Mark Murphy
USABiography of Mark Murphy
Mark Murphy is an American jazz vocalist, known for his unique voice and highly talented vocal improvisations. He was born in Syracuse, New York and grew up in a highly musical environment. His parents were members of the local church choir, and his grandmother and aunt played the organ. Mark started learning to play the piano at the age of 7.
As a teenager, Murphy joined a jazz group formed by his brother and performed as a singer. Even after enrolling in university, he continued to actively perform in campus and local clubs. In 1954, he moved to New York where he worked as an actor and singer. He soon met producer Milt Gabler, who was well-respected in the music industry, and Gabler was impressed by Murphy's singing ability. He even believed that Murphy could surpass Frank Sinatra.
In 1956, Murphy released his first record, "Meet Mark Murphy," followed by his second album, "Let Yourself Go." In 1958, he moved to Los Angeles and collaborated with Capitol Records for a while before returning to New York to record the classic jazz album "Rah." In 1963, Murphy released one of his most famous singles, "Fly Me To the Moon," which became a hit on local music charts.
In the late 1960s, Murphy moved to London, where he worked as an actor and also helped increase the popularity of jazz in Europe. He returned to the United States in 1972 and began recording approximately one album per year. These albums were released under the label "Muse" and gained significant success. Murphy was even nominated for a Grammy Award multiple times.
In 1987, he recorded the album "Night Mood," featuring songs by Brazilian composer Ivan Lins, followed by another Grammy-nominated album called "September Ballads." In August 1997, "BMG/RCA Victor" released his album "Song For The Geese," which earned Murphy his sixth Grammy nomination. Many consider this album to be his best work to date.
In 2005, Murphy released the album "Once to Every Heart," which featured a collection of exquisite ballads. This album was released under the Verve label. In 2007, he released "Love is What Stays," also produced by Till Brönner. Murphy has been actively collaborating with the modern Finnish jazz group "Five Corners Quintet" and has participated in the recording of two albums: "Chasin' the Jazz Gone By" and "Hot Corner."
In 2010, Murphy released the album "Never Let Me Go," featuring pianist Mikhail Piatigorsky, bassist Danton Boller, and drummer Chris Wabich. As of now, Murphy continues to record and tour worldwide, and he is rightfully regarded as one of the most outstanding jazz vocalists of our time.
