Greg Murphy / Piano
Obasi Akoto / Bass
Steve Johns / Drums

Chicago native Greg Murphy has been a major contributor to the New York City jazz scene since the 1980s and possibly best known for his twenty-two year association with John Coltrane’s multidirectional drummer, Rashied Ali. Greg began his musical adventures in 1971 when he joined the Ray-Fisk Grammar School Band in Chicago. His classical studies began later that year with Lucia Santini at Roosevelt University. Between 1980 and 1984, he played with the jazz/funk band Lightning Flash Thunder Roar, The University of Illinois at Chicago Big Band, The Northern Illinois University Big Band, and other local Chicago bands. A jazz study grant from the National Endowment for the Arts in 1984 gave Greg the opportunity to go to New Orleans and study with the eminent pianist and jazz educator, Ellis Marsalis. He remained there and began recording and performing with The New Orleans Jazz Couriers, Percussion Incorporated, and his own group, The Fusicians. The Percussion Incorporated album, Drum Talk, (Greg’s first recording) was recorded and released in 1987. While living in the crescent city, Greg performed with Donald Harrison, Wynton Marsalis, and countless other great musicians. Greg moved to New York in 1987 and began what had become a long association with Rashied Ali. Greg performed and recorded with Ali and his various groups throughout Europe, Canada and The United States from 1987 until Rashied passed away in 2009.