MIKE MURLEY jazz saxophonist HOME BIOGRAPHY CD STORE ENDORSEMENTS GIGS GROUPS LEAD SHEETS CONTACT LINKS MAILING LIST PHOTOS PRESS SELECTED RECORDINGS TWO NEW RECORDINGS AVAILABLE IN FALL 2019 Release date Oct 16/19 Cornerstone Records proudly presents Taking Flight, a new recording from saxophonist Mike Murley with special guest pianist Renee Rosnes. Also featured are regular Murley collaborators, bassists Steve Wallace and Jim Vivian and guitarist Reg Schwager. Canadian-born, New York-based Rosnes brings a new voice to the mainstream chamber jazz trio sounds Murley has produced on Cornerstone since his recordings with the legendary Ed Bickert two decades ago. Taking Flight features a broad program of material from some of the greatest composers in the history of the music, including Kenny Wheeler, Wayne Shorter, Michel Legrand, Charlie Parker, and Antonio Carlos Jobim. Murley adds two new melodies of his own to the set, including the title track (based on “Just in Time”) and a dedication to Lee Konitz (based on “Love Letters”). Murley, Wallace, and Schwager close the session with a heartfelt version of the Nicholas Brodsky standard “I’ll Never Stop Loving You”, a tribute to their mentor Bickert who sadly passed away just weeks before this recording was made. Winter Suite (Kenny Wheeler) Phrase 3 (Kenny Wheeler) Taking Flight (Mike Murley) You Must Believe in Spring (Michel Legrand) Penelope (Wayne Shorter) Love-Lee (Mike Murley) Zingaro (Antonio Carlos Jobim) Bird Feathers (Charlie Parker) I’ll Never Stop Loving You (Nicholas Brodzsky) Mike Murley – tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone (track 2) Renee Rosnes – piano (all tracks except 9) Reg Schwager – guitar (all tracks except 2 and 5) Steve Wallace – bass (tracks 3, 4, 6, 8, 9) Jim Vivian – bass (tracks 1, 2, 5, 7) Recorded at Loach Studios on March 17, 2019 A CD release celebration and performance by the Mike Murley Trio with special guest Renee Rosnes will take place at The Jazz Bistro in Toronto Jan 9-11, 2020. For more information, please visit: www.cornerstonerecordsinc.com now available from iTunes and on most streaming platforms The North follows up their Juno Award winning debut with a new recording, The Music of Kenny Wheeler, celebrating the legacy of one of the most significant jazz composers of the past fifty years. Canadian-born trumpeter Wheeler moved to London, England in 1952, eventually establishing himself as one of the leading artists on the iconic Scandinavian ECM label with albums such as Deer Wan and Gnu High in the 1970s. His prolific career stretched into the new millennium before his passing in 2014 at the age of 84. Wheeler’s music has had a profound influence on multiple generations of musicians, especially in Canada, the UK and Scandinavia. Perhaps it is appropriate that an international jazz group representing these three regions pays tribute to Wheeler in what would have been his 90th year. The North was formed in 2015 as a collaboration between Canadians Mike Murley (saxophones) and David Braid (piano) with Scandinavians Anders Mogensen (drums) and Johnny Åman (bass). For The Music of Kenny Wheeler it only seemed fitting to include British trumpeter Percy Pursglove as a guest artist. Recorded in Copenhagen in Feb 2019, The Music of Kenny Wheeler represents compositions spanning the breadth of Wheeler’s career. “Peace for Five”, from the 1977 Deer Wan album, is a wide-ranging suite that affords the musicians ample room to bring their individual voices to the music. Wheeler’s timeless ballad “Wintersweet” is offered a unique treatment by Pursglove with the use of extended trumpet techniques evoking images of the song’s title. “W.W.”, the powerful title track from the 1984 Wheeler recording, showcases the group at its free-wheeling best. “Kind Folk” and “Onmo” are drawn from the 1997 classic Angel Song recording. “Phrase One”, recorded multiple times by Wheeler, poignantly represents the lyricism and melancholy that is central to his music. Wheeler’s artistic legacy is an inspiration to all members of The North and to countless other musicians and listeners around the world. The Music of Kenny Wheeler is a humble tribute to a quiet man whose beautiful and powerful music touched so many. The North: David Braid, piano (CANADA) Mike Murley, saxophone (CANADA) Johnny Åman, bass (FINLAND/SWEDEN) Anders Mogensen, drums (DENMARK) Percy Pursglove, trumpet, flugelhorn (UK) The Music of Kenny Wheeler: Kind Folk Phrase One W.W. Peace for Five Suite Wintersweet Onmo recorded by Bo Larsen at Mill Factory Studios in Copenhagen, Feb 25/19 OCTOBER 9, 2019 LIEBMAN/MURLEY QUARTET “LIVE AT U OF T” NOMINATED FOR 2019 JUNO AWARD The Dave Liebman/Mike Murley Quartet featuring Jim Vivian and Terry Clark has been nominated for a 2019 Juno Award. The album is available on iTunes JANUARY 30, 2019 THE NORTH WINS 2018 JUNO AWARD FOR JAZZ ALBUM OF THE YEAR (GROUP) Recording now available on iTunes or Bandcamp The North has won the 2018 Juno Award for Jazz Album of the Year (Group) “The North” is a jazz quartet creating music combining the experiences of jazz musicians living in Canada and Scandinavia. Multi-Juno Award winners David Braid and Mike Murley are long time musical collaborators as are Danish drummer Anders Mogensen and Finnish bassist Johnny Åman. All leaders in their own right, these musicians share common roots in the jazz tradition while reaching forward as improviser/composers to reflect their personal and cultural experiences. Saxophonist Murley’s composition “The Split” conjures images of his native Nova Scotia through the lens of a Coltrane influence. Braid’s “Lele’s Tune” is a wide ranging suite that showcases the compositional skills that have brought the pianist international acclaim as an artist who seamlessly combines classical and jazz music. Mogensen and Åman are a formidable rhythm section who bring their vast experience and Scandinavian perspective to the group. After playing dates in Canada and Europe in 2015 and 2016 their debut album “The North” was recorded in Copenhagen and was celebrated in Nov 2017 with a cross-Canada tour supported by the Canada Council, JazzDanmark and the Danish Composers Association. VIDEO/MUSIC: Lele’s Tune: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnbNFkL6rVE&spfreload=5 The Split: https://vimeo.com/169546852 Some Other Spring: https://vimeo.com/169503985 David Braid, piano (CANADA) Mike Murley, saxophone (CANADA) Johnny Åman, bass (FINLAND/SWEDEN) Anders Mogensen, drums (DENMARK) NOVEMBER 4, 2017 NEW LIEBMAN/MURLEY RECORDING NOW AVAILABLE ON ITUNES U of T Jazz presents Liebman/Murley Quartet featuring Jim Vivian and Terry Clarke Live at U of T Purchase on iTunes U of T Jazz has been privileged to have Dave Liebman as a visiting artist/adjunct professor since 2013. His tenure has culminated in two important recording collaborations with students and faculty. The student collaboration with the University of Toronto Jazz Orchestra under the direction of Gordon Foote produced Sweet Ruby Suite, featuring the music of Kenny Wheeler with guest artist Norma Winstone. Recorded by the UTJO in March 2016, this critically acclaimed release has most certainly brought international attention to the world-class level of the U of T Jazz program. On Jan 6, 2017 members of the U of T Jazz Faculty came together with Liebman in our concert space at 90 Wellesley St West to produce Live at U of T. Bassist Jim Vivian and I have worked and recorded with Liebman at various times over past years with our relationship stretching back to the Banff Jazz Workshop in the early 1980s. Drummer Terry Clarke and Liebman are both veterans of the international jazz scene dating back to the late 1960s and their musical rapport was instantly apparent. The result of this collaboration is a recording that I believe truly captures the spirit and spontaneity of live jazz in an intimate setting. Mike Murley Mike has been a bro for decades, at one point sounding more like me than me! He has developed into a truly mature jazz player, as described… spontaneity from the get-go, with the highest of skill levels. The same can be said for Jim, dating back decades… ready for whatever comes down the pike. This was the first time I played seriously with Terry and he is indeed a master, with the ability to switch styles and grooves on the spot. Added to this mix, these are among the sweetest guys around…always fun, but dead serious when it comes to the music. Dave Liebman NOVEMBER 4, 2017 LATEST TRIO CD RELEASE “SHIP WITHOUT A SAIL” Cornerstone Records proudly presents “Ship Without a Sail”, a new trio recording from saxophonist Mike Murley featuring bassist Steve Wallace and guitarist Reg Schwager. A follow up to the 2014 release “Looking Back”, this new CD continues to present mainstream chamber jazz at its best. Always swinging and lyrical, the trio represents a link to the Toronto jazz tradition shaped by legendary artists such as Ed Bickert (guitarist on the first two Murley trio recordings, both Juno Award winners), Guido Basso, Rick Wilkins and the late Rob McConnell. To purchase CD click here To purchase on iTunes click here In Love in Vain (J. Kern, L. Robin) 5:28 Folhas Secas (G. DeBrito, N. Cavaquinho) 4:30 Ship Without a Sail (R. Rodgers, L. Hart) 6:09 Dexterity (C. Parker) 5:13 You Can’t Go Home Again (D. Sebesky) 4:46 Ever After (K. Wheeler) 4:45 Mean Old Man (J. Taylor) 4:10 Know One (M. Murley) 5:22 Two Degrees East, Three Degrees West (J. Lewis) 6:41 Cry Me a River (A. Hamilton) 4:46 To read a review of the CD by Stuart Broomer of Whole Note magazine click here To read a recent National Arts Centre trio concert review by Peter Hum of the Ottawa Citzen click here APRIL 20, 2016 “LOOKING BACK” TRIO CD “Looking Back”, a new Cornerstone CD by saxophonist Mike Murley’s Trio, was released at the Jazz Bistro in Toronto on May 22, 2014. Featuring guitarist Reg Schwager and bassist Steve Wallace, this program of jazz standards follows in the tradition of Murley’s previous Juno Award-winning trio recordings that featured Wallace and the legendary Ed Bickert. Click here to read a glowing review of the recording by the Ottawa Citizen’s Peter Hum. Click the CD store tab to purchase “Looking Back” and other recordings. APRIL 4, 2014 UTJO “REFLECTIONS” FEATURING MIKE MURLEY OFFICIALLY RELEASED The University of Toronto Jazz Orchestra released “Reflections”, a CD featuring the music of Mike Murley, on Oct 24/13. For more information about the recording please refer to the press release at this link: Media Release – UTJO REFLECTIONS Featuring Mike Murley – Sept. 27, 2013 To purchase on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/reflections/id722947696 To read a recent review: http://www.uoftjazz.ca/2014/01/reflections-review#more-5519 SEPTEMBER 28, 2013 MURLEY, BICKERT, AND WALLACE “TEST OF TIME” WINS 2013 JUNO AWARD Murley, Bickert, and Wallace “Test of Time” has won the 2013 Juno Award in the traditional jazz category. Thanks to Ed Bickert and Steve Wallace for their wonderful playing and to Barry Elmes for his hard work in bringing these tracks back to the light of day! I am so pleased that so many people enjoy this recording which is of course very special because of Ed’s masterful presence. As usual there were a number of strong Canadian Jazz recordings released over the past year. Other nominees included my U of T colleagues Dave Young and Terry Promane and my good friend Brian Dickinson. Congratulations to all nominees. FEBRUARY 20, 2013 NEW CD RELEASE BY MURLEY, BICKERT, AND WALLACE Cornerstone Records presents Test of Time, a new CD release by Murley, Bickert, and Wallace Mike Murley – tenor saxophone Ed Bickert – guitar Steve Wallace – bass Formed in 1998 in by saxophonist Mike Murley, this trio’s only previous release Live at the Senator won the 2002 Juno Award for best mainstream jazz album. Test of Time features previously unissued material recorded in January 1999, made even more significant by the fact that it represents a new release featuring the legendary Ed Bickert (who retired from playing professionally in 2001). Engineered and Mastered by Barry Elmes Visit the CBC music website to listen to a free stream of selected tracks of this recording: http://music.cbc.ca/blogs/2012/10/Murley-Bickert-and-Wallaces-Test-of-Time-full-album-stream To order a copy of the CD please visit: http://www.cornerstonerecordsinc.com/pages/cat140.html Also available on iTunes OCTOBER 31, 2012 MIKE MURLEY SEPTET “STILL ROLLIN’” NOMINATED FOR 2012 JUNO AWARD Still Rollin’, the latest CD release from Toronto saxophonist Mike Murley, has been nominated for a 2012 Juno Award in the traditional jazz category. This debut recording for Murley’s septet features the saxophonist’s compositions and arrangements performed by some of Canada’s finest jazz improvisers. Mike Murley – tenor saxophone Tara Davidson – soprano and alto saxophone Kevin Turcotte – trumpet Terry Promane- trombone David Braid – piano Jim Vivian – bass Ted Warren – drums The CD Still Rollin’ is now available for download at the iTunes store. It is also available for online and retail distrbution through Cornerstone Records and it’s distributors. To purchase the CD directly from Cornerstone please click here. JANUARY 6, 2011 OLDER ARTICLES » UPCOMING GIGS No shows booked at the moment. © 2021 Mike Murley