While it would seem to be true that there is at present a dearth of great jazz musicians under 40, the workmanlike Brecker brothers are pretty good. This album has Murphy moving into their idiom, rather than them coming to him, and it is a remarkable achievement on the singer’s part. The idiom of today’s younger musicians normally gravitates to rock and most of today’s singers have the consequent lack of dynamics and subtlety which goes with flat-out volume. Murphy sings with confidence and poise on the newer material, turns out a triumphant Body And Soul, which must be one of his best ever recordings, and, with backing from the rhythm section alone, introduces us to a fine new ballad with How Are You Dreaming. Mark has also written the lyrics for Herbie Hancock’s Canteloupe, which has him scatting as of old before a searing solo from Sanborn on alto – Brecker plays a fat, lyrical solo on this one. He also wrote the lyrics to Freddie Hubbard’s Red Clay.
Naima is to me the least successful track. It is such a beautiful melody that it will not stand tinkering about with – in fact I have only ever heard it played satisfactorily by the composer John Coltrane and by the New Jazz Orchestra. Mark does as well with it as any singer could, and the fact that he is able to negotiate its pitfalls so well is a tribute to his musicianship.
Until this album I hadn’t heard of Murphy for some years. I’m very pleased to see that he has adapted so well to changing instrumentation. The first time I heard him he was accompanied by Clark Terry and Joe Wilder. He still goes straight to the top for his backing groups.
Discography
On The Red Clay; Naima; Body And Soul; Young And Foolish (17½ min) – Empty Faces; Maiden Voyage; How Are You Dreaming; Canteloupe Island (21 min)
Mark Murphy (vcl); Randy Brecker (tpt); Dave Sanborn (alt): Mike Brecker (ten); Don Grolnick (keyboards); Harvie Swartz (bs); Joe Puma (gtr); Jimmy Madison (dm); Sue Evans (perc): Dave Matthews (arr). NYC, 17-18-19/6/75.
(Muse 5078 £3.99)
