MAINSTREAM JAZZ PIANO & COMBO

Pianist Greg Murphy leads changing lineups of 2-6 players (see inside jacket). The set is a mixed bag of varying styles; about 2/3 originals, the rest covers.

All instrumental. No FCC issues.

1 ** Fast, lively. Danceable, Latin rhythm. Some Carnival influence (including whistle). Melody traded between trumpet & piano. (5:31)
2 Slow ballad. Not especially graceful for a love song. Melody on tenor sax. (4:42)
3 Mid-tempo. Melody on trumpet. Good piano bridge. Synthesized orchestra effects. (7:05)
4 Fast. Just piano, bass, drums. Energetic, but didn’t really move me. (5:31)
5 * Slow. Solo piano improv: theme & variations on a classic blues song. Nice job. (5:20)
6 ** Very fast. Series of hard driving solos by sax, piano, trumpet, bass, sax. (8:25)
7 Mid-tempo. Solo piano fantasy. Kinda nice, not special. (3:12)
8 Fast. Just a few notes each on sax and trumpet. (0:09)
9 * Free jazz improvisation. Piano, sax, trumpet, drums & bass. (6:50)
10 Mid-slow. A gentle ballad on solo piano. (4:57)
11 * Fast. An alt take on #6. Similar but with a more biting tone. I preferred #6. (3:27)
12 Very slow. Melancholy ballad on solo piano. (Bill Evans / Miles Davis tune) (4:27)
13 Mid-slow to mid-fast. Free piano improvisation. A bit avant-garde. (4:14)
14 *** Mid-tempo (varying). Powerful. Tenor sax, piano, bass, drums. Each player takes substantial, virtuosic solos. Sections of spiritual beauty, others with modern dissonance, some with barely controlled chaos. Quite good but not for the faint of heart. (7:50)