Dave McMurray: I LOVE LIFE even when I’m hurting

Blue Note Records often bring real class, and that is certainly the case with saxophonist Dave McMurray’s ‘I LOVE LIFE even when I’m hurting’. The opening track - ‘This Life’ - sets the scene for a heart-warming exploration of lyrics and sax, with McMurray performing both.

And it gets better. Up next is The Jungaleers, beginning with McMurray’s doubled-up saxes alongside a stunning band of Don Was (acoustic bass), Luis Resto (keyboards), Wayne Gerard (guitar), Jeff Canady (drums) and Mahindi Masal (percussion). There is a joy that is set in stone in this perfect tune, ending with a sax flourish of excitement.

Raised and honed in Detroit, McMurray’s sound has developed over years of playing with BB King, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Iggy Pop, Bonnie Raitt, Patti Smith, Bootsy Collins, Herbie Hancock, Was Not Was, Bob James, Kem and more.

Throughout this collection of tunes - six by McMurray and three covers - there is a real sense of joy.

It gets really fine with the central track with vocals by Kem and the Al Jarreau We Got By. It doesn’t seem like eight years since we lost Jarreau, but this tune could have been written for the Kem/McMurray treatment. This version will be around for years.

The Detroit sound is executed to perfection with some big names alongside McMurray’s compositions, sax, flute and synth playing: Don Was (bass), Ibrahim Jones (bass), Luis Resto (keyboards), Maurice O’Neal (keyboards), Wayne Gerard (guitar), Jeff Canady (drums), Mahindi Masai (percussion) and Herschel Boone (vocals) as well as Kem (vocals).

McMurray conceived of the album title after having a deep discussion about the death of a friend who had been worn down by illness, eventually giving up and dying alone. McMurray’s response to that painful revelation was one of resilience: “Man, I love life even when I’m hurting.” Afterward McMurray wrote down that statement because it meant so much to him. “That ended up being the album title, because I kind of wrote songs around that. Songs about positivity.”

He says: “Making this album was such a cool project because everyone on it is somebody that I love.”

Take a listen to I LOVE LIFE even when I’m hurting wherever it makes you happy.