Benefit held for The Murphys' Claude Black at UT Tuesday

Toledo's legacy as a jazz town hardly needs retelling. As the birthplace of Art Tatum and John Hendricks, it's legendary. And there's no doubt that a significant part of that legacy is also The Murphys. For more than 20 years, Clifford Murphy and Claude Black – a.k.a. The Murphys – have entertained countless Toledoans at various festivals, events, fundraisers, and, especially at their infamous, sadly now-closed club, Murphy's Place. The Murphys are no doubt a part of some happy memory is most of our lives. Week in and week out, they gave all to the music they loved, and it was deeply affecting.

Well, as the world turns, it's time to give back. Claude Black recently fell seriously ill – very seriously – suffering from kidney failure, dangerously high blood pressure, and the return of a previous cancer. He was admitted to the UT Medical Center just before Christmas. Like many aging jazz men of his time, money is tight for such medical woes. To that end, a fundraiser is being held in his honor this Tuesday, January 31^st at the newly renovated University of Toledo's Center for Performing Arts (Main Campus, off the Secor Rd. entrance). UT Jazz faculty such as Jon Hendricks, Gunnar Mossblad, Jeff Halsey, Ron Brooks, George Davidson, and others organized the event. Admission is $3 for students and seniors, and $5 for the general public. The concert will start at 8 p.m. Donations are accepted in the form of cash or check, and should be made out directly to Claude Black.

For those unaware, Black was born in Detroit, where he grew up learning to play his grandmother's piano. He attended the school with the likes of Donald Byrd, and by the age of 16, was touring as a jazz piano player. A few short years later, in 1965, he was recruited to back up the original Queen of Soul herself, Miss Aretha Franklin. Through this opportunity, Black had a number of opportunities to meet and converse with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., as Aretha joined with him in his quest for Civil Rights. Touring with Franklin led Black around the globe, and gave him access to a wonderful lifestyle. But eventually, he returned to his first true love – jazz. Returning home, he gigged around Toledo/Detroit, and soon enough discovered Clifford Murphy, who would open his namesake club a few years later in the early '80s. From then on, the two were inseparable.

Read more about Claude Black's storied life at ToledoHistoryMuseum.org.

Donations can be received care of the UT Music Department via mailing address:

UT Jazz
c/o Gunnar
Dept. of Music MS605
University of Toledo
Toledo, OH 43606

Photo courtesy of UT News
Published: 01/30/2012 7:00 am

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