Now playing: Joaquin Murphy's sweet side

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 23 Oct 2006 7:09 am

Joaquin Murphy plays a really sweet chorus on this fine side by Tex Williams, "Castle Of My Dreams" (Capitol 57-40159, dated May of 1949). This is a side of Joaquin not often found on record, but his playing has a very violin-like quality to it here (particularly the vibrato), with the use of a volume pedal, as well.

Go to my myspace page and click on Joaquin Murphy in the music player.

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 23 Oct 2006 7:31 am

Beautiful vintage Tex and Murph! Thanks, Mike. Murph could play beautiful Hawaiian-style ballads as well as the mind-altering single note style. I have hours of this stuff, but that song has eluded me until now. Again, muchas gracias.

For more in that style, but with a heavy dose of Djangoisms, here's one of my all-time favorite Murph solos, on Smokey Rogers' Rich Man, Poor Man.

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[This message was edited by Herb Steiner on 23 October 2006 at 08:34 AM.]

Roy Ayres · Post by **Roy Ayres** » 23 Oct 2006 7:56 am

Mike and Herb,

Thanks for those great links to my all-time idol and old friend. I know that today Joaquin's playing can be matched by other greats -- but, "today" is more than 50 years later. To me, Joaquin set a goal for the rest of us to try to reach a couple of generations later.

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Visit my Web Site at RoysFootprints.com
Browse my Photo Album and be sure to sign my Guest Book.

Thomas Ludwig · Post by **Thomas Ludwig** » 23 Oct 2006 8:39 am

Mike,

thank you for the music.
(where did you get those beautiful records?)

Herb,

when I heard Murph the first time, he reminds me to Django in many ways. The wonderful melodies in his solos, the same strong tone, unexpected lines and fills, a deep feel for every song and always a sense of humor between the notes.
A great musician.

Thomas

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 23 Oct 2006 9:58 am

In general, I'm not a fan of shading melodies with volume pedal effects .... but, man, Joaquin = magic!

Post by **Brad Bechtel** » 23 Oct 2006 11:39 am

Sweet indeed. Thanks for sharing!

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Brad's Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars

Stephan Miller · Post by **Stephan Miller** » 23 Oct 2006 2:31 pm

Thanks Mike!

The Tex w/ Joaquin track (or Joachin w/ Tex

) is in sequence after the Moonlighter's "Dirt Road Life" in Mike's myspace "Standalone" music player (without a major visual cue, people like me can blunder around for a while).

Herb, ever since the first time I visited your site I've wanted to thank you for all the Joaquin clips on there. A great selection...all as fresh now as the first time I heard 'em.

--Steve [This message was edited by Stephan Miller on 23 October 2006 at 03:47 PM.]

Kevin Brown · Post by **Kevin Brown** » 24 Oct 2006 4:27 am

well I hope I dont offend anyone but I prefer Jerry Bryd in this genre, the fire in Murpheys belly I feel is somewhat stunted here, not a criticism , just a thought/observation. Thanks as always for the clip Mike

Al Marcus · Post by **Al Marcus** » 24 Oct 2006 5:31 pm

A story----My friend Jimmy Yates was playing 6 nights a week at Harry's Capri in Phoenix and Jauquin was his guest. After the job, we went to my house in the north mountains and my wife made hamburgers and coffee.

Murph saw my home built black 14 string guitar(it is on my website) and he didint even sit down, just played it up and down the keyboard and that E6 tuning never had that kind of stuff coming out of it. He was Terrific.
I am so glad I have the memories of him being there that evening. ...al

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My Website..... www.cmedic.net/~almarcus/

Lee Jeffriess · Post by **Lee Jeffriess** » 24 Oct 2006 7:34 pm

Rich man poor man, My god Murphey at that point in his career, he is peerless.
There is more hawaiian murphey, out there you just have to dig a bit harder its not as prominent as his swing.
Kevin I feel the other way about him in this genre and, as you imply its subjective but I think that they are equals in pop hawaiian.
Lee

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 25 Oct 2006 2:35 am

Comparing Byrd and Murph is comparing apples and oranges or maybe a Duesenberg and a Bugatti. I will say that Murph's Hawaiian-style playing is informed by an underlying sense of swing and ability to place notes anywhere ahead, on, or behind the beat that's absent in Byrd. Rich Man/Poor Man is one of his all-time best - what a gorgeous solo! The stacatto nopte placement and the use of the volume pedal is just untouchable. Lee said it best: peerless. Shameless plug: McGann transcribed this solo in our book of Murph solos: http://www.johnmcgann.com/joaquin.html [This message was edited by Andy Volk on 25 October 2006 at 03:36 AM.]