Don Murray
Don Murray (clarinetist)
- For other persons named Don Murray, see Don Murray.
Don Murray (June 7, 1904 - June 2, 1929) was an early jazz clarinet and saxophone player.
Don Murray was born in Joliet, Illinois, and attended high school in Chicago. In his teens he made a name for himself as one of the best young jazz clarinetists and saxophonists in the city. In 1923 he recorded with the New Orleans Rhythm Kings; according to Rhythm Kings leader Paul Mares, Murray was not a regular member of the band, but was a friend who sometimes sat in with them. Murray also made early recordings with Muggsy Spanier. He then joined the Detroit, Michigan based band of Jean Goldkette, with whom he remained until 1927. It was here that he mentored the young Jimmy Dorsey.
After a brief stint with Adrian Rollini's band, during which he contributed to several highly regarded recordings by Bix Beiderbecke, Murray was hired by Ted Lewis. Ted Lewis said that Murray was the greatest clarinetist he ever had in his bandhigh praise indeed since Jimmy Dorsey and Benny Goodman had also been in Lewis's band. Murray can be heard in the Ted Lewis film Is Everybody Happy? (1929), which is considered a "lost film," although Vitaphone disks are available.
Don Murray died in 1929 at a Los Angeles hospital after injuries sustained in a freak automobile accident. Apparently, he was standing on the running board of a moving roadster and fell; he struck the back of his head on the pavement and was then hospitalized with serious head injury.
Donald L. Murray is buried at Memorial Park Cemetery in Skokie, IL. He was 24 at the time of his death.
Clarinet family: | Clarinet family • Piccolo clarinet • E clarinet • Soprano clarinet • Saxonette • Quarter tone clarinet • Basset clarinet • Clarinette d'amour • Basset horn • Alto clarinet • Bass clarinet • Contra-alto clarinet • Contrabass clarinet • Octocontra-alto clarinet • Octocontrabass clarinet |
Clarinet systems: | Category:Clarinet systems • Albert • Boehm • Mazzeo • Oehler |
Clarinetists: | Category:Clarinetists • Category:Bass clarinetists • List of clarinetists • Heinrich Bärmann • Walter Boeykens • Jack Brymer • James Campbell • Henry Lazarus • Sabine Meyer • David Shifrin • Anton Stadler • Milenko Stefanovi •Richard Stoltzman •List of jazz clarinetists • Woody Allen • Buddy DeFranco • Eric Dolphy • Pete Fountain • Benny Goodman •Artie Shaw |
Clarinet makers: | Category:Clarinet makers • Category:Clarinet manufacturing companies • List of clarinet makers • Amati-Denak • Arioso • E. K. Blessing • Buffet Crampon • Johann Christoph Denner • Benedikt Eppelsheim • Stephen Fox • Heinrich Grenser • Howarth of London • Jupiter Band Instruments • Leblanc • Iwan Müller • Adolphe Sax • Selmer • Yamaha Corporation |
Other: | Category:Clarinets • Category:Compositions for clarinet • Clarinet choir • Clarinet concerto • Clarinet sonata • Clarinet-violin-piano trio |
This article uses material from the article Don Murray (clarinetist) from the free encyclopedia Wikipedia and it is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.