Pat Murphy

After several years as director of show development for the Up With People organization — where he was charged with writing songs, co-producing shows and worked in talent development — Pat Murphy got back in the local music scene and started playing with the Nacho Men around 2004. On his solo debut, The Paul Howard Project, which he dedicated to his parents, Paul and Alis (Howard) Murphy, Murphy digs into his R&B and soul roots, showing an affinity for neo-soul and more classic Motown stylings. Two of the best cuts on the album, opener “One Breath Closer” and “Heart of America,” borrow a thing or two from Earth, Wind and Fire, while numbers like “Cool Her Mind” and “Stay Strong” groove especially hard. The disc is mainly a decent collection of R&B cuts, but Murphy also throws a few pop tunes, like “Opposites Attract” and “Marie,” into the mix, making for an enjoyable listen overall.