David Murray Octet - Picasso (1993)

Picasso is an album by the David Murray Octet, released on the Japanese DIW label in 1993. It features performances by Murray, Rasul Siddik, Hugh Ragin, Craig Harris, James Spaulding, Dave Burrell, Wilber Morris and Tani Tabbal. "Picasso Suite" is a tribute to both Pablo Picasso and Coleman Hawkins's tribute to Picasso. It was written for the Northeast Ohio Jazz Society and the Cleveland Museum of Art. ~ Wiki. 

The title suite is a lively, mostly up-tempo composition where the five brass players more often play with each other than try to outshine each other with solos. While it apparently is an arranged piece of music, it sounds fresh and often spontaneous. It is worth the record alone. ~ R.Walsh, AMG. 

DIW Records, DIW-879, 1993
Recorded 1st-11th September, 1992 at Sound On Sound, New York City 

Musicians:
David Murray - Tenor Sax, Bass Clarinet, Arranger (#1,3,4)
Hugh Ragin - Trumpet
Rasul Siddik - Trumpet
Craig Harris - Trombone
James Spaulding - Alto Saxophone, Flute
Dave Burrell - Piano, Arranger (#2)
Wilber Morris - Bass
Tani Tabbal - Drums 

Tracks:
1. Picasso Suite {David Murray}:
I) Introduction (2:22)
II) Catalonian Vonz (9:32)
III) La Vie - The Jazz Life (4:37)
IV) Portrait Of A Sax And Vac (3:28)
V) Airtime For Hawkins (4:01)
VI) When Hawk Meets Pablo (11:21)
VII) Reprise: Catalonian Vonz (2:27)
2. Menehune Messages {Dave Burrell, Monika Larsson} (7:44)
3. Chazz {Wilber Morris} (7:11)
4. Shakill's Warrior {David Murray} (9:26) 

Total Time: 62:15 

Credits:
Producer - Kazunori Sugiyama & DIW
Recording & Mixing Engineer - Jim Anderson
Assistant Engineer - Peter Beckerman, John Siket
Mastering Engineer - Allan Tucker
Painting [Cover] - Pablo Picasso
Photography [Back] - Noboru Ikushima
Liner Notes - Jon W. Poses 

Airtime For Hawkins

David Murray Quartet - Black & Black (1992)

In general, tenor saxophonist David Murray's Red Baron recordings are not on the same level of his Black Saints albums; the settings tended to be more conservative and the material not as strong. This outing with pianist Kirk Lightsey, bassist Santi Debriano, drummer Roy Haynes and trumpeter Marcus Belgrave is better than most of his Red Baron releases. The material is fairly basic (including "Duke's Place" and the two-note "C Jam Blues" theme, which is listed as being composed by four people), Murray tends to play fairly freely despite the boppish rhythm section, and the closing "Head Out" (the longest of the five lengthy jams) has plenty of fiery intensity. Not essential but worth picking up by David Murray fans. ~ by Scott Yanow, AMG.

Red Baron/Sony Music, AK 48852, 1992

Recorded 7^th October, 1991

Musicians:

David Murray - Tenor Saxophone

Marcus Belgrave - Trumpet

Kirk Lightsey - Piano

Santi Debriano - Bass

Roy Haynes - Drums

Tracks:

1. Anti-Calypso {Roland Prince} (10:12)

2. Duke's Place {Duke Ellington, Bob Thiele, Ruth Roberts, Bill Katz} (11:16)

3. Cool {Glenn Osser, Bob Thiele} (11:13)

4. Black And Black {Glenn Osser, Bob Thiele} (10:47)

5. Head Out {David Murray} (12:45)

Credits:

Producer - Bob Thiele

Recording & Mixing - Harvey Goldberg

Assistant Engineer - Susie Fink

Digital Mastering - Chris Herles (Sony Studios, New York)

Musical Coordinator - Gary Pacheo

Photography - Michael Hashimoto

Art Direction & Design - Sid Maurer (MPI Graphics, New york)

Liner Notes - Nat Hentoff