Mark Murphy - The Best of Mark Murphy: The Capitol Years (1997)

The Best of Mark Murphy is an excellent overview of the three albums Murphy recorded for Capitol in the late '50s that proves he was one of the more underrated singers of his era. Murphy is an inventive vocalist, putting new spins on songs like "Day In-Day Out," "Kansas City," "This Could Be the Start of Something Big," "I Only Have Eyes for You," "Witchcraft," "The Old Black Magic," "Cheek to Cheek," and "Lucky in Love." He may scat, improvise, or twist the melody too much for some tastes, but the music is always intriguing, especially for fans of jazz vocalists. The 17-track compilation offers a good taste of his style and a good indication of his talents. [The Best of Mark Murphy represents the first time any of his Capitol material has been released on compact disc.]