Mark Murphy

Among a host of brash vocalists attempting to update Frank Sinatra's appeal for a younger, jazz-oriented audience during the late '50s and early '60s, Mark Murphy was virtually the only one with staying power. Part of the reason was his singing talent, but also his devotion to the jazz end of jazz vocals inured him to the changing times that would sink the rest of them. Except for a 1997 compilation, this DRG set is the first digital-era reissue of Murphy's Capitol recordings of the late '50s. The last two of his three LPs for the label, Mark Murphy's Hip Parade and Playing the Field were excellent recordings that benefited from Murphy's energy and precocious flair for singing jazz, as well as the arrangements of Kenton alumnus Bill Holman, one of the brightest modernists in jazz. (It certainly didn't hurt that Murphy also featured endorsements from two powerful members of the jazz cognoscenti, Steve Allen and Peggy Lee.) Whether recording with a small group or a larger band, performing standards as old as he was ("I Didn't Know About You," "But Not for Me") or songs ripped from the charts ("Lonely Town," "Venus," "Kansas City"), Murphy excels in any setting. [Contrary to the track listing on the back of the CD, the 12 songs from Playing the Field appear first, followed by Mark Murphy's Hip Parade.] ~ John Bush, All Music Guide