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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZMURPHY, Turk(b Melvin E. Murphy, 16 Dec. '15, Palermo CA; d 30 May '87) Trombonist, bandleader; active in revival (see Jazz) from earliest days. Studied music in high school, but the Depression prevented any higher education; worked for popular New England bandleader Mal Hallett (b 1896, Roxbury MA; d 20 Nov. '52, Boston) who also hired trombonists Jack Teagarden and Jack Jenny. Murphy was a founder member of the Lu Watters band late '30s, then led his own small groups, one of the most faithful of the revivalists, using banjo, no drums; he also admired more modern music and reserved his scorn for 'neo-Dixie'. He co-owned Earthquake McGoon's in San Francisco with pianist Pete Clute. Perhaps his best-known LP was a live Columbia album made at a jazz festival in New Orleans '55; another of the same era was Music Of Jelly Roll Morton with pianist Wally Rose (b 2 Oct. '13, Oakland CA; d 12 Jan. '97, Walnut Creek CA). Other LPs included two volumes of San Francisco Jazz '49-51 on Good Time Jazz with Bob Scobey, Rose, clarinettist Bob Helm (b 18 July '14, Fairmead CA; d 1 Sept. 2002, San Rafael CA) on some tracks. Also three of Live On East Street '58 on Dawn Club, three on GHB '74; Natural High '79 on Sonic, also Ragtime on Atlantic, two volumes of In Concert on GHB. Though a traditionalist, he was on the lookout for new material; he was the first to play 'Mack The Knife' in jazz, later a hit for Louis Armstrong. |