LPCDreissues: Looking forward to the past

DJ Paul Murphy founded the jazz dance scene. Not singlehandedly perhaps, but his pioneering DJ sets paved the way for Gilles Peterson and Acid Jazz. Without Paul none of that would have happened. Gilles said recently “Paul Murphy…discovered almost every jazz dance floor classic.”

Bored with the generic jazz funk in the clubs he began to play fast fusion, latin jazz and Brazilian grooves to dancers at the Horseshoe in Tottenham Court Road and then Upstairs at the Electric Ballroom in Camden. He then moved on to the Wag, and a host of other residencies, that soundtracked the 1980s jazz revival.

The two volumes of his “Jazz Club” compilation LP influenced a generation of young clubbers, with their mix of both bluesy hard bop and latin jazz. He then hung up his DJ needles, so we were thrilled when he agreed to unleash a third volume for us on BGP.

This time he has mined the Prestige label for a selection which includes 50s bop, R&B-flavoured soul jazz and even a touch of vocalese, from classic names such as Sonny Rollins, Mose Allison and Thelonious Monk, to the more obscure players Bennie Green, Willie Rodriguez and Freddie McCoy.

The booklet includes an introduction by Paul Murphy on his time at the DJing frontline, flyers and other memorabilia from the time.

Paul Murphy’s own productions include the massive club hit ‘Jazz Room’, and ‘Soul Call’ which was featured on Bonobo’s best-selling mix CD ‘It Came From The Sea’ and has been used on several adverts.

track listing

1.    ST THOMAS - Sonny Rollins
2.    MANTECA - The Red Garland Trio
3.    BY-YA - Thelonious Monk Trio
4.    BLUE STOMPIN - Hal Singer with Charlie Shavers
5.    FLYING HOME - Arnett Cobb
6.    HI-YO SILVER - Bennie Green
7.    GREASE MONKEY - Kenny Burrell with the Brother Jack McDuff Quartet
8.    SPIDER MAN - Freddie McCoy
9.    PEDRO STROLLER - Johnny Lytle
10.    PARCHMAN FARM - Mose Allison
11.    FILTHY MCNASTY - Eddie Jefferson
12.    MAU MAU - The Art Farmer Septet
13.    MAMBO INN - Billy Taylor Trio with Candido
14.    FLATJACKS (JUST A MINOR BOSSA NOVA) - Willie Rodriguez Jazz Quartet
15.    BLUE GATOR - Willis Jackson


Also available as a 2 LP vinyl set.