David Murray

David Murray has been hailed as the most consequential tenor saxophonist of his generation. He took up the instrument at nine and was leading R&B bands a mere three years later. He eventually relocated to New York, hooked up with fellow sax free spirits, Hamiet Bluiett, Oliver Lake and Julius Hemphill, to form the World Saxophone Quartet. Later, he established many of his own bands, including David Murray Octet, leading them on a series of acclaimed albums for the Black Saint label. He has worked in numerous settings from trio to big band, wedding his post Coltrane style to everything from Latin music and funk to African folk forms on dozens of albums.