biography
Bassist Max Murray began making music at the age of four. The son of a professional musician, music was ever-present in his childhood home near Boston, MA. First drawn to brass & woodwind instruments, the double bass found him at age 13, receiving his first lessons with Domenic Panteleo, and soon after with Boston Symphony Orchestra bassist, Lawrence Wolfe.
While in high school, Max auditioned for, and was accepted into the United States Navy Music Program. He joined the Navy after high school graduation. Following boot camp, he attended the Armed Forces School of Music in Little Creek, Virginia, and graduated with honors. He served with bands in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii and Newport, Rhode Island. In 1985, he won an appointment to the US Naval Academy Band in Annapolis, Maryland, where he served until retiring from the military in 2000. During his 21 years of service he performed a broad spectrum of music, including; Top 40 Pop, Rock 'n Roll, R&B, Marches, Orchestral Repertoire, Broadway, Rap, Go-Go, Country, Salsa, Big Band Swing, and Small Group Jazz.
Max is grateful to have studied with some of his musical heros, including Larry Wolfe, Paul Johnson, John Clayton, Rufus Reid, Glen Moore, Buster Williams, and Lynn Seaton. After hearing Max play, legendary bassist Milt "The Judge" Hinton commented, ".... it ain't gonna get much better than that, that's beautiful.....!"
An in demand player, Max has played with the cream of the crop of Baltimore/DC's rich music scene. Max is also honored to have shared the stage with artists of renown, including Henry Mancini, Don Menza, Mose Allison, Jimmy Witherspoon, Neil Sedaka, Louie Bellson, Dave Douglas, Antonio Hart, Gene Bertoncini, Chuchito Valdes, The Four Aces, John D'earth, Dave Samuels, Poncho Sanchez, Rogerio Boccato, Richie Cole, Donny McCaslin, Ken Peplowski, and The Who.
A studio veteran, he has recorded extensively for commercials, television and film score. He can be heard on recordings by The MARS 4-Tet; Blackman Murray Russo; Afro Bop Alliance; Suede; Rob Vuono Orchestra; Uptown Vocal Jazz Quartet; Fred Hughes Trio; Pete BarenBregge/Frank Russo Group; Vince Norman/Joe McCarthy Big Band; Chuchito Valdes; and Stephen Philip Harvey, to name a few...
With the Latin Jazz group Afro Bop Alliance, he received a Latin Grammy Award for the 2008 release, "Caribbean Jazz Project - Afro Bop Alliance featuring Dave Samuels," in the "Best Latin Jazz Recording" category. The CD also received a Grammy nomination.
As a member of the trio, Blackman Murray Russo, he has released four recordings, including Alan Blackman's "Coastal Suite" project. In support of that, Max appeared on NPR's "Jazz Set with Dee Dee Bridgewater," and performed at the 2014 Chamber Music America Conference.
He's also known as "A Show Guy" and is proud to be a musical theatre artist. Max spent more than a decade playing in pit orchestras in DC area theatres, anchoring productions on electric and acoustic bass, and tuba. He has accompanied such stage luminaries as Bernadette Peters, Chita Rivera, Joel Gray, Kelli O’Hara, Seth Rudetsky, Kerry Butler, Judy Kuhn, Christine Pedi, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Maureen McGovern, Norm Lewis, Ernie Sabella, Marva Hicks, Megan Hilty, Lea Salonga, Renee Elise Goldsberry, Heather Headley and Tituss Burgess.