Cosmic Jazz this week featured some tunes we have played before from the late Mark Murphy but which are now more easily available. Soul Brother Records have released a compilation entitled  Mark Murphy – The Jazz Singer which focuses on the music he recorded for the Muse record label following his return to the USA from London in 1972. Murphy, who died just over a year ago, was with Muse until 1991. This excellent compilation includes one of his signature tunes – a vocal version of Oliver Nelson’s Stolen Moments – and then, to illustrate his clever way with words, the joyous Ding Walls. It’s an account of his time on the jazz dance scene in London. Any CJ listener knows we love the music of Mark Murphy and for those wanting to get into his work, this new CD is an excellent place to start.

The show began with Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson’s Winter in  America. I wonder why? Archie Shepp was also in the show for similar reasons. The show also included the title tune from the new album by Florian Pellisier and his Quintet – modal jazz delights with an uplifting tone.  As we promised last week, we featured a tune from Patrice Rushen with Joe Henderson on tenor. It was inspired by her appearance with Ed Motta and was further proof of her strong jazz credentials.

Next up was a track from the Thomas Grimmonprez Trio from Belgium. The drummer leader has provided a press release which includes the information that he wanted to paint eleven drawings with different sound identities from which an emotional and musical “kaleidoscope” emerges, which is the mirror of my soul. Here a place resonates, there a breath whispers, farther a taste sensation hatches, elsewhere a vibration between two people comes up….

Attracted by the sound of the Fender Rhodes, Grimmonprez uses the talents of Jeremie Ternoy on piano and Fender Rhodes along with Christophe Hache on double-bass to help him shape his sound world. To us, the opening has more than a hint of Siegfried, a longtime CJ favourite from Erik Truffaz, and so it seemed appropriate to end the show with this little gem.

1. Gil-Scott Heron and Brian Jackson – Winter in America from The First Minute of a New Day
2. Florian Pellisier Quintet – Cap de Bob Esperance from Cap de Bob Esperance
3. Patrice Rushen – Shortie’s Portion from Preclusion
4. Archie Shepp – Blasé from Black Fire, New Spirits
5. Mark Murphy – Stolen Moments from Mark Murphy – the Jazz Singer
6. Mark Murphy – Ding Walls from Mark Murphy – the Jazz Singer
7. Mark Murphy – Be-Bop Lives from Mark Murphy – the Jazz Singer
8. Thomas Grimmnprez Trio – The Nap from Kaleidoscope
9. Erik Truffaz – Siegfried from Bending Corners