David Murray (saxophonist)

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = David Murray

| image = David Murray DSC0083-2.jpg

| caption = Murray at the Guelph Jazz Festival in 2009, Canada

| image_size =

| birth_name =

| alias =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1955|2|19}}

| origin = Oakland, California, U.S.

| instrument = {{flatlist|

| genre = {{flatlist|

| occupation =

| years_active = 1970s–present

| label = Motéma Music, Red Baron, Justin Time, Marge, PAO Records, Intakt Records, Black Saint, Columbia Epic, Indian Navigation, Disk Union

| associated_acts = World Saxophone Quartet

| website =

| current_members =

| past_members =

}}

File:David Murray in the studio with BNWT-2021.jpg

David Keith Murray{{cite web |title=Murray, David (Keith) |url=https://www.encyclopedia.com/arts/dictionaries-thesauruses-pictures-and-press-releases/murray-david-keith |publisher=Encyclopedia.com}} (born February 19, 1955){{cite book|title=The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music|editor=Colin Larkin|publisher=Guinness Publishing|date=1992|edition=First|isbn=0-85112-939-0|pages=1782/3}} is an American jazz saxophonist and composer who performs mostly on tenor and bass clarinet. He has recorded prolifically for many record labels since the mid-1970s.{{cite web | url= http://bozemandailychronicle.com/articles/2006/03/16/features/music/02roberti.txt | title = Best of the best, David Murray, presents workshop, concerts in Bozeman | author = Staff Writer | date = 18 November 2004 | access-date=2006-06-29 | publisher = Bozeman Daily Chronicle, June 29, 2006 }} He lives in New York City.

Biography

Murray was born on February 19, 1955, in Oakland, California, United States. He attended Pomona College for two years as a member of the class of 1977, ultimately receiving an honorary degree in 2012.{{cite web |title=2012 Commencement Recap |url=https://www.pomona.edu/commencement/archive/2012-commencement-recap |website=Pomona College |access-date=3 August 2020 |language=en |date=19 May 2015}} He was initially influenced by free jazz musicians such as Albert Ayler, Ornette Coleman and Archie Shepp. He gradually evolved a more diverse style in his playing and compositions. Murray set himself apart from most tenor players of his generation by not taking John Coltrane as his model, choosing instead to incorporate elements of mainstream players Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster and Paul Gonsalves into his mature style.{{cite news | url= https://www.nytimes.com/1982/10/27/arts/the-pop-life-david-murray-comes-into-his-own.html | title = The Pop Life; David Murray Comes Into His Own | author = Robert Palmer | date = October 27, 1982 | access-date= 2006-06-29 | newspaper= The New York Times }} Despite this, he recorded a tribute to Coltrane, Octet Plays Trane, in 1999.

Murray was a founding member of the World Saxophone Quartet with Oliver Lake, Julius Hemphill and Hamiet Bluiett.{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/world-saxophone-quartet-mn0000579811/biography |title=World Saxophone Quartet Biography |first=Chris |last=Kelsey |website=AllMusic |access-date=January 17, 2023}} He has recorded or performed with musicians such as Henry Threadgill, James Blood Ulmer, Olu Dara, Tani Tabbal, Butch Morris, Donal Fox, McCoy Tyner, Elvin Jones, Sunny Murray (no relation), Ed Blackwell, Johnny Dyani, Fred Hopkins, Don Pullen, Randy Weston and Steve McCall. David Murray's use of the circular breathing technique has enabled him to play astonishingly long phrases.{{cite web | url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/jazz/profiles/david_murray.shtml | title = Jazz Profiles - David Murray | author = Staff Writer | access-date=2006-06-29 | publisher = BBC Radio 3 Jazz Profiles }}

In 2024, Murray released an album with his new quartet: Francesca, with Marta Sanchez (piano), Luke Stewart (bass) and Russell Carter (drums). His wife Francesca Cinelli Murray produced and directed a video animation for the title "Ninno", in collaboration with painter and animator Nancy Ostrovsky. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egq0S5H0bPw]

Francesca was selected #2 2024 Best Jazz Album of the Year by The New York Times and among the best jazz albums of the year by Downbeat.

David Murray quartet next album Birdly Serenade has been released in spring 2025 with Impulse! Records.

Awards

In 1980, David Murray was named Village Voice Musician of the Decade.
Murray was honored with the Bird Award{{cite web|url=http://www.northseajazz.com/nsj68.en.html |title=Bird Awards winners 1985-2005 |access-date=2006-06-29 |publisher=North Sea Jazz |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060519070940/http://www.northseajazz.com/nsj68.en.html |archive-date=2006-05-19 |url-status=dead }} in 1986.
He was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1989.{{cite web | url= http://www.oberlin.edu/newserv/01jan/jon_jang_performance.html | title= JAZZ ARTISTS JON JANG & DAVID MURRAY IN CONCERT FEBRUARY 8 AT OBERLIN COLLEGE | author= Bettie Gabrielli | access-date= 2006-06-29 | publisher= Oberlin Online | url-status= dead | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20060520203621/http://www.oberlin.edu/newserv/01jan/jon_jang_performance.html | archive-date= 2006-05-20 }}
David Murray and his band earned a Grammy Award in 1989 in the Best Jazz Instrumental Group Performance category for Blues for Coltrane: A Tribute to John Coltrane.{{cite web | url = http://www.europejazz.net/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=202 | title = David Murray Creole Project | author = Jon Pareles - The New York Times | access-date = 2006-06-29 | publisher = Europe Jazz Network | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070927035838/http://www.europejazz.net/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=202 | archive-date = 2007-09-27 }}
In 1991, he was honored with the Danish Jazzpar Prize.{{cite web |url= http://www.jazzpar.dk/start.html |title= The Jazzpar Prize |access-date= 2006-06-29 |publisher= The Jazzpar Prize Official Website |archive-date= 2006-06-26 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20060626170012/http://www.jazzpar.dk/start.html |url-status= dead }}
Newsday named him Musician of the Year in 1993.{{cite web | url = http://www.walkerart.org/archive/D/A81355A1BDE3ABA46161.htm | title = David Murray | author = Staff Writer | access-date = 2006-06-29 | publisher = Walker Art Center | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060816063759/http://www.walkerart.org/archive/D/A81355A1BDE3ABA46161.htm | archive-date = 2006-08-16 }}
He was the recipient of an honorary Doctorate Degree in Music from Pomona College in 2012
He was awarded a legacy grant by the California Arts Council in 2021

Discography

References

External links

{{AllMusic}} {{Bandcamp}} {{Discogs artist}} {{MusicBrainz artist}}
{{Instagram|theofficialdavidmurray|David Murray}}
David Murray's official website at davidmurray.xyz
[http://members.tripod.com/go54321/dm/davidmurray.html Unofficial David Murray website]
[http://www.bordeauxsalsa.com/index.php?theme=MUSIQUE&album=Now%20is%20Another%20Time&artiste=David%20Murray&genre=latin%20jazz -commentaires de CBS 2007 sur bordeauxsalsa.com]
[http://news.allaboutjazz.com/david-murray-a-conversation.php#.U5dfwS9lybJ David Murray interview] at allaboutjazz.com

Category:1955 births

Category:Living people

Category:20th-century African-American musicians

Category:21st-century African-American musicians

Category:21st-century American clarinetists

Category:21st-century American male musicians

Category:21st-century American saxophonists

Category:African-American saxophonists

Category:American jazz bass clarinetists

Category:American jazz clarinetists

Category:American jazz composers

Category:American jazz saxophonists