Cranbrook.edu

Dave McMurray '73 to perform on campus with fellow Detroit Icons

1/29/2025

Blue Note recording artist and Cranbrook and HUB alum, Dave McMurray '73 will be performing at Kingswood Auditorium February 7 with composer/pianist/singer Alvin Waddles, and Gospel vocalist, Rosa Warner-Jones. The artists will present a tribute to music legends Fats Waller, John Coltrane and Mahalia Jackson. During the day the trio will also be presenting special performances for students from Cranbrook Kingswood Upper School, Cranbrook Kingswood Boys/Girls Middle School, and Horizons-Upward Bound. There are a limited number of tickets still available for the event, which is hosted by Cranbrook Schools along with its performing arts parent volunteer board BRAVO. See below for registration information.

In anticipation of the event, FocusCK caught up with the celebrated saxophonist

FocusCK: You were playing saxophone and clarinet at a very young age. How did your musical talents impact your formative years?
DM: I was always interested in the creative process, and I had a big imagination. So I always saw myself performing on stage, in an art studio painting, or behind a typewriter. I would always try to play melodies from records by ear. Everything I did was leading me into a creative direction. I loved listening to all different types of music. Whether it was jazz, rock, or country, I always imagined myself playing with them on stage. I would also do paintings of jazz musicians.

FocusCK: What led you to become part of the Horizons-Upward Bound program and then Cranbrook Schools?
DM: I had a junior high teacher who recommended me for the program. It was funny, I had an elementary teacher who took us on a field trip to Cranbrook when I was about 10 years old. We had a tour of the grounds and dorms. She said "This is where the rich kids go. I know you won’t
go here but isn’t it a beautiful place." She was the first person I thought of, my first day on campus. I wished I could tell her "I'm here!" I received the scholarship for 11th & 12th grade in 1972. I was very involved in the arts; painting, creative writing, but mostly the saxophone.

FocusCK: Did you have any mentors or friends from HUB or Cranbrook schools who shaped your experience?
DM: Definitely. Mr. Bill Washington and Mr. George Bibbs were the heads of Horizons at the time. They kept me in line. Mr. [Ben] Snyder, was very important in my life. He was always a person that I could go to, no matter the situation. During the summer program Albert Ward and Daryl Taylor guided me in the right direction.

FocusCK: You were in the band at Cranbrook and also played sports and did other extracurricular activities. How did you learn to balance your time as a student?
DM: That was the exciting part about Cranbrook. It had a different feel at Cranbrook, than public school. Besides having a beautiful campus, it had a very diverse set of people from all over the country. I leaned on friends that I had in the Horizons/Upward bound program, who had received the scholarship in previous years. But I was a pretty friendly person. Because of the different activities I did, I had friends in every 'click'. Whether they were into sports, arts, music, or academics. Because of the 'college' feel of the campus, having time wasn't a factor. It was always something to get into. That was what I enjoyed most about the Cranbrook experience.

FocusCK: Do you keep in touch with anyone from HUB or Cranbrook Schools?
DM: Yes. I definitely forged many great friendships from HUB and Cranbrook. Some I talk to quite frequently. True friends. In my travels I always run into someone from the program or Cranbrook. Reminiscing with friends always seems like it was just yesterday.

FocusCK: You have performed, toured and done session work with so many artists; BB King, The Stones, Bob Dylan, Iggy Pop, Bonnie Raitt, Patti Smith, Kid Rock, Bootsy Collins, Herbie Hancock, Was (Not Was), Bob James and Kem. Did your time at Cranbrook help prepare you to travel the world and perform with world-renowned artists like these?
DM: My time at Cranbrook definitely prepared me to be able to deal in every situation. I learned something my first week of school that was vital to my musical style. Another new student exposed me to his original music, influenced by Frank Zappa. It was different, complicated, and outside of my comfort zone. That really set the tone for my whole musical career. I also met students from different financial backgrounds and ethnic differences, In those situations you find the common thread in humanity. That's not learned in the classroom. That is learned from interaction and communication. That all helped to form my personality and work ethic.

FocusCK: You were back on campus to play for a special event in 2011 with Oscar-and Grammy-winning keyboardist Luis Resto and renowned drummer Larry Frantangelo. All three of you are well-accustomed to playing for audiences that number in the thousands. What was it like being back on campus and playing in the Kingswood auditorium for students and families?
DM: Every time I come on campus it's like coming home. I spent so much time there during the summer and regular semester. In entering the Upward Bound program, I had never been away from home and family that long. Suddenly I was canoeing, going on field trips, and rooming with people I didn't know. That was a formative time for me. I learned how to perform in front of people. I always love performing for kids and seeing their reactions. I remember myself playing at assembly and it still feels the same.

Giant Steps: Hear three Detroit icons celebrate three American legends

Friday, February 7, 2025
Kingswood Auditorium
Kingswood Campus, Cranbrook Schools

6:30 PM - Doors Open for the Event Kingswood Green Lobby
7:00 PM - Program Begins
8:15 PM - Reception Kingswood Dining Hall and Rose Lobby

This event is nearly fully subscribed, but there are a limited number of reservations available on a first-come, first-served basis.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

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