Like a Kiss That Never Ends

1	Blues for Felix 7:21
2	Like a Kiss That Never Ends 12:44
3	Dedication 7:14
4	Suki, Suki Now 9:43
5	Ruben's Theme Song 6:30
6	Mo' Bass 7:40
7	Let's Cool One 9:50

Barnes & Noble

The David Murray Power Quartet is aptly named: This is a propulsive, forceful ensemble anchored by the big, fat tenor sound of David Murray at his most straight-ahead and swinging. If you are used to hearing Murray in his more “experimental” guises (and he’s had plenty), then you might be surprised to hear him sounding so accessible and mainstream. The truth is he’s a great player, and eminently at ease with this material. It doesn’t hurt to have a great rhythm section, either -- including John Hicks on piano. The album gets off to a rousing start with a straight-ahead blues number, “Blues for Felix.” Murray lets it be known from the beginning that he’s not afraid to roar, growl, and show off a little -- including playing way up in the high range and tossing off a few trills and slides in the heat of the moment. “Like a Kiss That Never Ends,” the title number, is a slightly off-kilter tango that gets the big, beefy “power” treatment from Murray’s mighty tenor. “Dedication” is a lovely ballad featuring a solo by John Hicks. “Mo’ Bass” gives the rhythm section a workout: Beginning as a duet for Ray Drummond on bass and Andrew Cyrille on drums, it winds up with Hicks contributing some wild piano runs and crashes before Murray steps in to blow some free-form squeaks and squonks and the whole experiment settles back down into calmer waters. The final cut is a delightful Thelonious Monk tune, “Let’s Cool One,” with Murray contributing a playful solo on the bass clarinet. If you’ve been wanting to hear David Murray with a terrific quartet swinging hard and obviously enjoying himself as he tests his chops on some straight-ahead material, here’s another chance. Have fun. Will Meyerhofer

All Music Guide

As Juan Rodriguez writes in the liner notes, this recording is unusual for David Murray in its lack of theme. Yet, as Rodriguez also correctly notes, the saxophonist's "full-bodied attack and tireless ideas" are themselves a sort of musical concept. In any case, fans of Murray will not be disappointed, even if the album does not break any new ground for the talented Murray. Not that it needs to do so. Murray distinguished himself in the 1970s and 1980s with his affinity for the avant-garde, but that commitment receded (or matured, depending on your perspective) to a more mainstream approach with time. While this set of mostly original tunes is rooted firmly in the depths of melodic invention, it does not neglect the saxophonist's roots as an adventurous performer. There is a nice mix of songs, from the slow and lush to the hard-hitting. The saxophonist's group, which he calls his "Power Quartet," is filled with some of the best players in the trade, from the talented and seemingly ubiquitous bassist Ray Drummond, to longtime colleagues, drummer Andrew Cyrille and pianist John Hicks. The latter, in particular, is impressive on the instant album, with some aggressive playing that puts him in the driver's seat. While Like a Kiss That Never Ends is not pivotal in Murray's distinguished career, it nonetheless retains the high quality that has marked so much of his work. ~ Steven Loewy, All Music Guide