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Kaz Murphy (5-piece from L.A.):  Murphy has been stirring the pot of the rich Los Angeles roots rock scene for the last two years, and what has emerged is the best of this prolific singer-songwriter to date - his latest CD Home For Misfits. Future Studios, 30 Hozoni Drive, Sedona. www.futurestudios.org (928) 282-9139 Saturday • July 26 • 8:00 P.M. Adults: $16 advance / $19 day of show ; Ages 4-11: $12 advance / $15 day of show ; Under 4: FREE

Kaz Murphy’s 5-piece roots rocks Sedona on July 26

Sedona, AZ - July 17, 2008 - Saturday, July 26, Future Studios presents Kaz Murphy, a 5-piece roots rock Americana group based out of L.A.

Kaz grew up in the midst of the Philadelphia folk scene and the South Jersey Italian suburbs of the ‘70s. After heading West, Murphy ended up in Santa Fe drumming for legendary Beat Generation poet Allen Ginsberg in coffee houses, later to sail across the Pacific to Asia in search of something new. He settled for a spell in Japan where he met his wife and bandmate-to-be, Jacqueline Grad, a violinist and keyboardist.

Kaz and Jacqueline settled in Seattle where Murphy became lead singer and songwriter of Mad Mad Nomad, a folk-rock group on Green Monkey Records. The group released a single and an album, “Snap Out,” played about 200 shows a year for four years straight, before they disbanded when Murphy decided to return to the freedoms of being a solo artist.

Released on LiquidCity Records in 1997, Murphy’s debut album One Happy Camper was met with great reviews and enthusiastic national airplay. Touring across the country in support of the album, he became a fixture at Austin’s SXSW music festival.

In 1999 he toured Europe with Jacqueline, performing at the Europe-in-Music conference in Brussels, along with dates in Paris, Vienna, and several music festivals in Rome. While in Italy, the pair was featured on national Italian television. Swept away by the splendors of Italy, Kaz and Jacqueline made it their home. They learned Italian and made great friends while Kaz played drums in a Rome-based rock band, but more importantly, they got married. While abroad, Murphy further developed his knack for storytelling and was asked to go to Vienna to help write a book entitled "In the Place of Coincidence for Nofrontiere," a European new media design company.

Eventually, the pair returned to the United States – settling this time in the thriving Los Angeles music scene. 2003 saw the release of Murphy’s second solo CD “Devil in the Barn,” to glowing reviews and respectable airplay on American charts and in Europe. He would tour for a couple years, including return visits to the SXSW festival and routine residencies at LA clubs in the alt-country scene.

Soon after, Murphy retreated to the studio, spending almost two years writing new material. Culling from the wealth of talent that is the LA music scene, Murphy and co-producer Rich McCulley enlisted support in the studio from Murphy’s long-time band members Brian Young (Fountains of Wayne, Ivy), John Skibic and Sully Sullivan (Ivy, Twilight Singers), and wife Jacqueline Grad, along with McCulley, Amy Farris, Kip Boardman, John McDuffie and Duane Jarvis. What have emerged are Kaz’s best work yet, a sonically rich and emotionally compelling collection of songs that share the stories of ordinary people gone awry; Home For Misfits authentically examines through carefully taken long-shots and close-ups, the misfit that lingers in all of us. Kaz's song, Killn' Wheel off the new album was voted SONG OF THE YEAR in 2008 by Rockwired radio listeners.

Also performing will be Producer and Electronic Technician, Paul DuGre. With over 30 years in the music business under his belt, Paul has worked with hundreds of artists including Leo Kottke, Los Lobos, Tracy Chapman, Julie Christiansen, Weezer, Sam Phillips, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Dave Alvin, The Section Quartet, Toad The Wet Sprocket, Bruce Springsteen, Grant Lee Phillips, Joe Walsh, and many more. Paul and friends will be sharing a set on Peruvian whistles.

Doors open at 7:30 P.M. show starts at 8:00 P.M.; Admission Price: Adults - $16 advance / $19 day of show; 12 & Under - $12 advance / $15 day of show; Future Studios is located at 30 Hozoni Drive in West Sedona (mailing address: P.O. Box 4779, Sedona, AZ 86340). www.futurestudios.org.; For tickets and/or information call (928) 282-9139.
 

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