Some recordings document a moment – Wolf documents a journey
The new trio recording by saxophonist and composer Bryan Murray, featuring bassist Adam Linz
and drummer Dan Monaghan, brings together musicians connected through years of
collaboration, friendship, and a shared commitment to creative improvisation. Released by
Shifting Paradigm Records, Wolf presents a collection of original compositions that balances jazz
tradition with adventurous exploration, creating a deeply personal statement from an artist
reflecting on where his life and music have led him.
For Murray, the saxophone-bass-drums trio offers a unique kind of freedom. Without a piano or
guitar defining the harmony, melodies, bass lines, and collective improvisation shape the music
in real time. The result is an open musical environment where structure and spontaneity coexist,
and each musician plays an equal role in determining the direction of the music.
The album’s compositions reveal different facets of Murray’s musical voice. The explosive
“Bombs” delivers fierce energy and collective momentum. “Curtain” and “Cloud Shapes” offer
meditative, open-ended explorations. “Dirt Slide” reflects childhood memories of playing on the
hillside behind Murray’s West Virginia home. “Buell” drives forward with blues-inflected
urgency, while “Hummingbird” balances lyricism and openness. The title track, “Wolf,” unfolds
over a repeating bass ostinato, creating a haunting atmosphere that lingers long after the final
note.
Wolf also reflects two important chapters in Murray’s musical life. His longstanding collaboration
with drummer Dan Monaghan began during his years in Brooklyn and grew through projects
including Jon Lundbom’s Big Five Chord, Bryan and the Haggards, and Moppa Elliott’s
Unspeakable Garbage. After relocating to Minnesota, Murray met bassist Adam Linz, known for
his work with iconic Twin Cities trio Fat Kid Wednesdays, and quickly discovered common
ground through a shared network of musicians from the New York and New Jersey jazz scenes.
Through Linz’s Le Percheron, Bryan and the Haggards’ Minnesota lineup, and numerous other
collaborations, the two developed a strong musical rapport that became an essential part of the
trio’s sound.In many ways, Wolf is a portrait of Bryan Murray’s life and music today. Rooted in decades of
experience on the East Coast but shaped by a new chapter in Minnesota, the album captures an
artist balancing tradition and exploration, composition and improvisation. The title reflects both
the searching character of the music and Murray’s connection to the place where these
compositions and relationships took shape. More than a collection of compositions, Wolf is a
reflection on friendship, family, belonging, and the shared trust that allows musicians to venture
into unknown territory together.
Track Listing
1. Bombs 4:26
2. Curtain 3:59
3. Dirt Slide 5:16
4. Cloud Shapes 3:49
5. Buell 5:33
6. Hummingbird 5:08
7. Wolf 7:31
8. Fill Taker 6:29