
PAUL MURPHY is UK jazz DJ who’s been playing out since the 1970s. His eclectic tastes placed him at the epicentre of the emerging London jazz-dance scene in that decade. Jazz buff Gilles Peterson has called him “the original messenger of jazz who found almost every dancefloor classic”. Murphy worked most of London’s top jazz clubs including The Horseshoe (aka Jaffas), The Wag, The 100 Club, The Blue Note and The Electric Ballroom, where he founded the now famous ‘Jazz Room’.
In 2019 bbe Records released a Murphy curated compilation reflecting his time at the Jazz Room and now the same label are releasing ‘Jazz Room Volume 2’. The music on the new collection is every bit as varied and eclectic as that on the first volume and ranges from the funk of New Orleans to Latin grooves, cool soul-jazz and contemporary jazz sounds.
What brings the real intrigue here are the jazz cover versions of well-known songs. So, enjoy the Human league’s ‘Don’ t You Want Me’ in super, Hammond-led, jazz club mode from Fast 3; or try the percussive version of the Stranglers’ ‘Golden Brown’ from the aptly named Take Vibe (a quick listen will tell you why we say “aptly”). Then there’s a cover of Azymuth’s evergreen, ‘Jazz Carnival’ from Cruisic.
Other featured artists include the Eternal Buzz Brass Band, Daniel Crawford, the Stance Brothers and Chip Wickham. Between them they offer something for all jazz tastes and for savvy movers, groovers’ and shakers.
The Jazz Room Vol. 2 compiled by Paul Murphy is out now via bbe Record – digitally and in a 2 LP vinyl set.