Mark Murphy Jazz

Mark Murphy - Rah! (1961) {Riverside OJCCD-141-2 rel 1994} (featuring Bill Evans)
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© 1961, 1994 Riverside / Fantasy | OJCCD-141-2
Jazz / Vocal Jazz / Post Bop / Standards

This early-'60s effort, not Murphy's first but still pretty early in his discographical canon, has worn well over the years. Credit of course can be lavished on the vocalist himself, who didn't sound like this 20 years later, although every stage of his developing vocal chops has been interesting to be sure. On tracks such as "Green Dolphin Street," he dives into the rhythm with the relaxed calm of an expert. And when the result can be the harebrained complexity of "Twisted" or the funky timing of "Doodlin'," the wisdom of letting the experts handle the hard work has never been more apparent. But this is not just Murphy's display.

This is an unusual recording. Singer Mark Murphy teams up with a fine sextet (featuring altoist Richie Cole and guitarist Bruce Forman) and alternating bop standards with readings from Jack Kerouac books. Since Kerouac was a big jazz fan in the 1950s and his interest in the music influenced the rhythms of his writing, this "poetry and jazz" set works surprisingly well. It also helps that Mark Murphy is heard at the peak of his powers.