Juggy Murray Jones (November 24, 1923 – February 8, 2005) – Dance Groove (1977)

For the legendary producer, songwriter, and Sue Records owner Murray's second solo LP, songwriter Billy Nichols wrote this killer disco-funk jam.

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Henry Murray aka Juggy Murray Jones was the multi-talented co-founder of influential R&B label Sue Records, and a prolific producer and singer/songwriter.

Born exactly a century ago today in Charleston, South Carolina, he was raised on the West Side of Manhattan in New York City. In 1957, he and Harlem entrepreneur Bobby Robinson co-founded Sue Records, named for Murray’s wife and daughter. Their first office was at 271 West 125th Street, near the Apollo Theater, which they shared with local DJ Tommy Smalls aka Dr. Jive. Although conceived as an R&B label, Sue’s focus changed after they had an early crossover hit with “Itchy Twitchy Feeling” by Bobby Hendricks, which went top-40 on the Billboard Hot 100.

In 1960, Murray and Robinson split and he moved the label’s offices to his apartment at 725 Riverside Drive. Murray next found an office on Broadway, and then moved into what he called the Sue Building at 265 West 54th Street. Later in 1960, he heard a demo by Ike & Tina Turner and signed them to a four-year contract. The bet paid off when their first single “A Fool In Love” was a #2 R&B hit, written and produced by Ike. More hits followed, but the duo left the label in 1962 after suing for breach of contract and royalties. Murray signed Jimi Hendrix to a two-year contract in 1965, but he did not record for the label.

Sue Records released over one hundred singles by various artists during the fifties and sixties. It was one of the first successful Black-owned labels in the country, and Murray was its mastermind. He began recording using his nickname “Juggy” in 1966, with the release of the laid back instrumental “Soul At Sunrise,” b/w the funky jam “Just A Minute.”

Eventually, Sue Records went under in the late sixties, after Murray took out a $100,000 loan from United Artists backed by Sue’s assets. When he failed to repay the loan, UA assumed control of the smaller label.

Murray launched his new label Jupiter Records in the mid-seventies. With disco records selling in high volumes, in 1976 he released his own debut solo album on Jupiter titled Inside America (Disco).

It was full of dancefloor-friendly tracks like its opening cut “Disco Extraordinaire” and the superb disco-funk jam “Built For Speed,” which was originally released in 1972 as Parts 1 and 2 on a 7” single on Pony Records. The stellar instrumental title track became a Loft and Paradise Garage classic, and went top-40 in the UK.

Murray produced the album and co-wrote many of its cuts (including the title track) with Ken Waymon Williams, a prolific NYC songwriter. Sadly, Williams passed last year on June 17, 2022.

Another of its gems they co-wrote was the superb disco love song “Super Positive Delight,” on which Williams sang lead.

Murray released his second solo LP Rhythm & Blues in 1977, also on Jupiter Records. On its back cover he was billed as “Juggy Murray Jones, Diplomat.”

Murray again produced the album, but its songwriting was largely handled by Allen Williams and Billy Nichols, the latter who had previously written B.T. Express’ mega-hit “Do It (Til You're Satisfied).” One of the standout tracks they co-wrote was the disco-funk jam “I'll See You Through.”

Nichols solely wrote what was arguably the LP’s masterpiece, the killer disco-funk workout “Dance Groove.”

Murray kept producing into the 2000’s, despite having Parkinson’s disease. He died at age 81 in the Bronx. DJ and remixer Tom Moulton was among the close friends who gave eulogies at his memorial service.

Happy Heavenly Centennial to the great Henry Murray.

Further info:

“Juggy Murray: Astute founder of Sue Records,” obituary, The Independent (UK), April 20, 2005.

“Juggy Murray (1923 - 2005),” Spectropop, 2005.

“The SUE Records Story: New York City – The Sound of Soul,” review by Rob Greaves, Tagg.com, December 14, 2019.

#soul #funk #disco #SueRecords #HenryMurray #JuggyMurrayJones