Ballads is an album by David Murray

David Murray (jazz musician)

David Murray is an American jazz musician. Murray plays mainly tenor saxophone and sometimes bass clarinet. He has recorded prolifically for many record labels since the mid-1970s.-Biography:...

 released on the Japanese DIW label. It was released in 1988 and features six quartet performances by Murray with Fred Hopkins

Fred Hopkins

Fred Hopkins was a Chicago double bassist who played a major role in the development of the avant-garde jazz movement. He was a member of the avant garde jazz trio Air and David Murray's Low Class Conspiracy; he frequently worked with the cellist Diedre Murray...

, Dave Burrell

Dave Burrell

Davis Burrell is an American jazz instrumentalist, most notably on the piano. He has worked for many jazz musicians including Archie Shepp, Pharoah Sanders, Marion Brown and David Murray.- Biography :...

 and Ralph Peterson Jr..

Reception

The Allmusic review by Stephen Cook awarded the album 3 stars stating "Ballads is an excellent set on all levels and even the sound is superb. One of the best albums of the '80s. ".

Track listing

1. "Valley Talk" (Burrell) - 7:14
2. "Love in Resort" - 4:44
3. "Ballad for the Black Man" - 11:02
4. "Paradise Five" - 8:19
5. "Lady in Black" (Peterson) - 8:00
6. "Sarah's Lament" (Burrell) - 7:12

All compositions by David Murray except as indicated

Personnel

• David Murray
  David Murray (jazz musician)
  David Murray is an American jazz musician. Murray plays mainly tenor saxophone and sometimes bass clarinet. He has recorded prolifically for many record labels since the mid-1970s.-Biography:...
  
   - tenor saxophone
• Dave Burrell
  Dave Burrell
  Davis Burrell is an American jazz instrumentalist, most notably on the piano. He has worked for many jazz musicians including Archie Shepp, Pharoah Sanders, Marion Brown and David Murray.- Biography :...
  
   - piano
• Fred Hopkins
  Fred Hopkins
  Fred Hopkins was a Chicago double bassist who played a major role in the development of the avant-garde jazz movement. He was a member of the avant garde jazz trio Air and David Murray's Low Class Conspiracy; he frequently worked with the cellist Diedre Murray...
  
   - bass
• Ralph Peterson Jr. - drums