David Murray Plumb

David Murray is a giant of modern jazz. His saxophone fuses all the great things that black music has produced: Gospel sounds, free jazz, Afro-Caribbean, blues and soul as well as the beautiful standards of classic jazz. Murray's colorful tone, unsurpassed intonation, flair for swing, melancholy tones, and improvisational power and ingenuity make him one of the most important voices in music today. The newly formed Brave New World Trio congregates style-setting jazz greats with bassist Brad Jones and drummer Hamid Drake. Together they draw from the African-American tradition as well as from other cultures and with Seriana Promethea they present an impressive musical statement.

Although David Murray had already recorded a countless number of sessions as a leader by the late 1980's, Ming's Samba was his first on a large American label…

Creole, Murray's latest and his second for the Canadian Justin Time label, is a pure joy. It's a high mark in a career sparkling with exceptions and boundary pushing. Recorded in Guadeloupe in early 1998, Creole is a fiery, imaginative musical coalition of Murray's long-time American compatriots, James Newton (flute), D.D. Jackson (piano); Ray Drummond (bass) and Billy Hart (drums) and a group of Caribbean percussionists, vocalists and the outstanding guitar of Gérard Lockel. The near-perfect blend is accomplished with an emphasis on rhythm, something Murray has explored on a part-time basis since at least 1989's Golden Sea (Sound Aspects), with Kahil El'Zabar. Creole is full of surprises - and offers much that's inviting, exciting and worth hearing again… Creole is one of Murray's most accessible recordings to date, one of the easiest to find and one that is superlative among his many 1990s recordings.

A major early release by tenorist Murray, 3D Family appeared originally on Hat Hut records as a double LP before eventually being re-released on disc by hat ART. Murray performs here in a live context with one of his very strongest rhythm sections: the intensely musical South African bassist Johnny Dyani and veteran master drummer Andrew Cyrille. The program consists of all Murray compositions, weaving between burners, funky dances, and soulful ballads…

The avant-garde tenor and bass clarinetist David Murray had an opportunity to sit in with the Grateful Dead in 1993 and was quite impressed. With Jerry Garcia's death, Murray was inspired to put together this tribute album but often it sounds as if two bands were playing at once without closely listening to each other. Murray and the horns (which include veteran altoist James Spaulding, the very impressive high-note acrobatics of trumpeter Hugh Ragin, either James Zoller or Omar Kabir on second trumpet and the adventurous trombonist Craig Harris) romp through some rowdy and very emotional ensembles while organist Robert Irving III. (a Miles Davis alumnus) leads the rhythm section through groovin' R&B riffs that seem to ignore the lead voices…

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…

This duet set by pianist Dave Burrell and David Murray (heard on tenor and bass clarinet) is mostly quite relaxed, surprisingly melodic in spots, and explorative but in subtle ways. Burrell's style both looks backward toward stride (and on "New Orleans Blues" to Jelly Roll Morton) and toward the future in its freedom…