Let's Get Started by Greg Murphy

Houston (Jazznow.com, May 2005)

CD Reviews West

Greg Murphy Let's Get Started

At last! Internationally renowned modern jazz genius, Greg Murphy, finally takes pity on jazz hungry ears with the release of Let's Get Started. After a career spanning two decades, taking him from the States, across Europe, to Japan, China and back again, Murphy offers his unique talent to the public in this, his first album recording as a leader of his own band. Starting out in Chicago and New Orleans in the 80's, where he studied with prominent pianist Ellis Marsalis after winning a National Endowment study grant, Murphy has been a part of, and worked with some of the best names in the business; Percussion incorporated, The Fusicians, The New Orleans Jazz Couriers, Carlos Santana, Cindy Blackman, Raphael Cruz, Archie Shepp and the unmistakable Rashied Ali. Already featured on five successful albums, including Meditations, No One In Particular, Heart-Sound, and A Mano, Let's Get Started is a delicious showcase of swinging Murphy originals, enriched by the talented Dale Robbins and the rock-steady beat of John Brown on the drums. Electrifying bass, percussion and counter-melody tease through sophisticated tunes like "Little Miss Tigerfish" or the haunting re-work of "Stranded," shaping a finger-snapping, foot-tapping feast for us all. And the icing on the Snap Happy, jazz sizzled cake? You can currently catch Greg at The Ritz-Carlton on Nanjing Lu [Shanghai], where he indulges the public with hot shifting tunes in the Second Floor Lounge Bar, every Tuesday-Sunday evening. Go on; treat yourself to that groovin' jazz-funk fusion.

Reviewer: Natalie Hunt (QUO magazine, January 2005, p.49 ) Shanghai, Peoples Republic of China

BIOGRAPHY:

Greg was born in St. Johns, Newfoundland, Canada on December 1st 1959 and moved to Chicago with his family in 1960. He began his musical adventures at the age of eleven when he joined the Ray-Fisk Grammar School Band. His classical studies began later that year with Lucia Santini at Roosevelt University. Between 1980 and 1984, he played with the jazz/funk band LFTR, The University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) Big Band, The Northern Illinois University (NIU) Big Band, and other local Chicago bands.

After being awarded a jazz study grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, Greg went to New Orleans in 1985 to study with the eminent pianist and jazz educator, Ellis Marsalis. He decided to remain there and began recording and performing with The New Orleans Jazz Couriers, Percussion Incorporated, (the album Drum Talk was recorded and released in 1987) and his own group, The Fusicians. While living in the crescent city, Greg had an opportunity to perform with Donald Harrison, Wynton Marsalis, and countless other great musicians.

Greg moved to New York in 1987 and began what has become a long association with multi-directional drummer, Rashied Ali. Greg has been performing and recording with Ali and his various groups throughout Europe, Canada, and the United States, from 1987 to the present. (One tour in 1990 featured Carlos Santana and Archie Shepp) During 1989, Greg went to Tokyo, Japan with his trio for two months, and toured the United States with a quartet. In 1990, saxophonist and composer Ornette Coleman asked Greg to put together a rhythm section for a performance of Coleman’s new, jazz-funk original music. The month-long project resulted in a successful performance. Later that year, he led a septet (Club Bird Jazz All Stars) in Yokohama for three months, and in 1991 he performed solo in St. Johns. During this period he studied in New York City with Ron Carter and Jaki Byard at City College and The Manhattan School of Music, as well as privately with Larry Willis and Walter Bishop Jr. In 1995 and 1996, he recorded Meditations and Bells with Rashied Ali and Prima Materia on the Knitting Factory Works label. In 1999, Worldbeat records released A Mano with Raphael Cruz, and Heart Sound with Tisziji Munoz was released on the Anami record label. In 2001, No One in Particular, again with Ali, was released on the Survival record label, and Greg wrote the title tune. Let’s Get Started, his first recording as a leader, was released in 2004. In January 2005, he returned from a two-month engagement in China and is still performing, teaching and studying in the New York Metropolitan region. Greg’s new CD Orientation has just been released on the Murphasaurus record label, coinciding with two new releases by The Rashied Ali Quintet: Judgment Day (Volume’s One and Two), on the Survival record label. A new recording with Raphael Cruz is also scheduled for release in 2006.

At the present time, Greg continues to perform with his own group and other professionals in and around New York City. He recently graduated from New Jersey City University, where he received a Bachelors of Music Degree in Jazz Performance. Greg’s future aspirations include continuing to perform and record, as well as having a prominent roll in the development of aspiring musicians.

Some of the other people Greg has played with are: Barry Altshul, Wes Anderson, Mickey Bass, Cindy Blackman, Terrence Blanchard, T. K. Blue, T. S. Monk, Hammiet Blueitt, George Braithwait, John Brown, Iris Chacon, Alan Chase, Ravi Coltrane, Harry Conick, Jr., Jesse Davis, Steve Davis, Andy Eulau, Flava Flav, Al Foster, Mat Garrison, Charles Gayle, Victor Goines, Ray Gomez, Roy Hargrove, Vincent Herring, Tim Horner, David Jensen, Frank Lacey, Joe Lovano, Branford and Delfayo Marsalis, Christian McBride, Tyler Mitchell, Wilbur Morris, Steve Neil, Charles Nevile, William Parker, Don Pate, C. C. Peniston, Larry Ridley, Dale Robbins, Jay Rodriguez, Antoine Roney, Bill Saxton, Ron Sutton, Lew Tabackin, Arthur Taylor, James Blood Ulmer, Reginald Veal, Bill Ware, David S. Ware, Frank Wright, Al & Ruth Wright, Eric Wyatt, and Kiani Zawadi.

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