My Brother and Me: The Best of Dave McMurray
Review:
This compilation by Dave McMurray is drawn from the saxophonist's three
albums for HipBop Records – Peace of Mind (1999), Soul Searching (2001), and
Nu Life Stories (2003). Nothing has been licensed from his first album, The Dave
McMurray Show (1995), released on Warner Bros. Records. Two tracks, “My
Brother and Me” and “The Jazz Life,” have been remixed, and there are
three previously unreleased tracks, “Feel the Need,” “Just an Illusion,”
and a version of the Marvin Gaye hit “I Want You.” McMurray, who earns a
credit for programming in addition to playing tenor, soprano, and alto sax on
different tracks, is very much involved in the creation of the contemporary jazz
sound of the music, with its electronic percussion backing tracks and frequent
prominent vocals from several different singers. But he rarely gets lost in the
shuffle, unlike some of his contemporary jazz peers, and his playing displays
considerable bite and invention, not just providing slight variations on the
melodies, but often going off in interesting directions. Some key guest stars,
notably Bob James and George Duke, also make strong contributions. Still, this
is music that will best be appreciated by contemporary jazz fans, while more
traditional listeners will be put off by its cross-genre tendencies.
All Music Guide – William Ruhlmann