Special Quartet

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Total Tracks: 6   Total Length: 50:54

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The pinnacle of Murray's discography

heddddged

This is the greatest work in David Murray's voluminous output. Perhaps I am biased because of my near worship of Elvin Jones and McCoy Tyner, but this album just smokes on every track. Unlike many other Murray albums, the music never gets too caught up in pyrotechnics and screeching... there's plenty of that but it all seems to fit in to the Coltrane inspired setup. Download In A Sentimental Mood, Cousin Mary, or 3D Family... you'll want the rest

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They Say All Music Guide

When one reads the personnel on this CD, the potential seems enormous: tenor saxophonist David Murray, pianist McCoy Tyner, bassist Fred Hopkins, and drummer Elvin Jones. Murray was a good choice for the tenor slot because, although influenced by John Coltrane’s adventurous spirit, he has never sounded like Coltrane, coming closer to the Ben Webster/Paul Gonsalves tradition but with a style of his own. In addition to Trane’s “Cousin Mary” and “In a Sentimental Mood” (which Coltrane had recorded with Duke Ellington, and Murray takes as a duet with Tyner), the music includes three of the tenor’s originals (including “3-D Family”) and a Butch Morris song. The fresh material really pushes Tyner, who mostly sticks to standards with his own trio, while Jones sounds as passionate as usual. A successful outing full of mutual inspiration, this CD is easily recommended. – Scott Yanow

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