45)  5. Head Out

In general, tenor saxophonist David Murray's Red Baron recordings are not on the same level of his Black Saints albums; the settings tended to be more conservative and the material not as strong. This outing with pianist Kirk Lightsey, bassist Santi Debriano, drummer Roy Haynes and trumpeter Marcus Belgrave is better than most of his Red Baron releases. The material is fairly basic (including "Duke's Place" and the two-note "C Jam Blues" theme, which is listed as being composed by four people), Murray tends to play fairly freely despite the boppish rhythm section, and the closing "Head Out" (the longest of the five lengthy jams) has plenty of fiery intensity. Not essential but worth picking up by David Murray fans. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/black-and-black-mw0000073349 

Personnel:  David Murray - tenor saxophone;  Marcus Belgrave - trumpet;  Kirk Lightsey - piano;  Santi Debriano - bass;  Roy Haynes - drums.

Black & Black

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Murray, Allen & Carrington Power Trio - Perfection

Styles: Clarinet, Piano, Post Bop
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:46
Size: 134,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:52)  1. Mirror Of Youth
(5:59)  2. Barbara Allen
(6:11)  3. Geri-Rigged
(8:16)  4. The David, Geri & Terri Show
(4:43)  5. The Nurturer
(6:06)  6. Perfection
(2:55)  7. D Special (Interlude)
(5:44)  8. Samsara (For Wayne)
(5:35)  9. For Fr. Peter O'Brien
(6:21) 10. Cycles And Seasons

As great as saxophonist David Murray, pianist Geri Allen and drummer Terri Lyne Carrington are separately, it’s truly difficult to remember the last time any of them sounded as good as they all do together on Perfection. The members of the jazz “power trio” share a chemistry that gives their music remarkable strength.That chemistry comes without any musician compromising or overtly accommodating the others. Murray’s coarseness of tone and lyricism-to-paroxysm developments remain intact, but nonetheless fuse with Allen’s warm surrealist fancies and Carrington’s restless reimagining of the beat. (Carrington often stands in for the bass, via subtle kick-drum; thus on “The Nurturer,” she singlehandedly brings the funk.) They use those signature techniques to brilliantly follow and respond to each other on “Barbara Allen” and “The David, Geri & Terri Show,” and to oppose each other with equal brilliance on “Samsara (For Wayne).” Only on Ornette Coleman’s “Perfection” do their styles reconfigure-so as to improvise in Coleman’s freeform image, with trombonist Craig Harris, bassist Charnett Moffett and trumpeter Wallace Roney along for the ride.

Their chemistry also produces a sense of humor that’s rarely seen in their solo projects, ranging from mere playfulness to dark comedy. How else but the latter to describe the off-kilter lurch of “Cycles and Seasons”? Carrington’s 7/4 rhythm makes it lopsided to begin with; Allen and Murray add their own angular parts (subsumed, momentarily, by 4/4 bridges that vanish as quickly as they arrive) that then dissolve into gleefully improvised dementia. The playfulness, whether by accident or design, comes primarily through in the two tunes on which Murray wields bass clarinet-“D Special (Interlude),” with its lively bounce, and “For Fr. Peter O’Brien,” a soft-shoe for Mary Lou Williams’ onetime spiritual/musical counsel. It’s a welcome byproduct of an already impressive chemical reaction. ~ Michael J.West https://jazztimes.com/reviews/albums/murray-allen-carrington-power-trio-perfection/

Personnel: David Murray (bass clarinet, tenor saxophone); Geri Allen (piano); Terri Lyne Carrington (drums).

Perfection

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David Murray, Gwo Ka Masters - The Devil Tried To Kill Me (Feat. Taj Mahal)

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:21
Size: 147.3 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz, African rhythms
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[10:35] 1. Kiama For Obama
[ 8:06] 2. Africa
[ 8:17] 3. Southern Skies (Radio Edit) 2
[ 9:43] 4. The Devil Tried To Kill Me
[ 7:34] 5. Congo
[10:32] 6. Canto Oneguine
[ 4:44] 7. Southern Skies (Radio Edit)
[ 4:47] 8. Africa (Radio Edit)

David Murray: tenor saxophone, bass clarinet; Taj Mahal: vocals (2, 3); Sista Kee: vocals (3, 4); Jaribu Shahid: electric bass; Renzel Merrit: drums; Klod Kiavue: ka drums, vocals; Francois Ladrezeau: ka drums, vocals; Rasul Siddik: trumpet; Christian Laviso: guitar; Herve Samb: guitar.

This global block party, by saxophonist David Murray, blends ebullient African- rhythms with funk and jazz, brought by a fiery band that integrates two Gwo ka masters (Guadalupean drummers/vocalists), some sassy urban soul from pianist/vocalist Sista Kee, and the world renowned blues voice of Taj Mahal. The Devil Tried To Kill Me is Murray's third release with the Gwo ka Masters, following 2004's well received Gwotet (Justin Time), a recording that also featured avant-garde icon, saxophonist Pharoah Sanders.

Recorded in Pointe-a-Pitre, Guadalupe's largest city, the recording is an emphatic celebration of the island's proud past and compelling present—reminding of its history of slavery, struggle, and independence before integration into France (circa 1794). The music is fueled by the indigenous beats of Gwo ka drums, stirring vocals and lyrics that speak life—as Murray states in the CD's liner notes, ..."music that is aimed towards the future."

The heartbeat of the Gwo ka is undeniable, starting with "Kiama For Obama," its pulse growing feverishly by the drumming and voices of Klod Kiavue and Francois Ladrezeau as the other band members improvise over the contagious theme. The cadence slows on "Africa" as Taj Mahal sings poignant lyrics of love and healing to the beautiful continent and its people, with Murray echoing the sentiment via a warm baritone solo. The funk comes hard in the super-bad "Southern Skies," treated with a double-dose of bluesy lyrics by Taj Mahal and sassy spoken word from the multi-talented San Franciscan, Sista Kee. The band burns white hot; Murray's tenor flying free, followed by Christian Laviso and Herve Samb's super-heated guitars. The title track is another free funk jazz killer, with Sista Kee spinning a humorous tale (lyrics by Ishmael Reed) of an escape from American cyberspace. "Congo" and "Canto Oneguine" are Afropop-influenced tracks that continue the recording's upbeat spirit, as the Gwo ka masters provide fervent call and response verses to the band's incessant playing. Radio-edits of "Southern Skies" and "Africa" are thrown in for those who want shortened versions but are otherwise redundant. It would have been better to have more tunes, especially with Sista Kee and Taj Mahal. Regardless, David Murray and the Gwo ka masters have created another stupendous release that makes the trip to Guadalupe an extraordinary journey. ~Mark F. Turner

The Devil Tried To Kill Me (Feat. Taj Mahal) mc
The Devil Tried To Kill Me (Feat. Taj Mahal) zippy

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Kahil El'Zabar - Love Outside of Dreams

Styles: Jazz, Avant-Garde Jazz
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:33
Size: 141,5 MB
Art: Front

(10:15)  1. Love Outside of Dreams
( 9:38)  2. Song For A New South Africa
( 7:00)  3. Song of Myself
( 7:51)  4. Nia
( 8:30)  5. Meditation For the Celestial W
( 9:35)  6. The Ebullient Duke
( 0:21)  7. Fred
( 8:20)  8. One World Family

African-American music (and African music for that matter) has always been about groove, movement, and that internal mechanism in your chest (perhaps your heart) that undulates and sways to the beat. In jazz, the rhythm catches you. If you explore further, melody and improvisation demands your surrender to this religion. For more than 25 years, percussionist Kahil El’Zabar has worked at the crossroads of jazz and African music providing the groove for AACM creations and his own Ritual and Ethnic Heritage Ensemble bands. This session brings together El’Zabar and fellow AACM bassist Fred Hopkins along with saxophonist David Murray. Hopkins, who passed away in January of 1999, was a frequent collaborator of Henry Threadgill, Hamiet Bluiett, and David Murray. Murray and El’Zabar’s collaborations have been many, from outstanding duos, One World Family (CIMP 2000) and Golden Sea (Sound Aspects 1989) to Murray’s larger ensemble creations The Tip and Jug-A-Lug (DIW 1994). Their musical kinship is amixture of Coltrane, Ayler, and Ellington. This recording date, the final session for Fred Hopkins, is an infectious pulse-fest throughout. El’Zabar’s playing has a way of absorbing the listener into his human touch, be it with hand drumming, thumb piano, or his snare. The band opens with the straightforward bop-ish title track, then progresses to the appealing hand drumming and sung “Song For A New South Africa,” perhaps a follow up to Noah Howard’s “Song For A South Africa.” El’Zabar’s knack for maximizing the minimal is his success. Playing the traditional drum set behind Murray’s bass clarinet with Hopkins pulsing energy can make for exciting music. Whether Murray conjures Eric Dolphy from his bass clarinet or Coltrane on the duo “Meditation For The Celestial Warriors,” his playing finds a kindred spirit in El’Zabar, and one (like Rashied Ali to Coltrane) that directs and influences each other’s music. El’Zabar’s meditation via the African thumb piano centers Murray’s outward designs and frames his harmonic expansions. The band closes with the millennial anthem “One World Family,” a contagious composition that, if this were another time, would be a fantastic follow up to Pharoah Sanders’ “The Creator Has A Master Plan.” If we jazz lovers cannot actually have pop hits, we can create our own personal theme songs. This is a four-star recording. ~ Mark Corroto https://www.allaboutjazz.com/love-outside-of-dreams-kahil-elzabar-delmark-records-review-by-mark-corroto.php
 

Personnel: Kahil El'Zabar – drums, African drums, African thumb piano;  David Murray – tenor sax, bass clarinet;  Fred Hopkins – bass

Love Outside of Dreams

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David Murray Black Saint Quartet - Live in Berlin

Styles: Saxophone And Clarinet Jaz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:Size: 163,9 MB
Art: Front

(14:57)  1. Dirty Laundry
( 6:10)  2. Banished
(17:21)  3. Sacred Ground

(15:52)  4. Murray’s Steps

(17:11)  5. Waltz Agai


This new recording features the Black Saint Quartet in Murray's current dream line-up: Murray (born1955), bassist Jaribu Shahid and drummer Hamid Drake (who both belong to his own generation), and pianist Lafayette Gilchrist (13 years younger). Gilchrist replaced Murray's long-time friend John Hicks. When Hicks died in 2006, he left a book with several hundred pages of sheet music that rested on Gilchrist's grand piano during the concert. 'The David Murray Power Quartet Book' is written on the cover in black felt-tip pen. Hicks gave it to Gilchrist as his legacy before he died. The cooperation with Shahid and Drake documented on this CD was a whole new experience for Murray. They all know each other very well and have walked many a mile together in music. However, this is the first time that Murray is the leader of a band where he isn't a junior, let alone the youngest member. David Murray has changed, particularly from his own perspective. He goes into raptures about the chord sequences in Tranish 'Murray Steps' and 'Waltz Again', a composition dedicated to his father. Today, he is able to weave even the most unbending cries of his tenor the Murray moments of yore - smoothly into the frame of his classic quartet sound. ~ Christian Broecking  Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Live-Berlin-David-Murray/dp/B0019LL6HU

David Murray Black Saint Quartet:  David Murray (tenor saxophone, bass clarinet),  Hamid Drake (drums),  Jaribu Shahid (bass),  Lafayette Gilchrist (piano)

Live in B

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Aki Takase & David Murray - Cherry - Sakura

Styles: Piano And Saxophone Jazz 

Year: 2017

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 50:48

Size: 117,0 MB

Art: Front

(9:20)  1. Cherry - Sakura

(5:44)  2. A Very Long Letter

(5:41)  3. Let's Cool One

(5:55)  4. To A.P. Kern

(6:27)  5. Stressology

(6:18)  6. Nobuko

(4:52)  7. Blues for David

(6:28)  8. A Long March to Freedom

While remaining steeped in the musical traditions of her native Japan, pianist and composer Aki Takase emerged as one of the most versatile figures in contemporary jazz, her work running the gamut from conventional structures and harmonies to complete abstraction. Born in Osaka on January 26, 1948, and raised in Tokyo, she received her first piano lessons at the age of three, going on to study at Tohogakuen Music University. Influenced by the work of Ornette Coleman, John Coltrane, and Charles Mingus, Takase soon turned to improvisation, and in 1971 was regularly performing professionally; by the age of 25, she was already leading her own groups. In 1978, she first traveled to the U.S., and later recorded with Dave Liebman; in 1981, she also journeyed to Europe, where she and her trio played the Berlin Jazz Festival. By 1982, Takase was regularly in the studio, leading such dates as A.B.C. and Perdido. In New York, she recorded with artists including Sheila Jordan, Cecil McBee, and Bob Moses, and also delivered a much-acclaimed performance at the East-West Festival in Nuremburg. From 1988 to 1994, Takase regularly played in a duo with Maria Joao and maintained her busy festival schedule; during the mid-'90s, she also toured with Coltrane alumni Rashied Ali and Reggie Workman, founded a septet comprised of other Japanese musicians, composed for a string quartet, and continued to work as a solo performer (at times playing the koto, a traditional Chinese 17-string zither). ~ Jason Ankeny https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/aki-takase/id27157926#fullText

Personnel:  Piano – Aki Takase;  Tenor Saxophone, Bass Clarinet – David Murray

Cherry - Sakura

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David Murray, Jamaaladeen Tacuma - Rendezvous Suite

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:13
Size: 96.6 MB
Styles: Free jazz
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[3:20] 1. Rendezvous The Opening
[8:31] 2. Hotel Le Prince Movement 1
[3:04] 3. Theme On A Dream
[3:36] 4. Bring It On
[4:13] 5. How Sensitive
[3:59] 6. Theme On A Dream: II. 80's Downtown Movement 2
[3:24] 7. Theme On A Dream: III. Who's That Ringing Movement 3 2
[7:09] 8. Hotel Le Prince Movement 2
[2:45] 9. Yes We Can
[2:08] 10. Rendezvous The Ending

Bass Guitar – Jamaaladeen Tacuma; Drums – Ranzell Merrit; Guitar – Mingus Murray; Keyboards [Recomposing] – Paul Urbanek; Tenor Saxophone, Bass Clarinet – David Murray. Recorded February 4 / 5, 2009 at Studio Magnetica, Paris. Mixed and mastered at Next Generation Studios, Vienna.

Berlin's Jazzwerkstatt label is similarly celebrating dreams with this partnership between the great American saxophonist and bass clarinetist David Murray, and sometime Ornette Coleman alter ego on bass guitar, Jamaaladeen Tacuma. In this case, the dreams belong to black America, embracing 1963 Martin Luther King, and Barack Obama's campaign mantra, Yes We Can. The latter sentiment reflects this session's early-2009 recording date, just three months after Obama's election, and before the harsh political realities had kicked in. But the music retains its eager, rough-hewn dynamism (Jazzwerkstatt sessions often sound like minimally premeditated works-in-progress) through some very sparky, post-bop themes, passages of Joe Zawinul-influenced synth-driven world-funk, and some awesome sax playing from Murray. Technology is used to mirror fast, improvised lines with the sonorities of other instruments – the way in which keyboard sounds slipstream Murray's tumbling horn flights is particularly absorbing. Brooding, backbeat-powered bass-guitar vamps and ghostly electric-guitar shimmerings trigger boiling tenor-sax eruptions (the saxophonist's son, Mingus Murray, is the impressive guitarist). Elsewhere, coolly-swinging episodes, such as Hotel Le Prince, give way to Weather Reportish passages; free-sax ascents squeal over rock-music bass licks; and the poet Amiri Baraka appears for a brief recital. The improv-echoing effect is overused, but there's more strong melody on this recording than in many avant-funk sessions, and Murray is as formidable as ever. ~John Fordham

Rendezvous Suite

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David Murray Infinity Quartet - Be My Monster Love

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:09
Size: 128.6 MB
Styles: Post Bop, Modern creative
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[6:53] 1. French Kiss For Valerie
[6:34] 2. Be My Monster Love
[6:42] 3. Stressology
[6:18] 4. Army Of The Faithful (Joyful Noise)
[8:58] 5. Sorrow Song
[7:47] 6. About The Children
[5:39] 7. The Graduate
[7:14] 8. Hope Is A Thing With Feathers

David Murray: tenor saxophone; Marc Cary: piano,organ; Jaribu Shahid: bass; Nasheet Waits: drums; Bobby Bradford: cornet; Macy Gray: vocals; Gregory Porter: vocals.

David Murray's last Motema Music offering, Plays Nat King Cole en Español, wowed listeners with its inventive reading of the music from the great singer's two Spanish-language albums with a Cuban ensemble. On Be My Monster Love, Murray unveils his Infinity Quartet (named for the jazz loft he and Stanley Crouch operated in New York in the 1970s) with pianist/organist Marc Cary, drummer Nasheet Waits, and bassist Jaribu Shahid. While a Latin-tinged groove on opener "French Kiss for Valerie" sets the tone in post-bop terms, this is a varied affair that showcases the many aspects of the tradition Murray embodies in both his playing and arranging. He provides a link between an Ellington-ian elegance and the deep, gospel-influenced emotionalism of Albert Ayler, the soulful, melodic, inquisitive investigations of Ben Webster, and the modal openness of John Coltrane. The title track features Macy Gray (the first of three tunes here with lyrics by writer Ishmael Reed), offering her raw, sensual vocal on a fingerpopping swinger. Gregory Porter makes three appearances as well, first on the nearly gospel-ized R&B of "Army of the Faithful (Joyful Noise)," driven by Cary's B-3 and recalling Murray's Special Quartet with the late Don Pullen. The midtempo "Sorrow Song" is actually a deeply moving ballad with the saxophonist offering a rounded warmth in his tone as Waits' skittering cymbals set the groove. Rich, modal soul and Latin rhythms underpin Porter's vocal on "About the Children," with lyrics by Last Poet Abiodun Oyewole. Shahid's bassline is a propulsive glue, holding seemingly disparate elements together in a glorious whole. Murray's former teacher, trumpeter Bobby Bradford, guests with the quartet on the skillfully skewed blues walk that is "The Graduate." But the set's finest moment is on the nearly straight-ahead sprint that is "Stressology," with Murray getting in some of his most fleet-fingered lines and righteous groans. The interplay between Cary's piano and Shahid's bass is breathtaking. Be My Monster Love is a diverse, travel modern creative jazz through a prismatic lens. While Murray's compositions are tighter and more song-like than ever (the presence of these excellent vocalists highlights this), he simultaneously offers a group of stellar players the opportunity (collectively and individually) to shine and push their margins. Highly recommended. ~Thom Jurek

Be My Monster Love

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David Murray Cuban Ensemble - Plays Nat King Cole

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:02
Size: 171.8 MB
Styles: Latin jazz rhythms
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[9:18] 1. El Bodeguero
[6:05] 2. Quizás, Quizás, Quizás
[8:27] 3. Tres Palabras
[7:10] 4. Piel Canela
[8:03] 5. No Me Platiques
[6:40] 6. Black Nat
[6:42] 7. Cachito
[6:22] 8. A Media Luz
[7:48] 9. Aqui Se Habla En Amor
[4:35] 10. El Choclo
[3:47] 11. Quizás, Quizás, Quizás [radio Edit]

David Murray: conductor, arranger, tenor saxophone, bass clarinet; Daniel Melingo: vocals (2, 8, 10,11); Juanjo Mosalini: bandoneón (11); Roman Filiu Oreilly: alto saxophone; Ariel briguez Ruiz: tenor saxophone; Mario Felix Hernandez Morrejon: trumpet; Franck Mayea Pedroza: trumpet; Denis Cuni Rodriguez; trombone; Abraham Mansfarroll Rodriguez: congas; Reiner Elizarde ruano: bass; Jose "Pepe" Rivero: bass. Sinfonieta of Sines: Jose Avelino Castro Pinto: artistic coordinator; Rui Guimaraes: violin; Joana Cipriano: violin; Joao Andrade: violin; Joana Dias: violin; Maria Jose Laginha: violin; Joao Gaspar: viola; Goncalo Ruivo: viola; Tiago Vila: cello; Catarina Anacleto: cello; Rita Ramos: cello; Samuel Santos: cello.

Latin music has culturally been intended for dancing and romancing. Any Latin singer or orchestra worth a cover charge has known this, and David Murray the innovative saxophonist absorbing the role of conductor/arranger on Plays Nat King Cole En Español, demonstrates this concept perfectly. In taking on a project that updates the recordings Nat "King" Cole did in Spanish and Portuguese in 1958 and 1962, Murray maintains the genuine savor of the original compositions, while broadening them to assimilate contemporary improvisation. The crowded dance floors during the golden age of the mambo and cha cha in such legendary clubs as Havana, Cuba's Tropicana or New York City's Palladium come instantly to mind with the opening "El Bodeguero," and that's just the beginning.

The repertoire is perfectly poised from up-tempo numbers to simmering ballads, which are required for the legitimate ethnic experience. Daniel Melingo, a raspy voiced Argentine, is the vocalist on the traditional bolero "Quizás, Quizás, Quizás," and the tangos "A Media Luz" and "El Choclo." Melingo delivers with a sincerity the amorous predicaments demand. "Tres Palabras," an instrumental bolero, is given a bluesy intro by trumpeter Mario Felix Hernandez Morejon, setting up the saxophones which follow. The enduring Puerto Rican standard "Piel Canela," Mexico's "Cachito," and the song written specifically for Cole, "Aqui Se Habla En Amor," are perfect showcases for Murray to display his virtuosity and domination of this complex genre. Kudos all around for the musicianship of the selected soloists, obviously inspired by Murray, who clearly leads by example.

Murray handpicked his Cuban musicians, which he recorded with in Argentina, and recorded the Sinfonieta of Sines in Portugal, for the string orchestrations, thus emulating the vintage Latin big bands of yesteryear compounded with the lush string arranging of the crooner era. Plays Nat King Cole En Español, is wonderful music intended for dancing and romancing. ~James Nadal

Plays Nat King Cole

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James Blood Ulmer - Free Lancing

Styles: Vocal And Guitar Jazz
Year: 1981
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:39
Size: 116,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:24)  1. Timeless
(5:03)  2. Pleasure Control
(5:25)  3. Night Lover
(4:41)  4. Where Did All The Girls Come From ?
(4:03)  5. High Time
(4:43)  6. Hijack
(4:40)  7. Free Lancing
(3:46)  8. Stand Up To Yourself
(5:35)  9. Rush Hour
(5:14) 10. Happy Time

After cultivating a huge underground reputation both as a sideman in Ornette Coleman's Prime Time band and as an increasingly influential musician among the more experimental edges of the New York City punk and noise scenes, James Blood Ulmer was finally, in 1981, given a major-label contract by Columbia. Free Lancing was the first of three albums for the label before he, like many before and after, was unceremoniously dropped. It opens explosively with "Timeless," a ripping instrumental showcasing Ulmer at his best, all jagged angles, raw blues feeling, and chainsaw guitar shards. One of several cuts with only the trio of Ulmer, bassist Amin Ali, and drummer G. Calvin Weston, it's the guitarist at his most elemental, brutal, and real. Other tracks lean toward the funky side of things, with the leader's vocals (always at least a bit reminiscent of Hendrix) and a few female background vocals that impart a certain simmering sexiness even as they always serve to "slickify" the final product. But even here, on tracks like "Where Did All the Girls Come From?," Ulmer manages to raise the stakes far beyond the standard jazz-punk-funk of the period. Three other songs import the impressive horn trio of David Murray, Oliver Lake, and Olu Dara, used to provide a supremely strutting back line on "High Time" and giving the trumpeter a fine, fat solo on "Hijack" (a tune that recalls Ronald Shannon Jackson's Decoding Society). But it's Ulmer's stinging guitar lines rough-hewn, corrosive, and scrabbling throughout this recording that make it one of his finest.~Brian Olewnick http://www.allmusic.com/album/free-lancing-mw0000895852

Personnel: James Blood Ulmer (vocals, guitar); Irene Datcher, Diane Wilson, Zenobia Kankerite (vocals); Ronald Drayton (guitar); Oliver Lake (alto saxophone); David Murray (tenor saxophone); Olu Dara (trumpet); Amin Ali (bass guitar); Calvin Weston (drums).

Free Lancing

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David Murray & Dave Burrell - Windward Passages

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 68:31
Size: 156.9 MB
Styles: Saxophone/piano jazz
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[ 8:23] 1. Sorrow Song
[ 7:56] 2. It Hurts So Much To See
[11:29] 3. Naima
[ 5:21] 4. Cela Me Va
[ 6:02] 5. The Crave
[ 9:16] 6. Zanzibar Blue
[ 6:06] 7. Conversation With Our Mothers
[13:55] 8. Naima 2

Gifted reedman David Murray is a provocative improviser whose warmth, passion and facile technique coaxes the most from his instruments. On this 1993 date, he plays tenor sax (bass clarinet on one track) with pianist Dave Burrell, a long-time cohort with similar penchant for creating exciting leaps of virtuosity. Familiarity breeds better music, and contributes to make this intimate duo recording a compelling listen. Both players have separately shown abilities to wax lyrical, subtly mine the blues, and stretch beyond the outer edges of melody. Together, they're unmatchable. Murray's conversational style, expertly comped by Burrell, ranges from caressing to blistery and powerful. Burrell's improvisations, sometimes influenced by a Pullen-like percussive approach, add variety to the melodiousness of this outing comprising three standards and five originals. Some tracks are reminiscent of roiling duo explorations of the late Pullen and Adams, and it's enthralling to hear that tradition continue. While Burrell excels, it's Murray's instantly-recognizable, thrusting, and bristly style that prevails on this A-plus album. ~Nancy Ann Lee

Windward Passages

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