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Meet the Man Behind the Guitar

Article by Libby Furns

Photography by Scott LeBaron

Originally published in Arvada Lifestyle

Pierce Murphy is a vocalist/guitarist from Denver with a distinct approach to jazz and soul. From penthouse clubs in Hiroshima, Japan to neighborhood bars in Paris, he’s made his way around the world performing for captivated audiences. The musical sounds call to mind artists like Chet Baker, Bill Withers, and Amy Winehouse. Pierce performs original music in addition to jazz standards and reinterpreted modern pop and hip hop.

Q: What does it feel like to be on stage?

A: If the music is really rigid, then it feels like being on the crew of a ship, and the audience is relying on you to take them someplace beautiful. If the music is more flexible, more understanding, then it feels like a good conversation: musicians talking about the nature of the universe in a language devised for just that topic, but the audience contributes, too. They’re like the record being played in the background—they set the vibe. And that’s when being on stage is the best for me.

Q: What is your simple pleasure and your guilty pleasure? 

A: Simple pleasure? Coffee in the morning with my wife. Waking up slow with our thoughts, seeing our cat watch the sunrise from a little window perch, just being happily us. Guilty pleasure? Video games. Growing up I didn’t party or engage in much delinquent behavior, but I played video games probably more than is healthy. I think it mostly gives me a little escape. Something to fixate my thoughts on that doesn’t really matter. I spend less and less time with them anymore, though. Getting old, I guess. Or just happier in the moment.

Q: If you were to be quarantined with 2-3 celebrities, who would you choose?

A. Herbie Hancock. He’s the Zen master. And Anthony Bourdain because he’s philosophical and funny and can cook (which we’ve all learned is very important during a quarantine). And maybe Regina Spektor. She just seems really kind (also valuable in quarantine) and I find her inspiring as a songwriter and artist.

Q: When did you know you would spend your life as a performer?

A: I had just failed out of my freshman year of college and was really unsure of where my life was headed. That summer, my dad’s band was given a spot at the Monterey Bay Blues Festival in California, (my dad is a phenomenal bass player) so we packed up the minivan and drove out west. I met great musicians. One in particular was kind and entertained all my dumb questions with inspirational answers. Another morning we were at a foggy beach cafe just off Cannery Row and an older gentleman was playing jazz guitar and singing standards. I talked to him about music and living, and I realized that is how I wanted my life to be- that I could be happy if I pursued that path.

Q: What rituals or routines accompany your performances? 

A: Usually I like to get something to drink to get a little lighter on my feet, maybe coffee or beer. Then I make sure all the equipment lights up. Sometimes I’ll do these obnoxious vocal siren warm ups. In private. Always in private. I’ll run my fingers up and down the strings. It’s not magic most of the time.

Q: How would you describe yourself as an artist? 

A: I stay curious. I see art as pursuing the same thing as science and religion: understanding. So I try to make sure my view of the world and the ways I interact with it are malleable. I want to be generous and caring, and I like art’s ability to illuminate things.

Q: How do you enjoy music and/or performances with your family?

A: My family is very musical, so we can talk shop for days. We also perform together from time to time. I got to tour in Japan with my brother and his wife: he proposed to her on that trip a couple years back. That’s an incredible memory and bond that is unique to a musical family.

Q: How do you take your coffee? 

A: Meticulously brewed and jet black.

Q: What are your 3 favorite holiday songs? 

A: I’ve been digging “Good King Wenceslas” the last couple of years because it sounds really cool in a jazz style. And then the Charlie Brown Christmas stuff that Vince Guaraldi wrote is classic. Lately, I’ve been revisiting a Rev Run (of Run-D.M.C.) take on “Santa Baby” with Snoop and Salt N Pepa and a bunch of other artists. So cool.

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