Mark Murphy and Rue McClanahan at Nightlife Awards

Nightlife Awards producer Scott Siegel is proud to announce that Mark Murphy will receive the Legend of Jazz Award at the 2005 Nightlife Awards.

This prolific jazz recording artist is a six-time Grammy Award nominee. Discovered by Sammy Davis Jr in 1953, he counts numerous stars as fans, including vocal greats Betty Carter, Peggy Lee, and Liza Minnelli. The legendary Ella Fitzgerald once declared 'he is my equal.'

In other Nightlife news, Emmy Award-winning actress Rue McClanahan has been added to the list of presenters, which includes Tony Danza, Joy Behar, Ute Lemper, Allan Harris, Julie Halston, Jim Caruso, Kate Clinton, Dick Latessa, Joe Mantello, Alice Ripley and many others. Academy Award veteran Bruce Vilanch will host.

The Nightlife Awards is the only broad-based critics award show honoring our great city's nightlife, and it's the only award show in the world that is PURE ENTERTAINMENT! There will be more than twenty live cabaret, comedy and jazz performances on the stage of New York's famed Town Hall, performed by the most talented club performers in New York (and, therefore, the world)!

The 2005 Nightlife Awards is conceived and produced by Author/Critic Scott Siegel, who also created Town Hall's popular and critically acclaimed Broadway by the Year series (going into its fifth season), and the smash hit Broadway Unplugged concert in September.

The Nightlife Awards take place on Monday, January 31, 2005 at 7:00 PM at The Town Hall (123 West 43rd Street, between 6th & 7th Avenues). Tickets are $25, $50, and $75. (Tickets to the after party are an additional $50). Show tickets may be purchased via Ticketmaster at 212-307-4100 or online at www.TheaterMania.com.

Mark Murphy Biography
Mark Murphy is one of the world's greatest -- and hippest -- jazz vocalists performing today. His coterie of fans includes late tap dancing legend Gregory Hines, who spontaneously jumped up on stage at Mark's Las Vegas engagement in 1995 to join him for an impromptu duet. Vocal greats Betty Carter, Peggy Lee, Cleo Laine and Shirley Horn all sing Murphy's praises as one of the best in he business and the legendary Ella Fitzgerald declared 'he is my equal.'

A six-time Grammy nominee, Mark Murphy has enjoyed a prolific 40-year recording career, with over 40 releases to date. His original lyrics to 'Stolen Moments,' 'Red Clay' and more are known the world over. His innovative projects range from the work of Nat 'King' Cole to Jack Kerouac to Ivan Lins to Eddie Jefferson.

Sammy Davis, Jr. first discovered the young Mark Murphy in 1953 at a jam session in Murphy's hometown of Syracuse, New York. Impressed with Murphy's talent, Davis invited him to his show that night, where he asked Mark to join him on stage. Davis was supportive of Mark throughout the years and was responsible for getting Murphy on the 'Tonight Show' with Steve Allen.

Murphy's recording career began at the age of 24 with his first release, Meet Mark Murphy, on the Decca label. In 1958 Murphy moved to Los Angeles and recorded for Capitol.

He returned to New York in the early '60s and did the now classic jazz recording 'Rah' on the Riverside label, featuring legendary jazz players Bill Evans, Clark Terry, Urbie Green, Blue Mitchell and Wynton Kelly. Mark's favorite recording to date, 'That's How I Love the Blues,' soon followed. In 1963 Murphy hit the charts across the country with his single of 'Fly Me To the Moon' and was voted 'New Star of the Year' in Downbeat Magazine's Reader's Poll.

After living on London for several years, he returned to the States in 1972 and began recording an average of an album a year for over fourteen years on the Muse label. These projects -- including the highly acclaimed Nat King Cole Songbook Vol. I and II, Bop for Kerouac I and II, Living Room, Satisfaction Guaranteed, Beauty And the Beast and his classic, Stolen Moments -- garnered widespread critical acclaim and numerous Grammy nominations. In 1987, Mark recorded Night Mood, an album of songs by Brazilian composer Ivan Lins, followed by the Grammy-nominated September Ballads on Milestone Records. Mark has appeared on U.F.O.'s (Polydor) last two releases, in which he has written and rapped lyrics on songs composed with the group. This collaboration will serve notice to the acid-jazz, hip-hop fans that Mark Murphy is the real thing. His contribution shows that jazz is timeless and transcends generations.

In August of 1997, BMG/ RCA Victor released 'Song For The Geese', for which he has received his sixth Grammy nomination. Also in August of 1997 32 Records released a double CD retrospective, 'Stolen and Other Moments', some of Mark's best recordings for the now defunct Muse label. The much awaited 'Dim The Lights' [Millennium Recordings LTD, 1999], Mark's piano and voice collaboration with Benny Green was released in September of 1999. In April of 2000 'Some Time Ago' [High Note] was released.

Mark Murphy continues to tour internationally year round, appearing at festivals, concerts, in the best jazz clubs and on television programs throughout the U.S., Europe, Australia and Japan. He is one of the most important jazz vocalists of our time. 'There's a party goin' on in Mark's head,' declares fan Liza Minelli, 'and I want to go to it!'