Mike Murley TMA Musician of the Year 2007

In the words of Toronto Star critic, Geoff Chapman:
“Murley always raises the level of the game around him, effortlessly innovative, polished and demonstrating technical skill that you take for granted.”

Since moving to Toronto from his native Nova Scotia in 1981 Mike Murley has become one of Canada’s most highly regarded jazz saxophonists. He was a founding member of the ‘Shuffle Demons’, the highly acclaimed electric jazz ensemble ‘Metalwood’, and numerous other award-winning groups under his own name. Since 1991, Murley has played on nine Juno Award winning recordings and has been named saxophonist of the year eight times by the Jazz Report Awards and National Jazz Awards.

As a long time member of ‘Time Warp’ he founded Cornerstone Records in 1993 along with co-leaders Barry Elmes and Al Henderson. More recently Murley has collaborated as a co-leader and/or sideman in various groups with guitarist David Occhipinti, pianist David Braid, and saxophonist Tara Davidson. In January 2008 he released two co-led recordings, ‘DMBQ Live’ with the Davidson/Murley/Braid Quintet and ‘Day & Night’ with his former teacher, the legendary American saxophonist David Liebman.

Mike has toured extensively throughout Canada and internationally in Europe, South America, Asia, Mexico and the US with various groups. He has performed with many top international and Canadian jazz artists, including: Kenny Wheeler, Randy Brecker, John Abercrombie, Renee Rosnes, Ed Bickert, Guido Basso and Rob McConnell.

Mike joined the TMA in June of 1982.