Mike Murley & Mark Eisenman – Recent History (2023)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/44,1 kHz | Time – 59:26 minutes | 653 MB | Genre: Jazz
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Cornerstone Records Inc.
Juno Award winning saxophonist Mike Murley co-leads his latest release with veteran Toronto pianist Mark Eisenman. The internationally renowned rhythm section of bassist Neil Swainson and drummer Terry Clarke complete the quartet. Murley and Eisenman perform four duo tracks, featuring music from Monk, Strayhorn and two standard tunes. The quartet takes on seven Murley/Eisenman compositions, reflecting the co-leaders’ shared interest in writing new melodies on standard chord progressions (contrafacts). Recent History is mainstream jazz at its best, capturing four of Canada’s most respected jazz artists in top form.
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Mike Murley – Two Sides (Remastered) (2021)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/44,1 kHz | Time – 01:11:02 minutes | 590 MB | Genre: Jazz
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Cornerstone Records Inc.
An engaging, lyrical saxophonist, Mike Murley is one of Canada’s finest jazz talents and one of the most versatile players on the scene today. Currently active as a leader in various formations from duo to septet, Murley also maintains a busy schedule as a sideman and jazz educator (University of Toronto). He has played on ten Juno Award-winning recordings and was named saxophonist of the year eight times by the Jazz Report Awards/National Jazz Awards.
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Mike Murley – Time & Tide (Remastered) (2021)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/44,1 kHz | Time – 57:18 minutes | 601 MB | Genre: Jazz
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Cornerstone Records Inc.
“A fine record with a few programming problems, Mike Murley is once again impressive on his 1992 release Time & Tide. The focal point of the recording is the Murley composition “The Split,” a haunting track with a simple minor-key melody doubled on arco bass and tenor, which then launches into a groove reminiscent of Coltrane circa 1963. Murley and John MacLeod, on flugelhorn, both play poignantly, creating solos with dramatic contour and color. This track alone makes the album worth owning. The rest of the album is nearly as good; Murley’s “New Dream’s” allows for some enjoyable, albeit brief, interplay between Murley and MacLeod. Pianist Dave Restivo contributes an aggressive, energetic solo on bassist Jim Vivian’s composition, “Parabola.” Drummer Ted Warren replaces Elmes for four tracks, and brings a darker intensity to the recording. The album could have benefited from some track adjustment, though; the song order seems to be have determined by the differring drummers (Elmes on the first half, Warren on the second), which disrupts the flow of the record somewhat.”(Dan Cross, AMG)
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