Although trombonist
Turk Murphy
had less than a year to live at the time of this concert (from the Concord Jazz Festival), he is still in prime form on this CD.
Murphy's
band also includes cornetist
Bob Schulz
,
Lynn Zimmer
on clarinet on soprano, pianist
Ray Skjelbred
John Gill
on banjo and
Bill Carroll
on tuba, and they romp through a variety of mostly fresh material, including
"High Society,"
"Perdido Street Blues," "Weather Bird Rag" and "Oriental Strut."
Gill
has an odd country-blues vocal on "Walkin' the Blues Away," while
Murphy
sings on two songs and
Schulz
sounds quite strong during his two vocals. But it is the joyous ensembles that make this Dixieland set of greatest interest. ~ Scott Yanow