Dave McMurray

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Dave McMurray
Dave McMurray 2021.jpg
Background information
BornDetroit, Michigan, U.S.
GenresJazz
Occupation(s)Musician, composer, producer
InstrumentsSaxophone, Flute, Keyboard, Percussion
Years active1972–present
LabelsHip Bop, Blue Note
Associated actsGriot Galaxy, Was Not Was
Websitedavemcmurray.com

Dave McMurray is an American jazz musician. His primary instrument is saxophone, although he also plays flute, keyboard, and a variety of percussion instruments. His versatile, expressive playing style has allowed him to expand beyond the jazz genre, through sessions with Bob Weir and Wolf Bros, B.B. King, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Iggy Pop, Patti Smith, Bonnie Raitt, Johnny Hallyday, Gladys Knight, Albert King, Nancy Wilson, KEM, Bootsy Collins, Herbie Hancock, among many others.

Early Years[]

Dave grew up on the eastside of Detroit. The son of a working class family, he received a full scholarship through Horizons Upward Bound to attend high school at Cranbrook Schools in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.

McMurray cites the cultural diversity of Detroit as major influence on his playing style, noting that “the massive black migration to Detroit from the South gave us a bluesier style of jazz than what you were hearing in New York or California. And you could go to the Ann Arbor Jazz Festival and see Mc5 playing right before Sun Ra.”

After graduating from Wayne State University with a degree in Urban Studies and Psychology, Dave began working as a mental health professional. While he enjoyed the work, the bureaucratic aspects of the job proved stifling. As the pull of music grew stronger, Dave decided to pursue writing and performing full time.

Professional career[]

McMurray’s first real road gig was with Blues Master Albert King. Upon returning he started his own group ‘Midnight Sky’ and also was a member of the avant-garde jazz ensemble, Griot Galaxy. As his involvement in Detroit music grew, he crossed paths with many artists and producers in the scene, including Don Was. McMurray joined the genre-spanning pop rock group Was (Not Was) at its inception, and subsequently contributed to all of their albums. This marked the beginning of a lifelong friendship and collaboration with Don Was, with McMurray continuing to play on many of the producer’s projects.

McMurray’s versatile playing style and eclectic music tastes paved the way for him to enjoy an extensive career as a session musician. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, he played on albums for many classic rock and blues acts, ranging from The Rolling Stones to Bob Dylan. He was uniquely positioned to capitalize on the musical trends of the era, joking that “any time a rock or pop band wanted a little ‘class’, the first thing they did was add an eight-bar sax solo to their next song.

Dave’s first solo album, The Secret Life, was released on Timeless Records in 1989. He then was signed to Warner Bros. Records for his follow up album, 1996’s The David McMurray Show.

Recording for Blue Note[]

In 2018, McMurray released Music Is Life, his Blue Note Records debut. The collection of original compositions and recognizable covers was met with critical acclaim.

Don Was praised McMurray’s playing on the album, saying ““He’s never playing licks for the sake of playing licks...He’s not trying to impress people with what all he knows about music or about his dexterity over the instrument. It’s all about honest expressions.”

Grateful Deadication[]

In 2019, McMurray performed with Bob Weir at the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in San Francisco. It was his first time being truly exposed to the music of the Grateful Dead, and he was immediately intrigued. “It had weird time signature changes and all kinds of stuff. But when we did it on the gig, it was great. It just had this beautiful vibe and the audience loved it. So I thought I’d better start checking them out. At first, I didn’t understand it, but one day I was driving and it just clicked. The long forms and jams reminded me of Miles Davis, or Soft Machine, or Weather Report. It turned my ears around,” he said.

The discovery led Dave to record Grateful Deadication, an album of jazz interpretations of the band’s songbook.It features appearances by Bob Weir, Bettye Lavette, and Herschel Boone. McMurray is backed on the album by bassist Ibrahim Jones, drummer Jeff Canady, guitarist Wayne Gerard, and keyboardist Maurice O’Neal.

Blue Note released Grateful Deadication in July 2021.

Personal life[]

Dave lives in Detroit with his wife, Garzelle. They have one daughter, Michelle. In addition to his music, Dave is an accomplished poet and visual artist. Along with writing new music, he is also currently working on a book of poetry.

Discography[]

As leader[]

  • The Secret Life (Timeless, 1989)
  • The Show (Warner Bros., 1996)
  • Peace of Mind (Hip Bop, 1999)
  • Soul Searching (Hip Bop, 2001)
  • Nu Life Stories (Hip Bop, 2003)
  • Music Is Life (Blue Note, 2018)
  • Grateful Deadication (Blue Note, 2021)

With Griot Galaxy

  • Kins (Black & White, 1982)
  • Live at the D.I.A. (Entropy, 2003)

With Was (Not Was)

  • Was (Not Was) (Island/ZE, 1981)
  • Born to Laugh at Tornadoes (Geffen, 1983)
  • What Up, Dog? (Fontana, 1988)
  • Are You Okay? (Chrysalis, 1990)
  • Hello, Dad...I'm in Jail (Fontana, 1992)
  • Boo! (Rykodisc, 2008)

As sideman[]

With Bob James

  • Joy Ride (Warner Bros., 1999)
  • Morning, Noon & Night (Warner Bros., 2002)
  • Urban Flamingo (Koch, 2006)

With Kem

  • Kemistry (Motown, 2003)
  • Album II (Motown, 2005)
  • Intimacy Universal (Motown, 2010)
  • What Christmas Means (Motown, 2013)

With Kid Rock

  • Kid Rock (Atlantic/Top Dog, 2003)
  • Rock n Roll Jesus (Atlantic/Top Dog, 2007)
  • Rebel Soul (Atlantic/Top Dog, 2012)
  • First Kiss (Warner Bros., 2015)

With Millie Scott

  • Ev'ry Little Bit (4th & Broadway, 1987)
  • Love Me Right (4th & Broadway, 1987)
  • I Can Make It Good for You (4th & Broadway, 1988)

With others

References[]

External links[]

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