Bio

Hailed as one of Canada’s top lead trumpet players, Jim Murray has been actively playing and teaching in the professional music scene for over 30 years. Guido Basso recently stated about Jim “We have another Arnie in our midst” referring to Arnie Chycoski who was celebrated as one of the top three lead trumpet players on the planet.

Jim’s musical career has seen him play with a number of trumpet greats including Doc Severinsen, Bobby Shew, Allen Vizzutti, Chris Jaudes, Marvin Stamm, Andrea Tofanelli, Guido Basso, Jens Lindemann, Jeff Tyzik, Byron Stripling, Dominic Spera, Gary Guthman, Adam Rapa, Ingrid Jensen, Sean Jones, and Chase Sanborn.

He has performed lead trumpet with many professional musical theatre productions in and around Calgary such as National Broadway Tours of: “ Beautiful – The Carole King Musical” , “Book of Mormon” , “Wicked” , “Mary Poppins” , “Billy Elliott” , and “Chorus Line” / Theatre Calgary’s: “Billy Elliot” , “Crazy for You” , “Mary Poppins” , “Cats” , “Drowsy Chaperone” , and “The Full Monty” / Stage West’s “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder” , “World Goes ‘Round” , and “Spamalot”.

He has performed lead trumpet in concert with many, including: Nikki Yanofsky, Josh Groban, Jann Arden, Petula Clark, Diana Krall, The Temptations, Little Anthony and the Imperials, Paul Wertico, Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra POPS shows, Mocking Shadows, and The Calgary Stampede’s Grandstand Orchestra. Jim is a regular on lead trumpet with one of Canada’s top big bands, Prime Time Big Band.

You can also hear Jim play on various recordings, including: Jann Arden’s “Uncover Me”, Prime Time Big Band “Live at the Ironwood” , Deanne Matley’s Christmas “Get in the Mood”, Ellen Doty’s  “Live at The Station EP”,  Prime Time Big Band’s  “…For Our Friends” , Heebee-Jeebees’  “Heebee-Jeebee TV” and in the Corey Lee film “Legend of a Warrior” . In addition, you can hear Jim play at Ironwood Stage and Grill every 2nd Saturday with Prime Time Big Band.

Jim is honoured to be endorsed by Yamaha Canada as a Yamaha Performing Artist and is an Endorsing Artist of Wedge Mouthpieces

“What a wonderful experience I had appearing with the Prime Time Big Band, wherein every player covered his or her part so beautifully, led by the most excellent lead trumpeter, Jim Murray. Jim has all the tools–the chops and the sound. But most important to me, Jim is extremely musical, his style emanating from those who laid the foundation for so many of us–players like Bernie Glow, Ernie Royal, and Snooky Young. In this age of flash and glitz, it is so refreshing to hear a lead player like Jim who is rooted in the music rather than superficiality.”– Marvin Stamm

“I have had the great pleasure of being invited to play as a guest soloist with the Prime Time Big Band for two concerts, one in Banff and the other in Calgary. When I heard the band at the rehearsal I could not believe what I was hearing, it felt like a laser hitting the back of my head. It was the lead trumpet player’s sound – strong, precise, consistent, swinging and indefatigable. His name is Jim Murray and I put him in the same category as Snooky Young, Johnny Audino, Arnie Chycoski, Bobby Shew, Al Porcino, Chuck Findley, Bill Chase or any other heavy you can think of. Listen for yourself.” – Guido Basso