James Brown - Song Within the Story (March 18, 2022)

James Brown

Song Within the Story

A decade is a long time between albums, and for Canadian jazz guitarist James Brown the wait has been well worthwhile. A prolific composer with a highly cohesive working trio, he’s spent his time honing the harmonically intricate material on Song Within the Story, a consistently engaging program that documents the next step in his ongoing synthesis of jazz and European classical music. This new album, his fourth, is the work of an artist who has found some intriguing answers to longstanding musical puzzles.

Featuring bassist Clark Johnston and drummer Anthony Michelli, Brown’s trio has gained respect in recent years as one of Toronto’s top jazz combos. They’re joined on three tracks by renowned tenor saxophonist Mike Murley, whose improvisational prowess has been duly recognized over the past three decades via his contributions on 14 Juno Award-winning recordings (seven as a leader or co-leader and seven as a sideman).

1. Igor 06:12

2. Alystair and I 04:44

3. Song Within the Story 08:13

4. Nice Folk 05:02

5. The Circle 08:06

6. Sands of Swing 06:11

7. All Rivers Lead 06:27

8. The Needle and the Damage Done 04:06

9. Mbira Kids 04:48

10. A Case of You 05:37

James Brown guitar/compositions

Clark Johnston bass

Anthony Michelli drums

Mike Murley tenor saxophone (on tracks 3,6 & 7)

All compositions © james brown 2022 SOCAN

except

A Case of You by Joni Mitchell – SONY/ATV Tunes

Needle and the Damage Done   by Neil Young  - Hipgnosis Songs

Recorded at RHC Music in Toronto Canada

May 16th and 17th 2021

Produced by Ross Hayes Citrullo, James Brown and Anthony Michelli 

Engineered and Mixed by Ross Hayes Citrullo 

Assistant Engineers Thomas Vittas

Mastered by Connor Salmoral

Recorded and Mixed at RHC Music in Toronto Canada. 

Album design A Man Named Wrycraft

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Hannah Barstow - Beneath (August 13, 2021)

Beneath is an exciting new release from Hannah Barstow, a Toronto-based pianist and vocalist with a distinct artistic voice, both as a composer and a performer. Featuring saxophonist Mike Murley, bassist Reknee Irene Harrett and drummer Keith Barstow, the album contains haunting performances of Hannah’s original songs and arrangements. The motivic melodies, intricate harmonies and intimate lyrics are reminiscent of Jobim compositions, among other jazz standards, but with a modern perspective. Hannah’s unique technique of intertwining the piano and her voice, both in the performance of melodies and in improvisation, is a fresh sound that adds depth to the performances.

1. Beneath

2. When You Are Here

3. It Isn't There

4. September Song

5. Tell Me What You Feel

6. I Was You

7. Love Never Can Lose

8. In the Moonlight

9. Foolish Things

10. You'll Know

11. Love to Have You Near Me

12. For Now (It Has to Be Enough)

Hannah Barstow - piano & voice

Mike Murley - saxophones

Reknee Irene Harrett - bass

Keith Barstow - drums

Robert Diack - producer

Darren McGill - engineer

Jon Bartel - mixing

Tom Upjohn - mastering

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Dave Liebman / Mike Murley Quartet - Live at U of T (2017)

Saxophonists Dave Liebman and Mike Murley have performed together for more than a decade, previously releasing Day and Night on Cornerstone Records. Their second release, Live at U of T, featuring bassist Jim Vivian and drummer Terry Clarke, came about as a result of Liebman's appointment as Visiting Adjunct Professor at the University of Toronto Faculty of Music.  Recorded is a small concert space packed with attentive listeners, Live at U of T captures the spirit and spontaneity of live jazz in an intimate setting. 

The natural rapport between the musicians on this recording is immediately apparent. Murley studied with Liebman in the 1980s at the Banff Jazz Workshop and in New York. He and Vivian have worked frequently with Liebman over the years, primarily in the Toronto area but also at recording sessions and concerts in Halifax and Montreal. Drummer Terry Clarke and Liebman are both veterans of the international jazz scene dating back to the late 1960s and their musical chemistry was instantaneous.

Dave Liebman / Mike Murley

David Liebman is considered a renaissance man in contemporary music with a career stretching nearly fifty years. He has played with masters including Miles Davis, Elvin Jones, Chick Corea, John McLaughlin, McCoy Tyner. He has recorded as a leader in styles ranging from classical to rock to free jazz.  Liebman has performed on over 500 recordings with over 200 as a leader/co-leader featuring several hundred original compositions.  He has been a Visiting Adjunct Professor at the University of Toronto since 2014.

Mike Murley is one of Canada's leading jazz artists, having appeared on 12 Juno Award winning albums, 3 as a leader, 3 as a co-leader (Metalwood), and 6 as a sideman (Rob McConnell, David Braid and others).  Murley has recorded and performed with numerous international artists including John Schofield, John Abercrombie and Kenny Wheeler. In 2011 Murley accepted full-time position at the University of Toronto where he currently holds the position of Jazz Area Chair at the Faculty of Music.

Terry Clarke has recorded over 300 albums with a number of international artists, including Bill Mays, Renee Rosnes, and Joe Lovano.  His collaborations with Canadian musicians include David Braid, Don Thompson, and Rob McConnell.  Clark’s first album as a leader, It's About Time, won the JUNO Award for Traditional Jazz Album of the Year in 2010.  He has been jazz drum instructor at the University of Toronto for more than a decade. Clarke was named a member of the Order of Canada in 2002.

Jim Vivian is one of the most in demand bassists in Canada, having recorded and performed Rob McConnell’s Boss Brass, Don Thompson, and Sonny Greenwich, among others.  He has also worked with international artists such as Kenny Wheeler, Tim Hagans, and John Abercrombie. In 2002 Jim accepted the position of jazz bass instructor and lecturer at the University of Toronto.

1. Split or Whole (Vivian)  5:44

2. YBSN  (Murley) 6:28

3. Off a Bird (Liebman) 6:16

4. Small One (Liebman) 6:01

5. Open Spaces (Murley) 6:56

6. Nebula (Liebman) 6:34

7. And the Angels Sing (Elman/Mercer) 6:55

8. Missing Persons (Liebman) 3:45

9. Blackwell’s Message (Lovano) 7:01

Dave Liebman - Soprano/Tenor Saxophone, Flute

Mike Murley - Soprano/Tenor Saxophone

Jim Vivian - Bass

Terry Clarke - Drums

www.davidliebman.com

www.mikemurley.com

www.uoftjazz.ca

www.music.utoronto.ca