AVID Jazz continues with its Four Classic Album series with a re-mastered 2CD release from Mark Murphy, complete with original artwork, liner notes and personnel details
“Meet Mark Murphy... The Singing M”; “Let Yourself Go”; “Hip Parade”; and “Rah”.
When talk turns to great male jazz singers, most of us would naturally bring up the classic names, Billy Eckstine, Ray Charles, Joe Williams, Jon Hendricks, Mel Torme, Tony Bennett, Johnny Hartman and many would add Frank Sinatra who could swing better than most when he chose to. What a coincidence then that all these names should be featured in our extensive jazz catalogue! To this ever-growing list of artists we are now adding the name of Mr. Mark Murphy. Maybe not a name that would immediately spring to mind but hey the guy, born in New York in 1932, has made over 50 albums! Here’s a guy who won the Down Beat Readers Poll in 1996 & 1997 and 2000 & 2001 and would be nominated 5 times for the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Performance. This guy was a serious jazz singer. Of course this being AVID, we have focused on Mark’s early career and here we present his first two releases from 1956 and 1957 and check his progress some time later with two more from 1960 and 1961. Just to highlight how Mark Murphy was considered in the jazz world, here’s a short list of some of the great jazz men featured on our albums. Ralph Burns, Ernie Wilkins, Clark Terry, Blue Mitchell, Conte Candoli, Bill Holman, Joe Mondragon, Stan Levey, Mel Lewis, Bill Evans, Wynton Kelly, Barry Galbraith, Melba Liston, Urbie Green and Jimmy Cobb. Hell, his album “Hip Parade” even features liner notes written by none other than Miss Peggy Lee! Mark Murphy went on to have a fabulous career, passing away in 2015, having recorded over 50 albums. As with all AVID releases, we hope you enjoy them and check out our extensive catalogue for more great music across many musical genres.
PS: Check out our Frank Sinatra releases currently in our Easy Listening catalogue but soon to be enhancing our jazz catalogue when we feature some of the great man’s more jazz and swing orientated albums. Watch this space!
Check out:- Johnny Hartman (AMSC1409); Mel Torme (AMSC1317); Tony Bennett (AMSC1391); Joe Williams (AMSC1389); Ray Charles (AMSC1233); Lambert, Hendricks & Ross (AMSC1320); Jon Hendricks (AMSC1342); Billy Eckstine (AMSC1131); Nat King Cole (AMSC1303); Ralph Burns (AMSC1224); Peggy Lee (AMSC1290); Wynton Kelly (AMSC1165); Bill Evans (AMSC1119); Clark Terry (AMSC1102); Nancy Wilson (AMSC1349); Lee Wiley (AMSC1113); Dinah Washington (AMSC1367); Sarah Vaughan (AMSC1352); Dakota Staton (AMSC1259) Jeri Southern (AMSC1291); Nina Simone (AMSC1268); Helen Merrill (AMSC1337); Annie Ross (AMSC1015).
CD1
1-12: ‘Meet Mark Murphy… The Singing M’
1. Fascinating Rhythm
2. A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square
3. Give It Back To The Indians
4. Guess I’ll Hang My Tears Out To Dry
5. Limehouse Blues
6. I’m A Circus
7. Exactly Like You
8. Two Ladies In The Shade Of De Banana Tree
9. Irresistible You
10. If I Could Be With You (One Hour Tonight)
11.You Mustn’t Kick It Around
12. I’ve Got Two Eyes
13-24: ‘Let Yourself Go’
13. I Got Rhythm
14. Elmer’s Tune
15. T’ain’t No Sin
16. Robbins Nest
17. The Lady In Red
18. Pick Yourself Up
19. Let Yourself Go
20. Crazy Rhythm
21. Taking A Chance On Love
22. Lullaby In Rhythm
23. Little Jazz Bird
24. Ridin’ High
CD2
1-12: ‘Hip Parade’
1. Firefly
2. Lonesome Town
3. Kansas City
4. Come To Me
5. Catch A Falling Star
6. All The Way
7. Personality
8. Witchcraft
9. Venus
10. It’s Not For Me To Say
11. Send For Me
12. I Only Have Eyes For You
13-23: ‘Rah’
13. Angel Eyes
14. Green Dolphin Street
15. Stoppin’ The Clock
16. Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most
17. No Tears For Me
18. Out Of This World
19. Milestones
20. My Favourite Things
21. Doodlin’
22. Li’l Darlin’
23. Twisted
