Pierce Murphy

His grandfather was a singer/songwriter in the 60s. Parents gigging musicians in the 80s and 90s. Pierce Murphy, born in Denver, Colorado, was raised by music as much as anything else. Consummately creative, Pierce spent his childhood learning illustration and graphic design (two things he continues to pursue professionally) before picking up the guitar at age twelve. Initially fascinated by composition like his grandfather, he devoured all the elements of song–lyrics, chord voicings, scales, rhythms–eventually diving into jazz where he found an exhilarating depth of emotion and intellect. Pierce studied jazz guitar at Metropolitan State University of Denver with Ron Miles and Dave Devine, jazz voice at the University of Denver with Donna Wickham. He learned music production, working as the lead sound engineer for Denver’s most prestigious jazz club, Dazzle, and also working on dozens of recordings for himself and others. In addition to many local and regional gigs in everything from tiny cocktail lounges to five thousand seat amphitheaters, Pierce embarked on a two-week tour of Japan in 2017 in support of his album Rainichi / To Japan. He has played clubs in Paris, France and Chania, Greece, with more dates and locales on the way. Pierce’s style is rooted in the instruments that make him up: his rich baritone and his electric guitar. These give his jazz a thick layer of blues and soul, never shying from the gritty charm of a cooking amplifier or a sly turn of phrase not sung but instead spoken. As Ron Miles once said, there is always a sense that Pierce’s artistry is right on time; a product and principle of the creativity that surrounds him.