I'll Close My Eyes (Mark Murphy album) explained

I'll Close My Eyes
Type:	studio
Artist:	Mark Murphy
Cover:	I'll Close My Eyes (Mark Murphy album).jpg
Released:	1991 (1994 CD release)
Recorded:	December 16–17, 1991
Genre:	Vocal jazz
Length:	36:55
Label:	Muse
Producer:	Larry Fallon
Chronology:	Mark Murphy
Prev Title:	What a Way to Go
Prev Year:	1990
Next Title:	Night Mood
Next Year:	1991

I'll Close My Eyes is a 1991 studio album by Mark Murphy.^[1]

Reception

The AllMusic review by Scott Yanow described Murphy's recordings for Muse Records as "...among the most rewarding of his career", adding that "His eccentric improvising is an acquired taste worth gaining...An interesting outing that sounds quite contemporary while tied to the jazz tradition."^[1] The All About Jazz reviewer wrote: "I'll Close My Eyes is a classic and should be a part of every serious jazz lover's CD collection."^[2]

Andrew Gilbert writing in MusicHound Jazz: The Essential Album Guide assigns the album 4.5 bones and says, "Murphy turns everything he sings into jazz. He even transforms the moldy old Bread tune "If" into a torchy ballad".^[3]

Track listing

1. "I'll Close My Eyes" (Buddy Kaye, Billy Reid) – 5:36
2. "If" (David Gates) – 3:19
3. "Happyin'" (Flip Nunez) – 4:06
4. "Miss You Mr. Mercer" (Duncan Lamont, Jack Segal) – 5:05
5. "Small World" (Reuben Brown) – 3:09
6. "There Is No Reason Why" (Patti Linardos) – 3:42
7. "Time on My Hands" (Harold Adamson, Mack Gordon, Vincent Youmans) – 4:05
8. "Ugly Woman" (Howlett Smith) – 5:07
9. "Not Like This" (Jeremy Lubbock) – 2:46

Personnel

• Mark Murphy – vocals
• David Finck – double bass
• Peter Grant – drums
• Jay Messina – engineer
• John Basile – guitar
• Cliff Carter – keyboards
• Sammy Figueroa – percussion
• Pat Rebillot – piano
• Claudio Roditi – trumpet
• Larry Fallon – arranger, producer

Notes and References

1. Web site: [{{AllMusic|class=album|id=ill-close-my-eyes-mw0000627557|pure_url=yes}} I'll Close My Eyes]. AllMusic. December 28, 2013.
2. Web site: Grim . William . July 15, 2002 . Mark Murphy: I'll Close My Eyes . All About Jazz . March 22, 2020.
3. Book: Gilbert, Andrew . MusicHound Jazz: The Essential Album Guide . 1998 . Visible Ink Press . Steve Holtje, Nancy Ann Lee (eds.) . 978-1-57859-031-5 . Detroit . 844-845.