Celebrate the release of Wolf, a new album on Shifting Paradigm Records featuring music by saxophonist Bryan Murray. Alongside Twin Cities bassist Adam Linz and Philadelphia-based drummer Dan Monaghan, Murray explores the possibilities of the chordless jazz format through collective improvisation and original compositions.

Band Members:
Bryan Murray - Saxophone
Adam Linz - Bass
Dan Monaghan - Drums

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After 20 years of performing in the New York music scene, Bryan Murray relocated to Minnesota with his family in 2022. While in New York, Murray led an “avant country” band called Bryan and the Haggards that focused on the songwriting of country music legend Merle Haggard. The band’s two albums on Hot Cup Records and one with Eugene Chadbourne on Northern Spy Records have received much praise. The New York Times said, “…their debut is satisfying as both a commentary on Mr. Haggard’s music and a dispatch from the current jazz frontier.” The Boston Globe called the debut “The Biggest Surprise Jazz Album,” and The Wire rated it as one of the top 10 jazz albums of the year. Murray has also been a regular sideman on other projects—including Moppa Elliott’s Unspeakable Garbage and Jon Lundbom’s Big Five Chord—and joined the “Love This Giant” tour with David Byrne and St. Vincent. His latest musical projects use a modified saxophone of his own creation and are recorded under the pseudonym Balto Exclamationpoint.

Adam Linz is a well-known bass player in the Twin Cities jazz scene. He co-leads the internationally award-winning group Fat Kid Wednesdays with childhood friends Mike Lewis and JT Bates; the group has toured extensively throughout Europe and North America. Linz has taught at Macalester College, Augsburg College, Minnesota Institute for Talented Youth, and EDAM Music outreach in Paris, and he has given clinics in Chile, Argentina, Seattle, New York, Houston, Germany, and Switzerland. Linz has performed with such jazz greats as Evan Parker, Stanley Turrentine, Milt Jackson, and the electronic artist Dosh.

Dan Monaghan is one of the busiest drummers in the Philadelphia area. He has performed with some of the top names in jazz, including Eric Alexander, Peter Bernstein, Uri Caine, and Randy Brecker. In addition, he has recorded with Dick Oatts, Garry Dial, Joe Magnarelli, Jimmy Bruno, Elio Villafranca, Joanna Pascale, John Vanore & Abstract Truth, Larry McKenna, Jon Lundbom & Big Five Chord, Norman David, Tom Tallitsch, Mike Kennedy, and many others. Monaghan has performed at the Heineken Jazzaldia Festival, the Daegu International Jazz Festival, the Mellon Jazz Festival, the East Coast Jazz Festival, the Wilmington Latino Festival, the Cremona Jazz Festival, the Blue Note, Blues Alley, Smoke, Ortlieb's Jazzhaus, Zanzibar Blue, and Chris' Jazz Cafe, among other well-known venues. In addition to his performing credits, Monaghan is on the faculty at Temple University and Rowan University, and is a frequent clinician at schools, colleges, and festivals.