Jazz

David Murray - Ballads (1990)

2017-12-16T15:14:40Z

David Murray - Ballads (1990)


1 	Valley Talk 	7:11
2 	Love In Resort 	4:42
3 	Ballad For The Black Man 	10:59
4 	Paradise Five 	8:16
5 	Lady In Black 	7:57
6 	Sarah's Lament 	7:12

Bass – Fred Hopkins
Drums – Ralph Peterson Jr.
Piano – Dave Burrell
Tenor Saxophone – David Murray

Ballads is one of David Murray's finest records. Like the three other excellent DIW releases that came from the same productive New York session of January 1988 (Spirituals, Deep River, and Lovers), it contains a mix of originals by Murray, pianist Dave Burrell, and drummer Ralph Peterson Jr., and it also includes fine bass work by Fred Hopkins. The rapport these players have on this record is stunning. They effortlessly move through a program of cool yet smart after-hours explorations that, in spite of the multi-layered arrangements, come out sounding almost artless. Of the six originals, two are penned by Murray: the touching, melancholic waltz "Love in Resort" and the graceful, pathos-driven piece "Ballad for the Black Man." Murray displays his usual inventiveness of phrasing and tone on these and the rest of the album's numbers but thankfully suppresses his penchant for gratuitous outbursts, keeping his solos flowing. This sort of studied, yet loose playing is heard from all the quartet members, including Peterson, who, like Murray, also has the tendency to eat up the scenery. Peterson also contributes the sophisticated "Lady in Black," which elicits some of Murray's most creative playing of the date. The fine, mostly straightforward originals by Murray and Peterson are complimented by Burrell's rhythmically sophisticated pieces like the tango-calypso hybrid "Valley Talk" and multi-tempo boss nova "Paradise Five." The set ends with Murray joining Burrell on the pianist's bravura duet "Sarah's Lament." Ballads is an excellent set on all levels and even the sound is superb. One of the best albums of the '80s. ---Stephen Cook, AllMusic Review

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David Murray - The Devil Tried To Kill Me (2009)

2017-11-22T15:43:11Z

David Murray - The Devil Tried To Kill Me (2009)


1 	Kiama For Obama 	10:35
2 	Africa 	8:07
3 	Southern Skies 	8:19
4 	The Devil Tried To Kill Me 	9:45
5 	Congo 	7:33
6 	Canto Oneguine 	10:33
7 	Southern Skies (Radio Edit) 	4:43
8 	Africa (Radio Edit) 	4:47

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, allaboutjazz.com

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David Murray Infinity Quartet - Be My Monster Love (2013)

2013-09-17T15:36:36Z

David Murray Infinity Quartet - Be My Monster Love (2013)


1. French Kiss for Valerie 6:56
2. Be My Monster Love (feat. Macy Gray) 6:35
3. Stressology 6:45
4. Army of the Faithful (feat. Gregory Porter) 6:19
5. Sorrow Song 8:58
6. About the Children (feat. Gregory Porter) 7:49
7. The Graduate (feat. Bobby Bradford) 5:41
8. Hope Is a Thing With Feathers (feat. Gregory Porter) 7:19

Personnel:
David Murray - tenor sax
Marc Cary - piano, organ
Jariu Shahid - bass
Nasheet Waits - drums
Bobby Bradford - cornet (7)
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, Rovi

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