Song of the Day: Mark Murphy “My Favorite Things”

markmurphy

Murphy can take a familiar song and totally make it his own

I grew up in a house with little-to-no jazz. My parents didn’t really like it (it made my mom “nervous”). I finally discovered jazz my freshman year in college during a late night session in a dorm room with a copy of Miles DavisIn a Silent Way. After that I dove in head first and started listening to anything I could get my hands on. I was particularly drawn to some UK and German “dancefloor jazz” compilations which hipped me to such folks as Eddie Jefferson, Lambert Hendricks and Ross, Oscar Brown Jr., Cal Tjader and the artist I’m featuring today: Mark Murphy. Originally from Syracuse, NY, Murphy has been recording since 1955 and is still active today. What attracts me to Murphy is the way he swings. He can sing a song you’ve heard a million versions of and totally make it his own. Here’s his version of “My Favorite Things” from The Sound of Music—cut for his 1961 album Rah—which has become a holiday standard (thanks largely to its winter-themed lyrics).

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