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Articles about Chris Murphy

• Maple Blues Magazine, May/04
• London This Week, Apr/04
• Scene Magazine, Apr/04
• London Free Press, Jan/03
• Big City Blues Magazine, 2000
• The Communication Centre, Feb/00
• London Free Press, Feb/99
• Real Blues Magazine, Feb/Mar.99
• Scene Magazine, Jan/99
• Crescendo, Feb/99
• Maple Blues Magazine, Feb/99
• London Free Press, Aug/95
• Forest City News,Oct/94

John's Blues Picks - May 2004 back
Maple Blues Magazine - John Valentine

Chris Murphy I'm a Happy Guy Speakeasy 3007

This year's Maple Blues Awards Band featured London's Chris Murphy on his tenor sax and now his second CD is available for your consideration. Produced by the legendary Jack Richardson, I'm a Happy Guy features a who's who of Ontario players supporting his usual blend of masterful, funky, jazzy instrumentals and well-chosen vocals. A sort-of basic band (this CD appears to have been assembled from a few sessions) is Jack de Keyzer and Terry Lee on guitars, Gary Kendall on bass and Darcy Ura or Jim Casson on drums. "Hit It" and "No Junk, Just Fonk" are the fine opening instrumentals, followed by an instrumental version of Elmore James' "Talk To Me Baby" with Terry Lee's guitar taking the lead. London's Denise Pelley gets the vocal honours on Bill Heid's "Saxman". I've heard her sing some jazz but on this one she shows she should sing much more blues. The second half of the program slows things down a bit with some 50's style R&B sax-led ballads. In the past couple of months, three CD's with sax players as leaders have graced my player and I must say it's a nice change.

Sax player couldn't be happier back

Jamie Vandermoer, London This Week, April 21, 2004

Chris Murphy has good reason to be happy. His new CD, I'm a Happy Guy, was just released last week on Speakeasy Records. Meanwhile, his show Friday night at Downtown Kathy Brown's on Dundas Street played to a capacity crowd.

I'm a Happy Guy is Murphy's second solo CD. It has the sax man working with many guest performers including London's Janalynne Rogers and Denise Pelley. Guitarist Terry Lee also performs on the album as does Juno award winner Jack DeKeyzer.

Often said to be the hardest-working musician in the city, Murphy's show kicked off a promotional tourfor I'm a Happy Guy. It will have him on the road almost nightly between now and July, however that is not much different from his regular routine. Murphy is usually on the road playing shows about 200 nights a year.

For much of the 1990's, Murphy played with the Old Chicago Blues Band then branched off on his own, touring solo or with other accomplished musicians like Jack DeKeyzer. In all 17 different musicians lend a hand in the songs on Happy Guy. Legendary producer Jack Richardson, who produced many Guess Who albums, worked as producer on the recording.

Murphy visits his old stomping ground this weekend playing with the current Old Chicago house band Friday and Saturday.

Scene Magazine back

Scene Magazine April 15, 2004
  John "The Razor" Sharpe

Chris Murphy · I'm A Happy Guy. (Speakeasy)
With a big sax sound reminiscent of Stanley Turrentine. Gene Ammons and Grover Washington, Chris Murphy may be the most versatile, hardest workin' musician in London. Always on the go, Murphy is constantly touring, whether with his own group or as a sideman for others. I'm A Happy Guy, his second release as a solo artist, contains 15 tracks of funky R&B and saxophone-driven party music. Produced by the legendary Jack Richardson, I'm A Happy Guy includes contributions from such noted sidemen as guitarists Terry Lee and Jack DeKeyzer, keyboard veteran Michael Fonfara and bassist Gary Kendall. And let's not forget the work of fine London artists like Denise Pelley, Don DiCarlo, Janalynne Rogers, Marty Verweel and Murphy's dad, Phil. With musical friends like this, it's no wonder Murphy's a happy guy.
- John Sharpe B

Editor's Note: I'm A Happy Guy will be released on April 16, 9:00 p.m. at Downtown Kathy Brown 's. Cover: $5.

London Free Press back

Blues Award Honours Murphy
The London Free Press - Sunday January 26, 2003

London sax player Chris Murphy is the first winner of the Jimmy Lewis life-time of blues award.

The honour was announced as part of the Firehall Reunion concert and celebration at Centennial Hall last night.

Murphy has been a strong voice for the London blues scene, leading his own band and sitting in with other groups. He's also heard on CD's including his own album, Blowin' the Horn, and on CHRW FM radio, where he co-hosts, "The Blues Never Die" a show devoted to blues.

The award is named for Jimmy Lewis, a bass player and longtime member of the London blues scene who died last year.

Big City Blues Magazine back

CHRIS MURPHY BLOWIN’ THE HORN SPEAKEASY #3006
By Mark A. Cole, Big City Blues Magazine, Detroit MI 2000

The lively upbeat character of Chris Murphy’s music will kick ya in the rear and getcha goin’! Blowin’ The Horn is a contemporary jazz/blues collection of smart high-keyed, uptempoed selections. Opening with his own, “Lost in the Shuffle” and moving into Bill Heid’s “Blowin’ The Horn”, Murphy takes us on a horn-led, jump excursion. It leads through funkland with stuff like War’s “Lowrider” and Maurice J. Vaughn’s “Everything I Do Has Got To Be Funky” and then into contempo-jazz riffs on “Bluesona Slonite” and his closing “Orange Brandy”.

This Canadian crew is cookin’ throughout: Murphy’ alto, tenor, and baritone sax’s and his substantially ranged vocals are backed by two groups. The first includes Gary Kendall on bass, Michael Fonfara on keys, Steve Grisbrook on guitars, Jim Casson on drums and Phil Murphy’s help on alto sax on one tune. The vocals of Richard Knight, Kenn Allison, and Chuck Jackson are also heard. The second group included Doug Varty on guitar and keyboards, John Knapp on drums, Colin Stewart on bass, and Chris Murphy on sax and organ. Geoff Dahl helped on “Lowrider” with bass and vox, also.

Saxophone blues and jazz of highest caliber. Take horns to heart. Cleverly interchanged leads and great melodies. These north-of the border blues have what it takes. A brilliant production by Kendall and Fonfara with over fifty minutes of illuminous material.

The Communication Centre back

Blowin' The Horn - Chris Murphy
Speakeasy CDs - 1999 - 12 tracks

Review Written: February 18, 2000

With an agricultural economy which has evolved to become centred around a respected university community and major financial head offices, London, Ontario, Canada may not be where most people would expect to nurture hard-edged, rootsy blues. Yet, London is home to a number of Canada's finest blues artists. Of these, sax man Chris Murphy is a prime example.

On Blowin' The Horn, Murphy's blues has a decidedly big-band sound. The sound rambles through a range of styles, from true electric blues to the solid R & B sound that Alan Freed dubbed Rock and Roll to sixties rock and even something approaching forty's swing. What holds it all together is a driving energy. If it is nothing else, this is music that makes one want to dance.

When he's not wailing on the sax, Murphy sings. In this, as in the music backing him, Murphy demonstrates a versatility that is refreshing. Sometimes, as in "Let's Straighten It Out," Murphy's voice and style is reminiscent of Robert Cray, bringing an authentic blues sound to the music. At other times, he evokes the sound of a variety of blues styles. Other songs, like "Last Call for Alcohol" are hard-driving Rock and Roll. In fact, the title song sounds more like the kind of Rock and Roll made famous by Bill Haley and his Comets in the early fifties.

With some singers, especially those just starting out, this diversity of voice and singing style might be seen as problematic. The listener might consider that the singer had not yet found his or her distinctive voice. In Murphy's release, though, he shows a confidence in his singing that suggests that rather than seeking his own voice, he's simply honouring influences. Chris Murphy is a chameleon of the blues, changing his hue to suit the song being sung.

This release, however, is not about singing and not about lyrics. It's all about the groove. A rarity among contemporary releases, Blowin' the Horn is built around the instrumental talents of the players. Five of the songs have no singing at all. The rest feature long instrumental sections that allow the musicians to jam.

The finishing touch is put to many of these songs by Michael Fonfara on keys (Hammond organ and piano), providing the perfect complement to Murphy's sax work.

The overall consistency of this release is a credit to Chris Murphy and his producers. The cuts on Blowin' The Horn were recorded in four studios. Often, such an arrangement will lead to a mixed and inconsistent sound, yet the producers of Blowin' The Horn have managed to avoid this pitfall, creating a product where all the songs seem to have been made for each other.

The dozen songs on this release, many of them quite long, provide excellent value for the money. But it gets better. This is a baker's dozen, with a great thirteenth cut, a lively rendering of "I Ain't Drunk," tucked in at the end of the set.

Real Blues Magazine back

Real Blues, Feb/Mar 1999, Victoria BC.
  By Tim Holek

A new blues club called Boomerz has opened in London and they are booking national touring acts from Canada and the U.S. Canada's blues band, Downchild, hosted the grand opening before a packed house. Our good friend Chris Murphy is booking the entertainment at the club so we can be sure to catch the best in the blues. Murhpy's debut CD "Blowin the Horn" was released on January 25th. It was produced by Michael Fonfara and Gary Kendall both of Downchild. I was fortunated to get an advance copy and let me tell you the CD is loaded with a great mix of blues, funk and smooth jazz. Chris Murphy is, of course, the former sax-man and leader of the Old Chicago Blues Band. They were the house band at the Old Chicago Speakeasy and performed 3 shows a night, 5 nights a week for more than 5 years. During that time the band released 2 CD's. Since leaving the band in 1998, Chris has the touring the U.S. and Canada as the bandleader for Chicago Pete. Murphy proudly admits that Pete is his mentor. In fact, Chicago Pete's "The Blues Is Alright" CD was produced by Chris and was released on his independent Speakeasy label. Murphy's solo debut CD follows the rech tradition of "party blues" bands such as Powder Blues, David Wilcox and Downchild. This is the type of blues that makes you want to get up and dance. You simply can't listen to this CD without some part of your body starting to move and keep to the beat of the music. The tune "Flat Feet" is a prime example. I really enjoy his version of Bill Heid's "Blowin the Horn." "Juice for Junior" is anothe little ditty with a great groove. I'm sure the humorous "Last Call For Alcohol" is sure to be a crowd-pleaser. The backing band is superb (most notably Michael Fonfara on keys) and they get to have their share of the Spotlight too. Chris brought his Uptown Blooze band to the Parkview Tavern in Chatham for a pre-release party. This version of Uptown Blooze consisted of Tim Tyler (drums), Doug Eyre (bass and vocals) and Terry Lee (guitar). The set-lists include blues standards but grew larger and louder as the band ripped through "Everything I Do Has Got To Be Funky,""Honey Bee" and the CD's title track. Chris' sax solo's and Terry Lee's outstanding guitar work on his Gibson ES-335 stole the show. For more info, check out the Speakeasy CD website. It can be found at www.execulink.com/~speakeasy.

Scene Magazine January 14,1999
  John "The Razor" Sharpe

Chris Murphy plays a mean Sax and has earned a reputation as a crowd-pleaser. His debut CD Blowin' The Horn includes swinging blues, funky R&B dance grooves and humorous barroom party tunes. The title track features hot saxophone solo's by both Chris and his father Phil Murphy, who recently placed on the Mayor's Honour list for 1998.

From the President's Pen by Paul Sharpe   Crescendo, London Musicians' Association, Feb /99

Another well known Murphy family member is making his own waves. Chris Murphy has just released his debut solo CD titled “Blowin’ The Horn”. This fine effort includes musical support from area musicians Colin Stewart, Doug Varty, John Knapp, Kenn Allison, Geoff Dahl, and Phil Murphy; as well as a number of prominent Toronto based musicians. Chris has been a member of our Local since 1982 and like his father before him, has served as a member of the Executive Board.

Maple Blues Magazine back

New Releases by John Valenteyn   Toronto Blues Society Maple Blues Magazine, Feb /99

Chris Murphy has been a mainstay of the London blues scene for quite a while now - his Speakeasy Productions encompasses booking, promotion, management and recordings; he plays tenor sax and keyboards with The Old Chicago Blues Band, taking the occasional vocal and he also co-hosts a popular local blues radio show. His label has CD's by Chicago Pete, two by the band and one from up & coming guitar ace Chris Chown. With Blowin' The Horn, he steps out front. Produced by Gary Kendall (also on bass) & Michael Fonfara (also featured on B3), the album will be a delight for fans of '50's honking R&B. The highlights for me are the instrumentals - "Lost In The Shuffle", "Juice For Junior" (for Jr. Walker), "Happy Guy" (with Fonfara on piano), the wonderfully-named "Bluesona Slonite" with music (and bass solo) by Gary Kendall and "Orange Brandy" with only Murphy on tenor & Fonfara on piano. In addition to Fonfara & Kendall, the band includes Steve Grisbrook on guitar and Jim Casson on drums. Three of the remaining songs are from Old Chicago Blues Band sessions, with Richard Knight & Doug Varty on vocals, although the liner notes are a little confusing here; and there are 13 songs, not 12.

SINGING THE BLUES A GOOD GIG IN LONDON back

MANY LOCAL MUSICIANS ARE MAKING A LINING PLAYING FOR LOYAL FANS AROUND THE CITY

IAN GILLESPIE LONDON FREE PRESS ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER

AUGUST 12, 1995

Chris Murphy is one of many local musicians who has managed to make his living from the blues. The son of local jazz musician Phil, Murphy pays saxophone, keyboards and sings with the Old Chicago Blues Band.

"Maybe the local (blues) scene exists because the musicians just willed it," says Murphy. "A lot of us didn't give up.

"I think it's stronger now than it's ever been. And there were never as many guys living in London making a living."

Murphy reels off a list of local blues players, including Tim Woodcock, Doug Varty, Douglas Watson and the Hot Flames, Margaret Stowe, The Untouchables, Kenn Allison, Ben Shane, Chris Trowell, Larry Smith and Al Carter.

"For me, it's really honest music. If you play the music honestly, then it's correct. So it's really open to your individual way of doing it."

And it examines everyday issues such as love and money (or lack therof), but the blues isn't necessarily melancholy.

A good example, says Murphy is when B.B. King sings "Nobody loves me but my mother." That's the heavy statement, which is then immediately undercut by a light-hearted lampoon: "And she could be jiving too."

And unlike alternative rock, blues isn't played only by skinny 19-year-olds. And the fans are older,too.

"Sometimes you stand on stage and you'll see a 50-year-old woman dancing
beside a 22-year-old," says Murphy. "It doesn't appeal to everybody, but the people who like really like it."

The blues started in Chicago but in London they live through Chris Murphy .

Playing the Blues by Wayne Glidden   The Forest City News Oct/94

The blues were born in Chicago, and are living on in London at the Old Chicago Speakeasy. Don't be dissuaded by its description as a melancholic derivative of black folk music. It's upbeat, energetic, and it's easy to tell that the boys on stage are loving it. Doug Varty on guitar, Colin Stewart on bass, John Knapp on drums, and Chris Murphy blowing the sax, while occasionally tickling the electronic ivories.

Murphy's been playing for 22 years, previously hitting the road for six years with the Uptown Blooze. A one night stand at Old Chicago has turned into a 27 month (and counting) gig as the house band.

"We like it here and they like us", says Murphy, as evidenced by the raucous packed house one night last week. London is a very good blues town, and the style is the "biggest it's ever been" says Murphy. Last week, the feature was Douglas Watson, a blues singer from Chicago (right now he and the band are kicking up a pulsating tune by the Reverend Al Green). Will they wear out their welcome? "Probably," says Murphy, "but the line-ups are bigger than ever".

Other former Murphy bands include the Forest City Blues Band and Soul Sausage. He's happy to be settled down in his native London, after years of setting up, tearing down, and travelling on the road.

"(Touring) takes up a lot of time. A lot of driving, setting up, tearing down," he says. "(We can) learn a lot of songs here."

Finding gigs has never been a problem.

"I've been really lucky. I've always played and always played a lot," he says. "Every band I got in worked a lot. They always want us back."

While Murphy is courteous and forthcoming in an interview, the litmus test of his makeup is best seen on the stage, with the bright lights gleaming, and the floor speakers thundering. Inhibitions are scattered, and he plays the room with song intros, and a touch of vocals, but mostly with his wailing sax, which, as usual in blues, is almost totally improvised. "Everything's fun," he says, a point obvious from watching him on stage.

There seems to be a market for the live version of their music. Chris is making a living doing what he loves and what he does best. London's where it's at for him.

"I'm only going to leave when nothing's happening, and something's always happening," say Chris.

For proof, drop by the Old Chicago Speakeasy almost any night, and catch he and his bandmates in the act. You may just become hooked on the blues.

Back to the top

Playing the blues is such a natural fit for Chris Murphy that it's almost as if the music picked him, rather than the other way around

By IAN GILLESPIE, London Free Press

It was 1971. Chris Murphy was 17 years old. And the London musician was doing just about the unhippest, uncoolest, downright dorkiest thing he could possibly imagine -- playing swing tunes with a bunch of over-the-hill guys for an audience of 50- and 60-year-olds.

"When I was playing swing music, I wished I was playing in a band that was doing Chicago Transit Authority or Blood Sweat and Tears and playing for people my own age," recalls Murphy. Then he laughs.

"Now, the swing thing is hip!"

Murphy's early dabbling with something that seemed to epitomize the height of unhipness has paid off. These days, the son of longtime London bandleader Phil Murphy has established himself as one of the top blues blowers in Canada.

He has just released a new album (Blowin' the Horn), he runs his own record label (Speakeasy CDs), he performs regularly on a blues circuit that includes London, Toronto and Detroit, he co-hosts a regular radio show (Blues Never Die on CHRW 94.7 FM) and his resume boasts production credits for albums by artists such as Chicago Pete and local blues guitar prodigy Chris Chown.

And all of it started when, as a teenager, Murphy traded his clarinet for a saxophone.

"When guys in the third-string bands needed a sax player, they'd give me a chance because of who my dad was," says Murphy. "It's sort of like if you were Wayne Gretzky's kid and somebody needed somebody to play junior C hockey; they'd say, 'Give that kid a chance.'

"The first time I went out and played in a band, they gave me $65," recalls Murphy. "I was a Grade 12 student, I was five feet tall and weighed 90 pounds and all my buddies were working in grocery stores for 90 cents an hour. Then they asked me to come back the next week for Friday and Saturday and I came home with $130.

"And then I started thinking, 'Man, this beats working.' So I started working pretty hard at the music."

After cutting his teeth with some local swing bands, Murphy played with Soul Sausage and the Forest City Jazz Band before forming Uptown Blooze in 1986. Until about 18 months ago, he led the house band at Old Chicago's Speakeasy and Grill.

A number of London nightclubs feature blues bands, including Other Side, Clydes, Suz Blues House, Refried Dreams, Wortley Roadhouse and Boomerz.

Murphy says the preponderance of London blues clubs -- a tradition that extends back to Brian Mortimer's commitment to the genre at the Old Firehall and Leadbelly's -- has helped raised the bar when it comes to the technical skills of local blues musicians.

"There were all these gigs for years, where London musicians would back up American singers," Murphy says. "When I was at Old Chicago's, I backed up 50 different singers and they were all good. And you learn stuff from all of them.

"It makes you quite a different musician than if you'd been living in Quebec City and played in one band with the same four guys, maybe doing the same songs for five or six years."

Murphy also credits his father -- now 70 and recently honoured with a Mayor's Award for his contribution to London's arts scene -- with imparting some lasting lessons about how to survive as a professional musician.

"He taught me that what I was involved in was a profession -- it

wasn't just a hobby," says Murphy. "And that if I acted professionally, people would pay me for my time and I could actually end up doing okay.

"And just learning that the music was more important than the party, as far as having a career goes. If you're Eric Clapton or Stevie Ray Vaughan, you can put the party first and it's going to work out for you. But those guys are one in a million. For most of the people in the industry, it's all about showing up on time and doing what's expected of you."

A full-time professional musician for 21 years who now supports his wife and their seven-year-old daughter with his horn, Murphy has clearly been doing what's expected -- and more. And most of the time, what he's been doing is the blues.

Why?

"I just always liked that kind of music and I just always played that way. I'm not sure I had that much say about it. To me, it's sort of like, some people like pepper on their mashed potatoes. Why would that be?

"The blues just always moved me and lucky for me, what I liked was also what I was good at."

Murphy holds high hopes for his new, nationally distributed album. Recorded in London, Stratford and Toronto, Blowin' the Horn features a mix of original and traditional tunes and was co-produced by keyboardist Michael Fonfara, who has played with Lou Reed, Foreigner and, more recently, Downchild Blues Band.

But in the end, it all comes down to a musical celebration of everyday highs and lows.

"(Blues) is about how you feel and how you're expressing yourself," Murphy says. "It's going to tell me a story and it's not the same every night."

And no -- the blues ain't necessarily sad.

"I think it's about release," he says.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chris Murphy

The album: Chris Murphy: Blowin' the Horn (Speakeasy CDs, Festival Distribution)

The gig: Wednesday nights at The Boomerz Club, 201 Wharncliffe Rd. S.; cover $3; call 432-3351 (limited seating)