A New Mark Murphy CD

[Charles Drago]

Soon to be released on CD and EP by the greatest of living jazz singers, Mark Murphy: A Beautiful Friendship, his tribute to dear Shirley Horn.

Until then ...

[Charles Drago]

Music by Charlie Parker.



Reading from The Subterraneans, by Jack Kerouac:

" ... and up on the stand Bird Parker with solemn eyes who'd been busted fairly recently and had now returned to a kind of bop dead Frisco but had just discovered or been told about the Red Drum, the great new generation gang wailing and gathering there, so here he was on the stand, examining them with his eyes as he blew his now-settled-down-into-regulated-design "crazy" notes--the booming drums, the high ceiling ... to hear Bird, whom I saw distinctly digging Mardou several times also myself directly into my eye looking to search if I was really the great writer I thought myself to be as if he knew my thoughts and ambitions or remembered me from other night clubs and other coasts, other Chicagos--not a challenging look but the king and founder of the bop generation at least the sound of it in digging his audience digging his eyes, the secret eyes him-watching, as he just pursed his lips and let great lungs and immortal fingers work, his eyes separate and interested and humane, the kindest jazz musician there could be while being and therefore naturally the greatest ... "

Song lyrics by Clarence Beeks (King Pleasure to you):

Come with me
If you want to go to Kansas City.

I'm feeling lowdown and blue,
My heart's full of sorrow.
Don't hardly know what to do.
Where will I be tomorrow.

Going to Kansas City.
Want to go too?
No, you can't make it with me.
Going to Kansas City,
Sorry that I can't take you.

When you see me coming,
Raise your window high.
When you see me leaving, baby,
Hang your head and cry.

I'm afraid there's nothing in this cream, this dreamy town
A honky-tonky monkey-woman can do.
She'd only bring herself down.

So long everybody!
The time has come
And I must leave you
So if I don't ever see your smiling face again:
Make a promise you'll remember
Like a Christmas Day in December
That I told you
All through thick and thin
On up until the end
Parker's been your friend.

Don't hang your head
When you see, when you see those six pretty horses pulling
me.
Put a twenty dollar silver-piece on my watch chain,
Look at the smile on my face,
And sing a little song
To let the world know I'm really free.
Don't cry for me,
'Cause I'm going to Kansas City.