David Murray (saxophonist) explained

David Murray
Birth Date:	19 February 1955
Origin:	Oakland, California, U.S.
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

David Keith Murray^[1] (born February 19, 1955)^[2] 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.^[3] He lives in New York City.

Biography

Murray was born in Oakland, California, United States.^[2] He attended Pomona College for two years as a member of the class of 1977, ultimately receiving an honorary degree in 2012.^[4] 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.^[5] 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.^[6] 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.^[7]

His daughter Crystal Murray is a Franco-American R&B and electro singer and has published an album in 2022 as well as an EP and two singles with the French record label Because Music.^[8]

Awards

• In 1980 David Murray was named Village Voice Musician of the Decade.
• Murray was honored with the Bird Award^[9] in 1986.
• He was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1989.^[10]
• David Murray and his band earned a Grammy Award in 1989 in the Best Jazz Instrumental Group Performance category for .^[11]
• In 1991 he was honored with the Danish Jazzpar Prize.^[12]
• Newsday named him Musician of the Year in 1993.^[13]
• He was given an honorary Doctorate Degree in Music, Pomona College in 2012
• He was awarded a legacy grant by the California Arts Council in 2021

Discography

See main article: David Murray discography.

External links

• • Unofficial David Murray website
• -commentaires de CBS 2007 sur bordeauxsalsa.com
• David Murray interview at allaboutjazz.com

Notes and References

1. Web site: Murray, David (Keith) . Encyclopedia.com.
2. Book: The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Colin Larkin. Guinness Publishing. 1992. First. 0-85112-939-0. 1782/3.
3. Web site: Best of the best, David Murray, presents workshop, concerts in Bozeman . Staff Writer . 18 November 2004 . 2006-06-29 . Bozeman Daily Chronicle, June 29, 2006 .
4. Web site: 2012 Commencement Recap . Pomona College . 3 August 2020 . en . 19 May 2015.
5. News: The Pop Life; David Murray Comes Into His Own . Robert Palmer . October 27, 1982 . 2006-06-29 . New York Times .
6. Web site: World Saxophone Quartet Biography . Chris . Kelsey . AllMusic . January 17, 2023.
7. Web site: Jazz Profiles - David Murray . Staff Writer . 2006-06-29 . BBC Radio 3 Jazz Profiles .
8. Web site: Crystal Murray profile: Franco-American R&B singer, daughter of David Murray . 2023-03-31 . discogs.com.
9. Web site: Bird Awards winners 1985-2005 . 2006-06-29 . North Sea Jazz . https://web.archive.org/web/20060519070940/http://www.northseajazz.com/nsj68.en.html . 2006-05-19 . dead .
10. Web site: JAZZ ARTISTS JON JANG & DAVID MURRAY IN CONCERT FEBRUARY 8 AT OBERLIN COLLEGE . Bettie Gabrielli . 2006-06-29 . Oberlin Online . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20060520203621/http://www.oberlin.edu/newserv/01jan/jon_jang_performance.html . 2006-05-20 .
11. Web site: David Murray Creole Project . Jon Pareles - The New York Times . 2006-06-29 . Europe Jazz Network . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070927035838/http://www.europejazz.net/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=202 . 2007-09-27 .
12. Web site: The Jazzpar Prize. 2006-06-29 . The Jazzpar Prize Official Website .
13. Web site: David Murray . Staff Writer . 2006-06-29 . Walker Art Center . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20060816063759/http://www.walkerart.org/archive/D/A81355A1BDE3ABA46161.htm . 2006-08-16 .