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