Kerouac, Then and Now

Kerouac, Then and Now is a 1986 studio album by Mark Murphy.

Kerouac, Then and Now is the 25th recorded album by American jazz vocalist Mark Murphy. It was recorded when Murphy was 54 years old but not released by Muse in the United States until 1989 when Murphy was 57. The release is a tribute to Beat writer Jack Kerouac and bebop. Murphy reads excerpts from two of Kerouac's works, Big Sur (track 4) and On the Road (track 7) and performs a Lord Buckley comedic routine (track 8).

Mark Murphy recorded Kerouac, Then and Now in two days in November 1986 with producer and arranger Bill Mays. The album is a sequel to Bop for Kerouac from 1981. As with Bop for Kerouac, the album reflects Murphy's interest in the hip Beat Generation, Jack Kerouac, bebop, vocalese, mixing storytelling with music, ballads, and using the voice as a musical instrument for improvisation. Death is an also prominent theme throughout. Both albums were met with critical acclaim and Murphy was at his peak. Murphy wrote original lyrics for "November in the Snow" (track 7). As was typical with his Muse releases, he was paid a flat fee upfront and received no royalties. Kerouac Then and Now was not released for two and a half years after recording, during a period when Murphy was grief-stricken over his dying life partner.