MEG MURRAY

___________________________________________

Holiday Songs, Traditional and Contemporary

By Maria Villafana
washingtonpost.com/MP3 Producer

From the Chromatics' humorous take on "One Horse Open Sleigh," to Eddie From Ohio's traditional "Silent Night" this is the biggest and most diverse assortment of holiday music yet from the washingtonpost.com/MP3 community.

		Meg Murray Mistletoe & Holly Jazz (2.62 MB)

- "Mistletoe & Holly" is but one of the many wonderful traditional songs Meg Murray jazzes up on her holiday album, "I'll Be Home for Christmas."

__________________________________________

 

Meg Murray My Favorite Things Jazz (3.11 MB)

I'll Be Home for"I'll Be Home for Xmas," Meg Murray's new holiday album is a wonderful compilation of traditional songs. Her jazzy take on "My Favorite Things" is especially good.

“Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” smoothly sets the jazzy tone for the rest of the record while “Mistletoe & Holly” is just smoky enough to be saucy. Classy but not lacking in verve, “Do You Hear What I Hear?” swings nicely, and “Blue Christmas” positively aches. But it’s Murray’s take on “It Came Upon A Midnight Clear,” that is particularly inspired. Overlaying her own ethereal vocals over Karner’s minimalist beat and Larry Melton’s atmospheric bass line, Murray’s version is more than distinctive - it’s wistful, smart, and altogether entrancing.

Not content with merely re-singing, Murray manages to breathe life into old standbys, making “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” evocative of everything Christmas is supposed to be – an elegant family affair that still swings. Recorded within the cozy confines of The Compound in Arnold, a thoroughly unpretentious studio that has seen its share of great musicians over the years, and where Murray says, “great jazz just seeps out of the walls,” this CD bears the mark of its intimate origins. Unified Jazz Ensemble’s Mike Noonan lends his trademark warmth on the keyboards, and is nicely complemented by bandmates John Pineda on bass and Chuck Karner on drums.

Warning: With an album this sophisticated and stylish, “I’ll Be Home For Christmas,” may force you to throw a party that is as cool as this sounds. Regardless, make sure to unwrap it before Christmas so Meg Murray can provide the soundtrack to your holiday season in its entirety. Consider it a gift to yourself.

____________________________________________________________________

Know an MP3 Notable?

E-mail Maria

Meg Murray
Ready to Play

By Maria Villafana
washingtonpost.com/MP3 Producer
Wednesday, October 15, 2003

Annapolis has a bustling music community all its own and, members of this self-contained group do not venture onto neighboring stages as often as they might.

On Oct. 24 two Annapolis singers (and songwriters) Meg Murray and Angie Miller bring their three-part show to the cozy college town emporium, Andy's in Chestertown.

Backed by a full band (Larry Melton on bass; Ryan Diehl on drums, and an unnamed guest guitarist), Murray starts the evening with a solo set of her urban contemporary tunes.

A slender blonde with a voice that just keeps getting better, Murray was approached by producer Timbaland (Missy Elliott, Justin Timberlake's new solo release "Justified") a couple of years ago.

Meg Murray joins Angie Miller at Andy's in Chestertown Oct. 24

She spent time in Manhattan recording with him but the project was shelved. "The deal fell through mainly [due to] timing. I was 30 going up against 18 year olds," says Murray. "I was with the right people, at the right place, at the very wrong time."

The experience did open doors into the world of hip-hop, as well as give Murray insight into the music business and the studio process, which she says was "like going to graduate school."

Once her contract with Timbaland expired and she regained control of her songs, Murray hunkered down in Annapolis with Todd Kreuzburg to produce her fourth album, "Ready," which she released in November 2002 on her own label, Girl Island Productions. The album's title track and "A Lover's Lament" - what Murray describes as the first happy love song she's ever written. "It's a wish" she says - can be heard on her MP3 page.

Murray and Miller take on the evening's third set at Andy's together. What comes clear during their duet is that nothing can replace experience and talent when it comes to knowing how to capture an audience.

    HAS APPEARED WITH

• Average White Band
• America
• Aaron Neville
• Edwin McCain
• Eva Cassidy
• Freedy Johnston
• Good Charlotte
• Jarflys
• Julian Lennon
• John Alagia
• Jonatha Brooke
• The Kennedy's
• Marti Jones
• Mike Younger
• Milo Z
• Pat DiNizio of The Smithereens
• Todd Snyder
• Todd Rundgren
• The Tubes
• Tom Hambridge
• Southside Johnny
• Shannon Curfman
• Pushstars

 CLUB PERFORMANCES