Sunny Murray, also known as Sunny Murray Quintet, is an album by American free jazz drummer Sunny Murray, his second as a leader. It was recorded in New York City in January, 1966, and released on the ESP-Disk label.[1] The album features Murray on drums along with alto saxophonists Byard Lancaster and Jack Graham, trumpeter Jacques Coursil, and bassist Alan Silva. A remastered version, which includes an interview between Murray and ESP founder Bernard Stollman, was issued by ESP-Disk in 2007.[2][3]
| Sunny Murray | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1966 | |||
| Recorded | January 1966 | |||
| Studio | New York City | |||
| Genre | Free jazz | |||
| Length | 41:01 | |||
| Label | ESP-Disk 1032 | |||
| Sunny Murray chronology | ||||
| ||||
According to Murray, he used a thirty-six-inch bass drum on the album "because there's something about that instrument that homogenizes the group."[4] Murray recalled that he met Coursil at a restaurant after saxophonist Clarence Sharpe recommended that he speak with the dishwasher: "There's a cat works in the kitchen. He's pretty good, Murray. You ought to check him out."[4]
Following the release of the album, Murray was awarded DownBeat magazine's "New Star" award in the drum category.[5] When he learned that the award did not involve a cash component, Murray went to DownBeat offices and "revolted": "I took some paper from the secretary's trash can, and I made a bonfire on the floor and I started to burn my Downbeat award. The secretary called the police. There was smoke everywhere, and Don [DeMichael, Editor] came out of the office throwing water on the fire..."[6]
Reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [7] |
| The Penguin Guide to Jazz |  [8] |
In a review for AllMusic, Scott Yanow awarded Sunny Murray 4.5 stars, and wrote: "the band is fairly coherent but also full of fire and chance-taking solos. In ways, this is a typical ESP free-form blowing session, and certainly will be most enjoyed by open-eared listeners."[7] The authors of The Penguin Guide to Jazz awarded the album 3 stars, calling it Murray's "real coming-out as a leader" and "pretty uncompromising fare."[8] Writing for All About Jazz, Jerry D'Souza commented: "The music is intense, but it is also passionate... [it] ferments, roils, and fascinates."[9]
Track listing
editTracks 1, 2, and 4 by Sunny Murray. Track 3 by Jacques Coursil.
- "Phase 1,2,3,4" – 9:45
- "Hilariously" – 11:12
- "Angels And Devils" – 11:09
- "Giblet" – 8:55
Personnel
edit- Byard Lancaster – alto saxophone
- Jack Graham – alto saxophone
- Jacques Coursil – trumpet
- Alan Silva – bass
- Sunny Murray – drums
Production
edit- David Hancock – engineer
- Ray Gibson – cover photo
- J. Dillon – art director
References
edit- ^ "Sunny Murray: Sunny Murray". ESP-Disk. Retrieved December 28, 2021.
- ^ "Sunny Murray: Sunny Murray". ESP-Disk. Retrieved December 28, 2021.
- ^ "Sunny Murray: Sunny Murray: Releases". AllMusic. Retrieved December 28, 2021.
- ^ a b Weiss, Jason (2012). Always in Trouble: An Oral History of ESP-Disk, the Most Outrageous Record Label in America. Wesleyan University Press. p. 257.
- ^ Russonello, Giovanni (December 14, 2017). "Sunny Murray, Influential Free-Jazz Drummer, Is Dead at 81". NY Times. Retrieved December 28, 2021.
- ^ Warburton, Dan (November 3, 2000). "Sunny Murray Interview". Paris Transatlantic. Retrieved December 28, 2021.
- ^ a b Yanow, Scott. "Sunny Murray: Sunny Murray". AllMusic. Retrieved December 28, 2021.
- ^ a b Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2006). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings. Penguin Books. p. 968.
- ^ D'Souza, Jerry (July 11, 2008). "Sunny Murray: Sunny Murray". All About Jazz. Retrieved December 28, 2021.