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About Chris Murphy

Chris Murphy (Alto, Tenor and Baritone Saxophones, Hammond Organ and Vocals) is a musician and entertainer based in London Ontario, Canada. He has been fronting his own band since 1985 and has released three CD's under his own name, "Bitchy Woman Blues" a CD single in 2007, "I'm a Happy Guy" in 2004, and "Blowin' the Horn" in 1999. His music has been played on CBC, Smooth Jazz and College radio stations and he has performed in Canada, the United States and Mexico. He was recently described by the London Free Press as "one of the busiest musicians in South-Western Ontario" and his band Chris Murphy and the Village Blues Band won the Jack Richarson Music Award for Blues in 2008.

Chris splits his time between fronting his own groups (see Chris Murphy bands), touring and recording with Juno Award Winning guitarist Jack DeKeyzer and performing with the Canadian All star Ensemble The Maple Blues Revue. From 1998-2000 he was musical director for Amercan Blues Artist Chicago Pete and he has also toured with Detroit's Queen of the Blues, Alberta Adams.

From 1992-1998, he was the leader and front-man with the Old Chicago Blues Band, the house band at the Old Chicago Speakeasy and Grill in London, Ontario. The band performed three shows a night, five nights a week for more than six years. During that time the band released two CD's and performed with more than fifty guest vocalists. They were also featured on their own TV show "Speakeasy Blues" for Rogers Cable TV.

• CHRIS MURPHY & THE VILLAGE BLUES BAND awarded THE JACK RICHARDSON MUSIC AWARD FOR BLUES
  
  
• 8x’s Nominated for Maple Blues Award for “Horn Player of the Year '99,00,02.03,04,05,06,07"
  
  
• 2007 Released CD single “Bitchy Woman Blues"
  
  
• Sundays since 2005 leader and frontman with the six piece Village Blues Band at the Wortley Roadhouse in London, Ontario
  
  
• 2005 started " Chris Murphy's Blues in the Elementary Schools" a 60 minute show that could best be described as EDUTAINMENT. The show has been performed at more than 50 schools.
  
  
• 2004 Released 2nd CD "I'm a Happy Guy", produced by the legendary Jack Richardson (Order of Canada)
  
  
• First recipient of Lifetime of Blues Award 2003 from Labatt’s Firehall Reunion.
  
  
• 1999 debut CD, "Blowin the Horn", distributed by Festival
  
  
• Touring and Recording with Juno Award Winning Guitarist Jack DeKeyzer since 2003. Performied and wrote horn charts for two Jack's DeKeyzer CD's including the Juno Nominated CD, Blues Thing.
  
  
• Member of the Maple Blues Revue since 2001 (11 piece Canadain All Star Blues Band )
  
  
• Leader of the Local Horn Section for: Aretha Franklin, Natalie Cole, Temptations, Little Anthony & The Imperials, Mary Wilson & the Supremes, Grease, Fabian, Bobby Rydell and Frankie Avalon.
  
  
• Bandleader and Musical Director for Chicago Pete, 1998 - 2000, more than 150 shows in Canada & U.S.A. including: the Montreal Jazz Festival and the Detroit Jazz Festival.
  
  
• Leader of The Old Chicago Blues Band, five nights a week from 1992-1998. The group perfromed with more than 50 guest artists and released two CD’s.
  
  
• Leader of the Uptown Blooze Band, 1985-1992, the band was successful on the college circuit and released a recording “Here Come the Blues”
  
  
• Co-host of radio show “The Blues Never Die”, on CHRW FM 94.7 weekly 1996 - 2005.
  
  
• Host and Emcee of “Speakeasy Blues” on Rogers Cable TV (19 shows) in 1996.
  
  
• Gigs with: Alberta Adams, London Blues All Stars, Roxanne Potvin, Soul Sausage, Maria Auregema, Rod Nickson, Denise Pelley, Dawn Tyler Watson, Douglas Watson, Phil Murphy Big Band
  
  
• Guest spots as a vocalist include: Mojo Willie and Bluesafire in St Catherines, Liquid Lounge All Stars in Brantford, Gary Kendall Band in Toronto, Brent Minet Band in Buffalo, R J's Rhythm Rockers in Detroit, The Odyssey Blues Band in Port Dalhousie, James Anthony Band in Burlington.
  
  
• Recordings with Jack DeKeyzer, Chicago Pete, McAuley, Gary Kendall, Little Bobby, James Anthony, Forest City Jazz Band, Big Gilson (Brazil). Maple Blues Revue
  
  
• Appeared in the films Talk to Me and Martin and Lewis
  
  
• Speaking and Musical roles in plays: Grease, Rat Pack.
  
  
• Emcee at various charity events
  
  
• Talent Co-Ordinator Jazz and Blues Festivals including: Quai du Vin Winery, Goderich, Grand Bend, Chatham
  
  
• Night Club Talent Co-Ordinator: Boomers, Downtown Kathy Brown's, Old Chicago Speakeasy and Grill

AS A PERFORMER:

NEW CD RELEASE!

THE VILLAGE BLUES BAND , Live at the Wortley Roadhouse , Indie , 2008
BIG GILSON , Sentenced to Live , Brazilian Indie , 2008
JAMES ANTHONY BAND , The Saturday Sermon , Halton Blues Society , 2008
THE MAPLE BLUES REVUE, Live at Twisted Pines, Preservation Music, 2008
CHRIS MURPHY, Bitchy Woman Blues, CD single, Speakeasy CD's 2007
JACK DE KEYZER, Blues Thing, Blues Star, Indie 2007 - NOMINATED FOR A 2008 JUNO AWARD
GAIL OBEDIAH, Roots, Indie, 2006
JACK DE KEYZER, Silver Blues, Blues Star Records. 2005
CHRIS MURPHY, I'm A Happy Guy, Speakeasy CDS. 2004
GARY KENDALL, Dusty & Pearl, 47 Records. 2004
JAMES ANTHONY, Soul Shoes, GRAPEVINE, 2003
INDIE BUZZ, Canada’s Best Independent Jazz Vol 1, 2001
LITTLE BOBBY & THE JUMPSTARTS, Tickets is the Glove Box, Indie, 2001
CHRIS MURPHY, Blowin' The Horn, Speakeasy CDS, Festival Distribution Inc. 1999. Press Release Blowin' The Horn
THE McAULEY BOYS, Wonderful Christmas Time!, Popular Records/ Warner Music Canada,1997
PRESERVATION BLUES REVIEW, Preservation/Fusion lll, 1997
THE OLD CHICAGO BLUES BAND, Fourth Anniversary, Speakeasy,1996
CHICAGO PETE, The Blues is Alright, Speakeasy, 1996
LONDON MUSICIANS AND ARTISTS FOR IMPOVERISHED FAMILIES,1996
THE OLD CHICAGO BLUES BAND, Third Anniversary,Speakeasy, 1995
JIMMY JACKSON, The Project, Indie, 1995
UPTOWN BLOOZE, Here Come the Blues, Indie, 1989
THE FOREST CITY JAZZ BAND, 2 45's, 1984
KEITH BARRIE, But We Can Dream, KABA Records, 1984

 

AS A PRODUCER: 

CHRIS CHOWN, Stompin' Grounds, Speakeasy, 1997 

CHICAGO PETE, The Blues is Alright, Speakeasy, 1996 

JIMMY JACKSON, The Project, Indie, 1995 

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