b. Melvin Edward Alton Murphy, 16 December 1915, Palermo, California, USA, d. 30 May 1987, San Francisco, California, USA. Murphy's early career was as a trombonist in popular dance bands such as that led by Mal Hallett, but in the late 30s he joined the revivalist band led by Lu Watters and remained there for most of the next decade. After leaving Watters he formed his own band, gaining just as much fame and popularity as Watters had, and a similarly high level of critical disdain. Murphy opened his own club, Earthquake McGoon's, in San Francisco and continued to lead his band there and around the world until shortly before his death in 1987. An earthy, sometimes raucous but always entertaining player, Murphy was one of the key figures in retaining public interest in traditional jazz during a period, and in a place (the west coast) that saw most critical attention directed to other styles of music.

Listen to Turk Murphy at Finetune.

• (2007)  Favorites
• (2007)  Turk Murphy's Jazz Band Favorites
• (1949)  Favorites

• New Orleans Stomp
• After You've Gone
• The Maple Leaf Rag
• A Closer Walk With Thee
• By and By

• Tommy Ladnier and his Orchestra
• Al Hirt
• Preservation Hall Jazz Band
• Eddie Condon
• Pete Fountain
• Sidney Bechet
• Original Dixieland Jazz Band
• Jelly Roll Morton's Jazz Band
• Sidney Bechet & His New Orleans Feetwarmers
• Ory's Creole Jazz Band
• Paul Howard's Quality Serenaders
• Al Hirt, Pete Fountain
• The Dukes of Dixieland
• Louis Armstrong
• Jelly Roll Morton's New Orleans Jazzmen
• Matty Matlock & His Dixie Men
• Dr. Henry Levine's Barefoot Dixieland Philharmonic
• Ory's Sunshine Orchestra
• The New Orleans Feetwarmers
• Firehouse Five Plus Two

• eddielin11