Murray Low
Murray Low is a veteran pianist of the Bay Area jazz scene and has been playing, composing, arranging, recording and teaching professionally for over thirty years. His fluency in all forms of jazz and its blending with other idioms has led to a multi-faceted career spanning a wide variety of musical contexts.
Murray is best known for his contributions to Latin Jazz, Salsa and Afro-Cuban musical landscape. In his twenty-two years of involvement he has established himself as one of the premier pianists in that genre, being nominated as 2008 Pianist of the Year by the Latin Jazz Corner and for a Grammy in 2004 as part of Machete Ensemble. He is or has been the regular pianist/collaborator with several top Bay Area ensembles including Wayne Wallace’s Quintet, John Calloway’s Diaspora, Jesus Diaz y su QBA, Pete Escovedo Orchestra, and John Santos’ Machete Ensemble. He has also collaborated with Latin Jazz giants Ray Vega, Tito Puente, Poncho Sanchez, Nestor Torres, and Andrea Brachfeld. In 2008 he also performed with famous Cuban flautist Orlando Valle at the Monterey Jazz Festival as part of a specially commissioned project including Jon Benitez, David Sanchez, Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez, and Giovanni Hildalgo.
Murray is also actively involved in many first-call Bay Area projects in other jazz idioms including “straight ahead”, fusion and free-form styles. His career has included both local and international performances with Bob Mintzer, Clark Terry, Benny Golson, John Patitucci, George Duke, Bob Sheppard, and John Handy. He has performed at major jazz festivals all over the world, including multiple engagements at the Playboy, Monterey, Russian River and San Jose, San Francisco, Mt. Hood, Juan Les Pins and Vienne Jazz festivals, and has appeared on the Vibe and Magic Hour late-night television shows as well. Closer to home, he is the regular pianist/keyboardist for diverse projects such as drummer Wally Schnalle’s Jazz Fusion Project, trumpeter John Worley’s jazz group Worlview (which recently did a Freddie Hubbard and Birth of the Cool tribute), and many others.
As an educator, Murray currently teaches Jazz Piano and Ensemble performance at Stanford University, taught Jazz Theory and Improvisation at U.C. Santa Cruz from 2007- 2009, and was Artist-In-Residence for the renowned Kuumbwa Jazz Center for 2008-2009. He has been a guest lecturer and clinician at several colleges, universities, and high schools throughout California. He also teaches privately and is an active consultant for several musicians in the area, and previously held positions at U.C. Berkeley and the Jazz School.
Murray is also actively sought out as a first-rate accompanist, particularly for vocalists. He is the musical director for world jazz vocalists Kat Parra and Alexa Weber Morales. He has successfully collaborated with several notable singers, including Kitty Margolis, Judy Wexler, Ellen Robinson, Jamie Davis, Lichi Fuentes and Anna Estrada.
Murray has received various accolades and awards throughout his career, including First Place in the Combo Division at the U.C. Berkeley Jazz Festival, a Grammy nomination for Best Latin Jazz Album, and a Piano Player of the Year nomination from Latin Jazz Corner website. He is often a featured artist with the Stanford Jazz Orchestra and U.C. Santa Cruz Jazz Ensembles.
“In order to combine styles in a meaningful way,” Murray states, “each tradition must be respected and studied in earnest. One must seek to understand the essence of the music, rather than resort to simple motifs and idiomatic devices. It is only then that a fresh, exciting blend is able to emerge.”
Murray is best known for his contributions to Latin Jazz, Salsa and Afro-Cuban musical landscape. In his twenty-two years of involvement he has established himself as one of the premier pianists in that genre, being nominated as 2008 Pianist of the Year by the Latin Jazz Corner and for a Grammy in 2004 as part of Machete Ensemble. He is or has been the regular pianist/collaborator with several top Bay Area ensembles including Wayne Wallace’s Quintet, John Calloway’s Diaspora, Jesus Diaz y su QBA, Pete Escovedo Orchestra, and John Santos’ Machete Ensemble. He has also collaborated with Latin Jazz giants Ray Vega, Tito Puente, Poncho Sanchez, Nestor Torres, and Andrea Brachfeld. In 2008 he also performed with famous Cuban flautist Orlando Valle at the Monterey Jazz Festival as part of a specially commissioned project including Jon Benitez, David Sanchez, Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez, and Giovanni Hildalgo.
Murray is also actively involved in many first-call Bay Area projects in other jazz idioms including “straight ahead”, fusion and free-form styles. His career has included both local and international performances with Bob Mintzer, Clark Terry, Benny Golson, John Patitucci, George Duke, Bob Sheppard, and John Handy. He has performed at major jazz festivals all over the world, including multiple engagements at the Playboy, Monterey, Russian River and San Jose, San Francisco, Mt. Hood, Juan Les Pins and Vienne Jazz festivals, and has appeared on the Vibe and Magic Hour late-night television shows as well. Closer to home, he is the regular pianist/keyboardist for diverse projects such as drummer Wally Schnalle’s Jazz Fusion Project, trumpeter John Worley’s jazz group Worlview (which recently did a Freddie Hubbard and Birth of the Cool tribute), and many others.
As an educator, Murray currently teaches Jazz Piano and Ensemble performance at Stanford University, taught Jazz Theory and Improvisation at U.C. Santa Cruz from 2007- 2009, and was Artist-In-Residence for the renowned Kuumbwa Jazz Center for 2008-2009. He has been a guest lecturer and clinician at several colleges, universities, and high schools throughout California. He also teaches privately and is an active consultant for several musicians in the area, and previously held positions at U.C. Berkeley and the Jazz School.
Murray is also actively sought out as a first-rate accompanist, particularly for vocalists. He is the musical director for world jazz vocalists Kat Parra and Alexa Weber Morales. He has successfully collaborated with several notable singers, including Kitty Margolis, Judy Wexler, Ellen Robinson, Jamie Davis, Lichi Fuentes and Anna Estrada.
Murray has received various accolades and awards throughout his career, including First Place in the Combo Division at the U.C. Berkeley Jazz Festival, a Grammy nomination for Best Latin Jazz Album, and a Piano Player of the Year nomination from Latin Jazz Corner website. He is often a featured artist with the Stanford Jazz Orchestra and U.C. Santa Cruz Jazz Ensembles.
“In order to combine styles in a meaningful way,” Murray states, “each tradition must be respected and studied in earnest. One must seek to understand the essence of the music, rather than resort to simple motifs and idiomatic devices. It is only then that a fresh, exciting blend is able to emerge.”
