Juniper

Chris Murphy | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 16, 2004)
• Original Release Date: November 16, 2004
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: KUFALA Recordings
• ASIN: B0006MX9FK
• Also Available in: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #889,346 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars ...and 1/2....Aerobic and vigorous fiddle music that gets the blood flowing, November 24, 2005

By 

J. Ross "a-music_fan" (Roseburg, OR USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Juniper (Audio CD)

Playing Time - 61:46

SONGS: Into the Wild, Painted Desert, Jimmy Riley,Sackcloth & Ashes, Great Expectations, Deep River, El Diablo, Knots and Crosses, Juniper, I'm Nobody's Sweetheart Now, Peppermint Polka, Dandelion Rag, Cora Street, Jig/Reel, Thanksgiving

Fiddle, drums and bass form the cornerstone for Chris Murphy's high-octane music. Murphy chooses the "devil's box" for his instrument of expression, and I can almost see the fire flying from his fingertips on these 15 original instrumentals that are filled with emotional electricity. Don't expect a real sweetness and purity in his tone (possibly due to his instrument's electrification), but rather expect raucous and fairly rowdy renderings of his high-stepping melodies.

It's a rather unique personalized style that the New England Conservatory of Music (Boston, Mass.) graduate has created - something I might call aerobic fiddle music. It's vigorous and gets the blood flowing, but a little more oxygen to allow his pieces to breathe would have been beneficial. On this project that spans over an hour, I miss hearing some other lead instruments taking breaks. This absence means that Murphy's fiddle calisthenics carry the show. Over an hour of his music goes a long way, but you've got to appreciate his chutzpah and gumption. Some flashy interpretive twists make his musical romps rather exciting at times. I hear influences of Celtic, old-time, bluegrass and jazz in his music, and he demonstrates a technical mastery of the fiddle. His piece called "Sackcloth & Ashes" definitely shows some old-timey licks.

Chris Murphy has toured widely at home and abroad. He currently call Los Angeles his home. His trio includes top bass players and drummers from that area. Chris also composes music for film and TV, and he produces independent albums. (Joe Ross, staff writer, Bluegrass Now)