Upcoming Projects
Over the summer, Charlie is looking to independently record a short jazz ep with colleagues from GMU, showcasing some of what he has learned during his time there. He is also writing original compositions for a synthesis ep, combining influences in Brazilian, bebop, vocal music, and electronic processing. They are both set to release on all platforms in Spring 2024.
Bio
Charles Murdock is a jazz vocalist and pianist out of Fairfax and the DMV area. A senior at George Mason University, he is pursuing a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Vocal Performance. Charlie is student of Dr. Darden Purcell, studying the deep idiom of jazz vocal music and exploring what it means to be a jazz musician in the modern day. He has been an integral part of his parent's band Shrinking Violets since he was nine, singing and playing piano. Discovering a love for jazz in middle school, he learned the music of Oscar Peterson, Chick Corea, Jamie Cullum, Jacob Collier, and many others by ear. His parents noticed this, and decided to encourage him to study piano. He received hybrid classical/jazz piano training from Burnett Thompson at 14, and pursued a jazz piano education with Wade Beach upon arriving at GMU, taking part in every ensemble he could find while enrolled. Charlie has shared the stage with Darden Purcell, Dominique Bianco, and was able to take part on stage with Maria Schneider during her residency at GMU in Spring 2022. He has performed at the Reagan Center in DC, Mr. Henry’s, Blues Alley, and many other venues. He continues to be passionate about understanding genre boundaries and how to cross them while retaining artistic integrity, blending his many musical influences into a cohesive mix of styles through his playing and vocal technique.