Murray's Steps is the fifth 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:...

 to be released on the Italian Black Saint

Black Saint/Soul Note

Black Saint and Soul Note are two affiliated Italian jazz independent record labels. Since their conception in the 1970s, they have released albums from a variety of influential jazz musicians, particularly in the genre of free jazz.-History:...

 label and the third to feature his Octet. It was released in 1982 and features performances by Murray, Henry Threadgill

Henry Threadgill

Henry Threadgill is an American composer, saxophonist and flautist. Threadgill came to prominence in the 1970s leading ensembles with unusual instrumentation and often incorporating a range of non-jazz genres....

, Bobby Bradford

Bobby Bradford

Bobby Lee Bradford is an American jazz trumpeter, cornetist, bandleader, and composer. He is noted for his work with Ornette Coleman...

, Lawrence "Butch" Morris

Butch Morris

Lawrence D. "Butch" Morris is an American jazz cornetist, composer and conductor.-Biography:Before his musical career, Morris served in Vietnam during the Vietnam War....

, Craig Harris

Craig S. Harris (trombonist)

Craig S. Harris is a Jazz trombonist and composer who has been a major figure in the jazz avant-garde movement since his stint with Sun Ra in 1976. Subsequently, Harris has worked with such notable jazz artists as Abdullah Ibrahim, David Murray, Lester Bowie, Cecil Taylor, Sam Rivers, Muhal...

, Curtis Clark

Curtis Clark

- Life and career :Clark was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1950, but moved to Los Angeles where he spent his student years and started composing and playing the piano. After Clark graduated in music theory and composition from the California Institute of Arts in Valencia, he set out for New York City...

, Wilber Morris

Wilber Morris

Wilber Morris was an American jazz double bass player and bandleader. He was the brother of the cornetist, composer, and conductor Butch Morris....

 and Steve McCall

Steve McCall (drummer)

Steve McCall was an American jazz drummer.McCall was born in Chicago and began his career there in the 1950s. One of his early gigs was playing behind blues singer Lucky Carmichael. McCall befriended Muhal Richard Abrams in 1961, and went on to be one of the founders of the AACM in 1965...

.

Reception

The Allmusic review by Scott Yanow

Scott Yanow

Scott Yanow is an American jazz commentator, known for many contributions to the Allmusic website, for writing ten books on jazz and for reviewing jazz recordings for over 30 years.-Biography:...

 awarded the album 5 stars stating "The octet is perfect for David Murray as an outlet for his writing, a showcase for his compositions, and an inspiring vehicle for his tenor and bass clarinet solos. For the third octet album (all are highly recommended), Murray meets up with quite a talented group of individuals: altoist Henry Threadgill, trumpeter Bobby Bradford, cornetist Butch Morris, trombonist Craig Harris, pianist Curtis Clark, bassist Wilber Morris, and drummer Steve McCall. Their interpretations of four of Murray's originals -- "Murray's Steps," "Sweet Lovely," "Sing Song," and "Flowers for Albert" -- are emotional, adventurous, and exquisite (sometimes all three at the same time).".

Track listing

1. "Murray's Steps" - 12:25
2. "Sweet Lovely" - 8:00
3. "Sing Song" - 9:40
4. "Flowers for Albert" - 9:40

All compositions by David Murray

• Recorded at Barigozzi Studios, Milano, July 14, 15 & 19,1982

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, bass clarinet
• Henry Threadgill
  Henry Threadgill
  Henry Threadgill is an American composer, saxophonist and flautist. Threadgill came to prominence in the 1970s leading ensembles with unusual instrumentation and often incorporating a range of non-jazz genres....
  
   - alto saxophone
• Bobby Bradford
  Bobby Bradford
  Bobby Lee Bradford is an American jazz trumpeter, cornetist, bandleader, and composer. He is noted for his work with Ornette Coleman...
  
   - trumpet
• Lawrence "Butch" Morris
  Butch Morris
  Lawrence D. "Butch" Morris is an American jazz cornetist, composer and conductor.-Biography:Before his musical career, Morris served in Vietnam during the Vietnam War....
  
   - cornet
• Craig Harris
  Craig S. Harris (trombonist)
  Craig S. Harris is a Jazz trombonist and composer who has been a major figure in the jazz avant-garde movement since his stint with Sun Ra in 1976. Subsequently, Harris has worked with such notable jazz artists as Abdullah Ibrahim, David Murray, Lester Bowie, Cecil Taylor, Sam Rivers, Muhal...
  
   - trombone
• Curtis Clark
  Curtis Clark
  - Life and career :Clark was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1950, but moved to Los Angeles where he spent his student years and started composing and playing the piano. After Clark graduated in music theory and composition from the California Institute of Arts in Valencia, he set out for New York City...
  
   - piano
• Wilber Morris
  Wilber Morris
  Wilber Morris was an American jazz double bass player and bandleader. He was the brother of the cornetist, composer, and conductor Butch Morris....
  
   - bass
• Steve McCall
  Steve McCall (drummer)
  Steve McCall was an American jazz drummer.McCall was born in Chicago and began his career there in the 1950s. One of his early gigs was playing behind blues singer Lucky Carmichael. McCall befriended Muhal Richard Abrams in 1961, and went on to be one of the founders of the AACM in 1965...
  
  - drums