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PRESS CLIPPINGS / REVIEWS
| Salton Songs... |
Violinist Chris Murphy has been honing his diverse instrumental composition skills for over fifteen years, and his experience certainly plays into the success of Salton Songs.
— Brad Miller, Urb.net
Salton Songs sure is one of the more interesting, albeit unusual, albums to have come my way recently. Those who like their music lively and enjoy aspects of world music coupled with modern treatments might want to give it a try.
— Dene Bebbington,
Wind and Wire, Melliflua
...unhindered imagination... adventurous style...
— Jamie Lee,
Jambands Online
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What keeps the listener's attention throughout is Mr. Murphy's magic violin. I say "magic" because of the number of different and crazy sounds that are emitted from that thing...
— Jambase
...the most talented violin player you've never heard of... There aren't many, if any, other violinists out there who do what Chris does, and he does it well. This man is a very accomplished musician, and it clearly shows.
— Sam Katz, Jambase
This album from eclectic violinist Chris Murphy takes the violin out of its traditional classical and English folk music settings and tries it in less familiar contexts... this is worth checking out.
— Mike Watson, Ambient Music Guide
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| Juniper... |
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He rips through his fiddle with such energetic sounds capable of giving any square dancer a heart attack on the dance floor and then reviving them long enough to twirl around for more.
— Jason Terrill, Folkwax
I can almost see the fire flying from his fingertips on these 15 original instrumentals that are filled with emotional electricity... I hear influences of Celtic, old-time, bluegrass and jazz in his music, and he demonstrates a technical mastery of his fiddle.
— Joe Ross, Bluegrass Works
...a talented violinist whose polished style drips freely from anything he plays, whether bass-fueled trance or bucolic hymns.
— Jamie Lee,
Jambands Online
Folk-inspired music with a difference... a fiddler, who plays the heck out of the thing, and manages to produce an intense listening experience.
— Bill Yates, Roots 66
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Chris Murphy has got to be one on the best Violin/Fiddle masters that has walked this earth. And his new CD release Juniper — Fiddle Music is a screaming testament to this fact. This album is such a musical accomplishment that it is hard to imagine that there are musicians with this much talent! Chris's new album is chalk full of music that will please any roots music enthusiast. Traditional Blues, Country, Bluegrass, Folk and Roots Rock are all presented masterfully by Chris and the other musicians on this project. An album recorded for any and all music fans.
Beyond a doubt, Chris Murphy is a multi-talented, masterful fiddle player... from beginning to end.
— Jason Terrill, Folkwax
Provides the listener with a soulful experience.
— Bob Cherry, Cybergrass
Playing all manner of styles (Celtic, bluegrass, rock, etc.) through a guitar amp and over a rhythm section, Murphy makes Juniper a reminder of the great instrumental albums recorded by fiddle giant Mark O'Connor in the 80s and Ashley MacIsaac lately.
— Michael Toland, High Bias
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| Broken Wheel... |
His electric violin sounds like a captivating combination of harmonica and slide guitar... Fans of good music in general will enjoy giving this disc a spin.
— Graham Clarke, Blues Bytes
Violin Blues? What will they think of next? Chris Murphy's electric violin comes across like a classical melody at times, and other times grabs you like an electric guitar. At times you might even forget that he's playing the blues with a violin. It's not as often that you'll hear violin blues lately and that in itself makes this an extra special treat.
— by Michael Mardings, thecelebritycafe.com, 3/22/05
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In arrangements and sonics, he looks to a brave new world for violin-based blues, with hard-hitting rhythms (ever-present drums, acoustic and electric bass) and an electric fiddle sound that, like modern harp and guitar players, makes full use of the sustain... His playing should appeal to contemporary fans without alienating traditionalists.
— Tom Hyslop,
Blues Revue Magazine,
August/September 2005
Chris just wails on his violin in a way that might make you wonder, what if Hendrix would have played a violin... it's like nothing I have heard... If you like something new and fresh, this might be up your alley.
— Chris Puyear, Mo Blues.org
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| Noir... |
Lent atmosphere and mystery by an electronic accompaniment... It has that touching and penetrating sadness that derives from Celtic and early American folk fiddle music at its least affected.
— Rob Burnett,
Music Web International
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You have to be very brave to record an album of solo violin. Chris Murphy does it on Noir and pulls it off... The result is a captivating set of melodic and atmospheric pieces.
— Angel Romero, World Music Central
Noir features Murphy unaccompanied... exotic and international... without ever falling into pretension or tedium. Pretty cool.
— Michael Toland, High Bias
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| On a Blue Afternoon... |
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A very original sound... a creative merge of traditional jazz and bluegrass... the songs seem to speak without words.
— Robin Bacior, Synthesis Magazine,
June 27, 2005
Symbolic creativity emanates from this CD... set sail for memorable horizons of progressive jazz when you encounter this listening experience.
— Jazz Exodus
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Chris is extremely adept at taking on an identity of quality sounding jazz without compromising the overall texture of his interpretive efforts... Collectively, the trio travels into jazz that is seldom seen or heard by conventional standards. In fact, 'On A Blue Afternoon' takes on multiple identities while delving into the essence of what quality sounding jazz music should be about. Without a doubt, the recording is worth every note of conveyance.
— Sheldon T. Nunn, Jazz Review
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| Dark Skies... |
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What's most impressive about "Dark Skies" is the mesh of several pop subgenres mixed into the roots-rock base, including derivations of electronic beats, ambient atmospheres, funky grooves and traditional, world music/country textures.
— Mike Prevatt, "City Life" Las Vegas, NV
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Ponticello's guitarless instrumentation belies the ethereally rocking atmosphere that saturates their brilliant debut album, "Dark Skies."
— The Event Newsweekly
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Nothing's ever going to replace the guitarless, film-noir desperation groove of the late Morphine, but 'Heartbreak,' the leadoff track of Ponticello's 'Dark Skies,' makes it almost seem possible. The Seattle trio's just-crazy-enough-to-work blend of ambient trip-hop, bluegrass, rock and Celtic music comes together perfectly on their debut CD.
— Salt Lake City Weekly
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| More... |
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Symbolic creativity emanates from this CD, once again, the violin's wizardry and endearment emerges as the lead instrument. Chris perpetuates its brilliance throughout this recording. You will set sail for memorable horizons of progressive jazz when you encounter this listening experience.
— A. Khalis Pride, Jazz Exodus, July 2005
This Week in Music Globalization
The brainchild of front man and dynamic electric violinist Chris Murphy... the band's repertoire includes homegrown American blues, jumpin' swing, heart-breaking folk ballads, fanciful Irish jigs, romantic Argentine tangos and mournful Italian sonatas that could easily soundtrack a funeral procession.
— 10/17/2003 OC Weekly
Musical A-D-D Variety keeps Ponticello motivated at Twin Palms
Variety is the spice, as the old saw goes, and Ponticello embraces it as gospel truth. They twirl stylishly through so many genres — blues, Cajun, Celtic, gypsy jazz, indie and country rock — that... "We joke about having musical A-D-D." Since relocating here from Seattle about a year and a half ago, Ponticello's become known on the local scene as "that fiddle band," thanks to violinist Chris Murphy's fierce onstage energy. Whether playing Ireland's 32 in Van Nuys, roots-rock nights at the Scene in Glendale or Twin Palms here in Old Pasadena, it's Murphy's electric fiddle that defines the band's sound and musical personality. Expect spirited covers of Stephane Grappelli/Django Reinhardt gypsy jazz, Charley Patton/Robert Johnson-era blues, swing, ragtime, and originals written in those period styles designed to please music supervisors as well as audiences.
— July 10, 2003 Pasadena Weekly
PONTICELLO Like No Other Band
Playing music that bridges the styles of rock, jazz, swing, and country, the trio Ponticello carves a niche in the west coast music scene like no other. Coming to several Maui venues... Chris Murphy and Ponticello present their original tunes with panache.
— by Bliss, 4/18/2002 MauiTime Weekly
Versatile Trio Keeps A Quick Pace
...the last set was just one continuous groove — starting up as a techno-jam, moving into a rock groove, throwing in a little fiddle, and then back again. It was like going through chapters in a book, going from mood to mood.
— 4/26/02 Honolulu Star Bulletin
Ponticello
Violin, bass, and drums form the core of this unorthodox LA-based trio..... the band's wildly diverse repertoire, ranging from spaghetti western, gypsy and klezmer tune to dark and brooding compositions somewhere along the lines of Dirty Three — and practically everything in between.
— 9/3/03 Willamette Week
Sparkling with Creativity
Ponticello's music exudes dark, driving and wonderfully synchopated rock rhythms... Ponticello's "Dark Skies" is extraordinary. It's sparking with creativity. It's the testimony of a band that thrives on music. These guys live and breathe the stuff like there's nothing else out there.
— Fran Gray, citysearch.com
Inspiration and Perspiration
Ponticello are a case of inspiration mixed with perspiration as three guys in the heat of a supreme musical moment delivered the goods with weighty reverence. At this defining juncture, it then became astonishingly clear, put Ponticello in front of a sold-out crowd anywhere and they will command it.
— Rob Evanoff, allaboutjazz.com
Musica Americana
By drawing on stylistic devices from as far afield as funk and Celtic folk music, trip-hop and high-lonesome country balladry, the Seattle trio stamps rock Americana with an intriguing and identifiable character.
— Marty Hughley, The Oregonian
Stuck in my CD Player
One of the most intriguing bands to come through town as of late is Ponticello, a Seattle trio mixing a wide variety of sounds. 'Dark Skies,' the band's debut album, has been in my CD player since I got it a week ago, and it gets better with every listen. It's hard to believe this much sound comes from three instruments — violin, bass and drums... 'Dark Skies' is one of the best albums I've heard in a while.
— Brian Hurlbut, Bozeman Daily Chronicle
Painting with the Fiddle
Ted Kamp brandishes an appealingly gritty but melodic vocal style, and Chris Murphy paints all sorts of tonal colors with his fiddle, drawing on Middle Eastern Celtic, prog and ambient styles along with straightforward fiddling.
— Michael Toland, Pop Culture Pres
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