Mark Murphy: Skylark / You Don't Know What Love Is
Track
Skylark / You Don’t Know What Love Is
Artist
Mark Murphy (vocals)
CD
Once to Every Heart (Verve 5476)
Musicians:
Mark Murphy (vocals), Till Brönner (flugelhorn), Frank Chastenier (piano), Christian von Kaphengst (bass).
Orchestra arranged and conducted by Nan Schwartz
.Recorded: Berlin, no date given (CD released in 2005)
Rating: 95/100 (learn more)
How many singers have performed at this high level in their seventies? Aspiring jazz vocalists should not just listen to this recording – they need to study it. There is not a single facile or uninspired phrase in this six-and-a-half minute performance. Murphy floats behind the beat or hurries ahead; he bends the notes both ways, and measures the tolerances in microns. He coos and whispers and even howls, crazy like a loon; sometimes sighing sweetly, like a nightingale serenading the moon. And though you will marvel at the vocal, don’t ignore producer Till Brönner, a trumpeter and flugelhornist of real distinction. Even if (like me) you already own a stack of Murphy CDs, find a place in your collection for this release.
Reviewer: Ted Gioia
If you liked this track, also check out
Tags: ballad · flugelhorn · jazz vocals · skylark · you don't know what love is
Comments are closed.